One of Trump's campaign promises was to "Repeal and Replace" Obamacare, and this week he pushed and pushed for Speaker Paul Ryan and the House of Representatives to get a bill together that the GOP members could get behind. But all they came up with after years of bashing Obamacare was a terrifying mish-mash known as the "American Health Care Act" or "AHCA" or "Trumpcare," a bill that led to grassroots uprisings even among those who voted for Trump.
But there was still a chance that it could pass, since the GOP has a majority in the House.
Instead, as the day went on, it became clear the votes weren't there. Even while spokesman Sean Spicer was announcing that there would be a vote at 3:30 ET, GOP members were announcing that they would vote no. Paul Ryan went to the White House and told the President the votes weren't there, but he ordered them to vote anyway. GOP members did not want to go on the record for such an ill-fashioned draconian bill. Paul Ryan went to the White House again, and this time Trump told him to pull the bill from the floor.
It was a huge failure of the GOP to govern, and especially for Trump, author of "Art of the Deal." It was Bad Day at Black Rock for Paul Ryan, whose career is now in the dumpster, loathed even more by Democrats and the Tea Partiers alike.
It was a sweet victory for Democrats and The Resistance because Obamacare will stay in place for now and President Obama's legacy remains intact.
There's no other way to characterize it. This is a stunning and humiliating defeat for Donald Trump and Paul Ryan. And by the time the dust settles, that may be too kind.
~ Dan Rather on Facebook
The ACA stays, Paul Ryan says doing big things is hard, and Trump blames the Dems – who are happy to take credit for their victory #LastWord pic.twitter.com/31HaYi0JtC
— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) March 25, 2017
From UPI
Several Republicans have said the president is finished negotiating on the matter and will now just leave the ACA on the books as the healthcare law of the land.
"The best thing we can do, politically speaking, is let Obamacare explode," the president continued. "Bad things are going to happen to Obamacare. There's not much you can do to help it.
"It's not a question of, 'gee, I hope it does well.' I would love it to do well. I want great healthcare for the people of this nation. But it can't do well. It's imploding and will soon explode. And it's not going to be pretty."
Trump also chastised the conservative Republicans who would not get on board with the replacement plan.
"We learned a lot about loyalty," he said.
We have no power in the WH.
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) March 24, 2017
We have no power in the House.
We have limited power in the Senate.
And still we were able to #KillTheBill pic.twitter.com/xbeUx4oRBp
so we're watching the failed presidency of Trump, the failed speakership of Ryan and the complete failure of the GOP
— Joe Sudbay (@JoeSudbay) March 24, 2017
There is no grassroots army calling members to vote yes. There is a grassroots army calling them to vote no.
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) March 24, 2017
Someone in the Senate press gallery is literally making popcorn as we await a showdown on the #AHCA vote.
— Alice Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) March 24, 2017
As House GOPers continue to come out against #AHCA hours before the big vote at 3: 30, Spicer is feelin' "good" https://t.co/DdDa2XD5pN pic.twitter.com/xAvRSnGpZy
— Allegra Kirkland (@allegrakirkland) March 24, 2017
Trumpcare may be dead for now, but this video Spicer will live forever: https://t.co/f6nJ8y3jmN pic.twitter.com/GoBmICxIma
— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) March 24, 2017
Q: Why would you vote at 3:30pm if you don't have the votes? @PressSec: "I understand your question. I'm not going to discuss our strategy"
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) March 24, 2017
"We have strucken the right balance" -- Spicer
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 24, 2017
Update: NBC News vote whip count now stands at 34 voting "no." Two more during Spicer.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) March 24, 2017
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? https://t.co/BSuQ3FnIXL
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) March 24, 2017
SPICER ALREADY USING THE PAST TENSE: "We HAD this opportunity to change the trajectory of healthcare..."
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) March 24, 2017
Spicer sounds like someone stole his puppy.
— Micah Cohen (@micahcohen) March 24, 2017
live look at TrumpCare pic.twitter.com/jLkCUqdTO5
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) March 24, 2017
Mulvaney to @SpeakerRyan when informed he didn't have votes for #Obamacarerepeal -- "The president doesn't care. The president wants a vote"
— Major Garrett (@MajorCBS) March 24, 2017
GOP source tells @DanaBash that @SpeakerRyan is showing @POTUS the numbers; asking what he wants the Speaker to do bc votes aren’t there
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 24, 2017
President Trump just called me. Still on phone.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) March 24, 2017
"We just pulled it," he tells me.
