President Donald Trump started Friday with a series of tweets on one of his most frequent topics of criticism: the legislative filibuster.
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'Republicans, sorry': Trump lashes out at GOP on Obamacare, tax overhaul days after cutting deal with Democrats
President Donald Trump attacked Republicans on Twitter on Friday for not repealing and replacing Obamacare and implored them to start on a tax overhaul.
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The president once again attacked Republicans for failing to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and implored the Senate to scrap the legislative filibuster as a way to pass more legislation.
"Republicans, sorry, but I've been hearing about Repeal & Replace for 7 years, didn't happen!" Trump tweeted. "Even worse, the Senate Filibuster Rule will never allow the Republicans to pass even great legislation. 8 Dems control - will rarely get 60 (vs. 51) votes. It is a Repub Death Wish!"
To avoid a filibuster, which allows Democrats to hold the floor and block legislation from advancing in the chamber, Republicans need 60 votes, but there are only 52 GOP senators.
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To avoid a filibuster in their attempt to repeal the ACA, the healthcare law better known as Obamacare, Senate Republicans crafted legislation through the process known as budget reconciliation, which allows a bill to pass with only a simple majority. Despite needing only 50 votes (with Vice President Mike Pence in line to be the tiebreaker), the GOP efforts still failed, most recently with three Republican defections.
Trump also said Republicans needed to begin working to overhaul the US tax system.
"Republicans must start the Tax Reform/Tax Cut legislation ASAP," Trump said. "Don't wait until the end of September. Needed now more than ever. Hurry!"
Trump's team has repeatedly said it has been working with Republican leaders on a tax plan since the election in November. Administration officials have said recently that they turned formal legislative drafting efforts over to the relevant committees in Congress. During a speech in North Dakota on Wednesday, Trump promised more details within "two weeks."
The president's tweets came two days after Trump bucked Republican leaders and cut a deal with Democrats to suspend the debt ceiling for just three months. GOP leaders Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and Kevin McCarthy all favored a longer extension during an Oval Office meeting, but Trump sided with Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and agreed to a shorter suspension.
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One of the factors that have contributed to the fractured relationship between Trump and McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has been Trump's flaunting of Senate procedure, including his tweets on the legislative filibuster.
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