If you've tuned into CSPAN anytime in the last 2 hours and found yourself slapping the side of the TV, wondering why the screen isn't changing, here's what's happening... 
1. Lots of us including yours truly got in really late last night to vote on a bill that would slash taxes for billionaires, kick 17 million people off their health insurance, force lots of kids, seniors and veterans to go hungry AND is really unpopular. It's an easy "no" vote.
2. BUT, Trump wants it. And he wants it before July 4th so that he can go out and tell the American people how much he hates veterans, seniors, children and other Americans who are not billionaires. And if Daddy wants something, Republicans will do it.
3. A few principled Republicans have said they'll vote no on this. And before you praise them, they are generally people who's principles are pretty evil. Here's the letter the freedom caucus sent around.
4. So bad principles. But principles nonetheless. And there are enough of them suggesting they'll vote no that the bill would go down. Which would be the truly patriotic thing to be doing this week, albeit for different reasons.
5. A functioning House leadership team would work the members, make changes as necessary and bring this bill to the floor once they knew they could pass it. But Mike Johnson is not a leader. He does what Daddy says and Daddy said pass it before July 4.
6. So this morning, we went in and voted on the previous question (a procedural step) on a straight party line basis and then this amendment from Ms. Foxx you see on CSPAN right now. As you can see, the Foxx amendment has enough votes to pass.
7. But, for the last 2+ hours, the Republicans have refused to gavel out and close the vote. Because they don't have the votes to pass the rule (which would then trigger an hour of debate and a vote on final passage).
8. So now we sit here, with 435 members who moved schedules, cancelled constituent meetings and all the other things we had planned at home this week to travel to DC, so we could sit around and wait for them to see if they will choose patriotism or fealty to Trump.
9. If they were choosing patriotism, we'd be done by now. If they had the votes for Trump fealty, we'd be done by now. Instead, they are floundering, hoping that before this day is out they will find a way to hurt the American people as Daddy has demanded.
10. The bill is terrible. But the details really aren't the point. If you think adding $5T to the national debt so you can cut billionaire taxes while you make Americans sicker and hungrier because - I dunno, fewer taxes on tips - you've got deeper ethical issues.
11. The bigger question for the @HouseGOP: why do you want this job? We are a coequal branch. Your decisions affect all Americans. If you think that you should only do what Trump wants regardless of the ask and even if your constituents don't like it you aren't a representative.
@HouseGOP 12. And you certainly aren't a leader. You're just an interchangeable, disposable rubber stamp. This job, and this country is too important for people of such low personal ambition.
@HouseGOP 13. And with that... I'll go back to sitting around and waiting for these clowns to do something vaguely resembling patriotism. OTOH, at least they're not cosplaying as patriots at a parade today. /fin for now
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