omfg molly@molly_knight @costareports pic.twitter.com/y5V2vGFLoi
— darth™ (@darth) March 24, 2017
@maggieNYT when something fails -- steaks, vodkas, healthcare -- he can't wait to get away from it
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 24, 2017
A ghostwriter had to write The Art of the Deal after the publisher saw Trump's own attempt #Ryan #Obamacare pic.twitter.com/PQpIWMQTBF
— SoCalledPresident (@POTUSTrump11) March 24, 2017
"I don't blame Paul," Trump tells me
— Robert Costa (@costareports) March 24, 2017
@TopherSpiro @ClaraJeffery He looks like Jiminy Cricket just told him he'll never be a real boy. "I've got no strings, to hold me down..." pic.twitter.com/8R7xyzdCOL
— Matthew G (@mattbusters) March 24, 2017
#Trumpcare Vote, @laloalcaraz #sketchy cartoon, please share pic.twitter.com/8v94PuOuwn
— Mexican Judge (@laloalcaraz) March 24, 2017
The Post goes for the jugular. pic.twitter.com/qEGkne11ZH
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 25, 2017
Doctors hated it. Nurses hated it. Patients hated it. Seniors hated it. Hospitals hated it. #TrumpCare #LoserDonald pic.twitter.com/UazJIf16Kt
— Richard Hine (@richardhine) March 25, 2017
#TrumpCare defeat showed that Trump & Ryan can't ram a stupid bill through Congress. Power of rank & file Members & grassroots soared today.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 25, 2017
— ClinicEscort (@ClinicEscort) March 24, 2017
Health stocks surge after Republicans pulled their bill to repeal and replace Obamacare https://t.co/GUYNt37JEh pic.twitter.com/m2WLsS8ntk
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) March 24, 2017
68 times Trump promised to repeal Obamacare - @koronet https://t.co/gqiC1FjVbv
— Ned Resnikoff (@resnikoff) March 24, 2017
Trump has done everything possible to repeal Obamacare including 5 visits to Mar-a-lago, 9 trips to the golf course & sitting in a big truck
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 24, 2017
TRUMP told me he is happy having this in the rearview mirror. "It's enough already," he said of the negotiations.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 24, 2017
Paul Ryan after leaving the White House - the lamest thumbs up ever is a picture worth a thousand words. pic.twitter.com/fumQz8LKVw
— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) March 24, 2017
LOL at Paul Ryan saying they were “doing architects of Obamacare a favor” by trying to pass this shit sandwich. Just laugh at this sad man.
— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) March 24, 2017
In Paul Ryan's defense, who could get a group this diverse to agree on anything? pic.twitter.com/S1iua7IWpo
— Jason Kander (@JasonKander) March 24, 2017
When it comes to the last 24 hours of #TrumpTruck and #TrumpCare, this is really all I can say... pic.twitter.com/8enuOVdYTV
— Charles de Lauzirika (@Lauzirika) March 24, 2017
Paul Ryan: "We're going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future."
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) March 24, 2017
Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla), asked what this failure meant:
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) March 24, 2017
"Obamacare is the law of the land."
John Boehner right now pic.twitter.com/LRoGvmggVW
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) March 24, 2017
I think Boehner and President Obama are sipping brandy and smoking cigars as this day unfolds #Ryan #Trumpcare #AHCA pic.twitter.com/bf1JDGOB4p
— Jeanne K. (@SnarkAmendment) March 24, 2017
@costareports pic.twitter.com/O7Ovaf61M9
— Mark Elliott (@markmobility) March 24, 2017
Today was a victory for all Americans. pic.twitter.com/LX6lzQXtBR
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 24, 2017
Let’s not be distracted. Let’s continue to stand up, organize, resist, put forth good ideas to improve the existing system & peoples' lives.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 24, 2017
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi: "Today is a great day for our country... it's a victory for the American people" https://t.co/HAq8bBO0fi
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 24, 2017
#TrumpCare was about spite. It was brought up because they loved the optics of a vote on ACA's 7th annv -- not because it was a good idea.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) March 24, 2017
The top of Drudge. pic.twitter.com/sf5Fs5OohY
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 24, 2017
Turns out, experience in government is a good thing if you want to run one.
— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) March 24, 2017
Can we defeat the Trump agenda?
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) March 24, 2017
Yes, we can.#resist pic.twitter.com/uer4KnFzjQ
Live look at the AHCA. #killthebill pic.twitter.com/ikxXWDSmFZ
— Tim Fullerton (@TimFullerton) March 24, 2017
Rumor has it Trump's next attempt at health care will be named the "Republican Insurance Plan"
— William LeGate (@williamlegate) March 25, 2017
R.I.P.
This is truly the first happy day for me of this man's presidency. Resistance works. Let's learn from this and focus on the next issue. pic.twitter.com/3ZzBFVSPZb
— April (@ReignOfApril) March 24, 2017