Inside Trump's head-scratching deal with "Chuck and Nancy"

[mcar]

https://www.axios.com/inside-trumps-head-scratching-deal-with-chuck-and-nancy-2482488348.html

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is perplexed, with no idea what President Trump thinks he was gaining.

In fact, McConnell rather doubts the president has a strategy, a close source tells Axios.

House Speaker Paul Ryan is furious, according to a person very close to him.

Both felt blindsided by Trump's stunning decision yesterday to abruptly side with "Chuck and Nancy," as he chummily called the Democratic leaders, in a deal to avert a government shutdown Sept. 30 — at the price of reviving the politically painful issue right before the 2018 elections.

Soak this in: It's now possible that Trump's biggest legislative wins this year will be more spending and raising the debt cap — the exact opposite of what Tea Party Republicans came to D.C. to do.

Trump "brazenly rolled his own party's leaders," as AP put it.
Plus his own Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin — in front of leaders of both parties.
Why it matters: Tax reform is now less likely, with trust ruptured between Trump and Republican Hill leaders. Democrats are more likely to flip the House in 2018: Republicans have less than ever to show their voters.

Be smart: This was a seminal moment for Republican congressional leaders. They left the Oval having watched the titular leader of their party side with Dems, right in front of them. They watched their carefully laid plans — using Harvey funding as leverage to push through a long-term debt ceiling extension — blow up in their faces.

The hostility that Republicans on the Hill feel towards Trump deepened.
One senior GOP official, summing up the day: "He f----d us."
A prominent Midwest GOP operative emails me: "Democrats got more done in a single Oval Office visit in one afternoon than the congressional Republicans have achieved all year."

[Trust Buster]

1. A silly OP. Playing chicken with defaulting on the debt should not be the new normal.

This country faces the debt ceiling, a continuing budget resolution, two hurricanes, a Korean Peninsula on pins and needles, 800,000 young Dreamers whose futures hang in the balance. This childish left wing meme that somehow Schumer and Pelosi screwed the Republicans by getting Trump to agree to a debt ceiling hike, a continuing budget resolution and funding for Harvey relief is nothing short of obnoxious. You want to celebrate a real win ? Then vote in the 2018 midterms and maybe you'll have something to crow about in place of this meaningless act of spiking the football in the end zone over basic government functions. Good day.

[madokie]

3. We're where we are because of the 'con party

It's their policies that got us here

I'll take a while to dig out of this hole they have us in, thats for sure.

[secondwind]

8. We all have our frustrations. I am grateful for any good ne s right now.

You want something to worry about? I'm in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, waiting for Irma in an hour or two. Huddling with employees and other hotel guests in a ballroom.

My home is on a barrier island off St Augustine. THAT is real worry.

Am grateful for any good news that comes out of D.C. Have a good day!

[renate]

9. I'm so sorry

I can't imagine the worry and the feeling of helplessness against a storm like this. Of course I wish that you and your home get through it without a scratch, but if that's not feasible, I hope you make it through without a scratch and that your home is battered but unbowed.



Please check in afterwards if you can.

[mcar]

12. Excuse me?

I have voted in every election since I came of age. I'm also in FL, prepping for Irma.

Some of us are able to focus on more than one thing at a time.

[annabanana]

2. Trump doesn't care.

If he gets good press and cheers from Dems for doing stuff like this, it will encourage him to do it more often. He KNOWS Chuck, he GETS Chuck.

[uponit7771]

4. In don't see what Dems are gaining?!?! Never ever make a deal with a sociopath

[Iliyah]

5. I don't care how Lying Ryan and McTurtle feel about betrayal if thats what they are

calling it. t-rump is a backstabber and only does what is profitable for him. If Dems got a almost a bare win, so be it. I trust Dems and their leaders 100% more than any evil GOP.

[GoCubsGo]

6. "He f----d us."

Yes. Just like you f----e him with your inability to repeal the ACA, which made him look as weak and inept as it made you look. And, he's making you pay for it.

[CakeGrrl]

7. The snakes are turning on each other. Well deserved.

The GOP Congress willfully obstructed President Obama at every turn and has conversely tried to kiss Trump's ass and turn a blind eye to his criminality whenever possible.

They deserve every fuckover that Trump decides to dole out, for whatever demented reason.

The Dem leadership is doing all it can do without a majority at any level - take whatever incidental positives fall out of the GOP circular firing squad and let them keep self-destructing.

[flamingdem]

10. This is a very small but interesting sign that Trump is at least better

for us than Pence would be.

He's just out for himself, Pence is out for the repuke slash and burn agenda and crazy evangelical gang, worse than Trump, perhaps.

[NastyRiffraff]

11. He just hates McConnell and Ryan

Particularly Mitch. He wants to show his "strength" by defying them. If the Dems benefit, so what, according to him. He gets to stick it to his enemies and that's the important thing.