1. Coverage would plummet – CBO
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a devastating report on the Republican healthcare bill, saying the plan would eject 24 million people from health insurance rolls by 2026, compared with the status quo.
2. Huge blow to low-income recipients
The CBO report found that the Republican plan, expected to come up for a House vote next week, would lead to a reduction of $880bn in federal outlays for Medicaid. Federal deficits were projected to shrink, however.
3. Helping the richest
For many lower-income people, the new tax credits under the legislation would tend to be smaller than the premium tax credits under current law … Conversely, the tax credits under the legislation would tend to be larger than current-law premium tax credits for many people with higher income.
– from the CBO report
Worse than expected
This CBO score is way worse than most analysts expected. Most thought coverage loss 10-15M. Not 24M.
— Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) March 13, 2017
4. Our civilization, their babies
Steve King, a Republican congressman who was one of Donald Trump’s earliest and most vocal supporters, tweeted and then stood by white nationalist rhetoric. King’s tweet praised the Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders.
'Somebody else's babies'
Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies. https://t.co/4nxLipafWO
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 12, 2017
Summary
“Of course I meant exactly what I said, which is always the case,” King said Monday on CNN. House speaker Paul Ryan issued a weak critique, saying through a spokesperson: “The speaker clearly disagrees ...”
What does Trump think?
.@PressSec on response to Steve King tweet: “I will definitely touch base with the president on that and get back to you”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 13, 2017
5. Kushner family may see $400m Chinese payday
A company owned by the family of Jared Kushner, a top Trump adviser, is positioned to receive $400m from a Chinese company as part of an investment in a Manhattan office tower.
6. The microwaves are watching
There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, through their – certainly through their television sets, any number of different ways, and microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. So we know that that is just a fact of modern life.
– Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, in reply to a question about Trump’s unfounded claim that he was wiretapped on Obama’s orders
I’m not Inspector Gadget
I’m not Inspector Gadget. I don’t believe people are using the microwave to spy on the Trump campaign.
– Kellyanne Conway, a day later
Joking?
Asked if everything the president says can be believed, Spicer replies: "If he's not joking, of course."
— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) March 13, 2017
Joking?
Spicer on Trump's claim that 3 million people voted illegally: "He still believes that."
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) March 13, 2017
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...and another thing:
KellyAnne was right!!!! pic.twitter.com/n3ksHrDId1
— Yashar (@yashar) March 13, 2017
...and another thing:
This video is basically a baseball reenactment of how Trump got nominated and won the election. pic.twitter.com/v9jFyHinkJ
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) March 11, 2017
