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Conservative Republicans Double Down on Push to Repeal Health Law Wall Street Journal WASHINGTONConservative Republicans, worried about growing voices within the party advising or accepting a slower pace for repealing the Affordable Care Act, are redoubling their push to speed the GOP's long-desired goal. President Donald Trump on ... and more »

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Conservative Republicans Double Down on Push to Repeal Health Law - Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON It was only a few months ago when Republicans routinely blasted the president for what they called his executive overreach and his failure to tout America's superiority over other nations. Not so much anymore.

Now that Barack Obama is out of the White House, Republicans have become noticeably quiet on a host of issues that used to spark their criticism.

In the last few days, President Donald Trump's actions have thrown the spotlight on three things Republicans don't seem to mind now that their fellow Republican is in charge:

RELYING ON EXECUTIVE ACTION:

For years, Republicans skewered Obama for allegedly ruling by fiat, accusing him of acting like an "emperor" for using executive orders to push through his agenda. That was especially true when it came to Obama's decision to protect from deportation more than 700,000 young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.

But now that Trump is in the White House, their tune has changed.

Trump has spent his first weeks in office relying on executive action to make good on a long list of campaign promises. Most controversial: His order suspending the country's refugee program and blocking immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries, which is now held up in court.

Asked recently if President Trump was doing the same thing as Obama, House Speaker Paul Ryan scoffed.

"It's quite the opposite," he told reporters at a recent GOP retreat, arguing that Obama had exceeded his power and that Trump was merely trying to reverse it.

"He's restoring the proper balance," said Ryan. "And in our opinion he is undoing a lot of damage that was done by the last president, who exceeded his power."

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FAILING TO EMBRACE AMERICAM EXCEPTIONALISM:

It was a running theme during Obama's tenure: The president, Republicans would argue, failed to embrace a brand of "American exceptionalism" that sees the U.S. as morally superior to other nations.

"We have a president right now who thinks America's just another nation," once-GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said during a 2011 primary debate. "America is an exceptional nation."

Obama defended himself, saying in 2014 that he believed "in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being."

Trump doesn't seem worried about the criticism.

In an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that aired over the weekend, Trump dismissed concerns about befriending Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"But he's a killer though. Putin's a killer," O'Reilly said.

"We've got a lot of killers," Trump responded. "Boy, you think our country's so innocent?"

Pressed on the exchange in an interview with CBS'S "Face the Nation," Vice President Mike Pence stumbled on the question of whether he and the president think America is morally superior to Russia.

But he eventually said: "I believe that the ideals that America has stood for throughout our history represent the highest ideals of humankind."

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CRITICIZING THE JUDICIARY:

In 2010, President Obama delivered a rare, in-person rebuke of the Supreme Court. During his State of the Union speech, with justices sitting in the audience, Obama criticized the court's decision in the Citizens United campaign finance case.

Obama opened his remarks by saying his criticism was "with all due deference to separation of powers," but then argued the ruling reversed "a century of law" that would open the floodgates to money from special interests.

Critics decried the move as a breach of decorum that politicized the court.

And Trump has launched his own offensive against the judiciary branch with personal attacks on the federal judge who halted his immigration order.

"The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Trump tweeted over the weekend.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN that it was likely "best to avoid criticizing judges individually."

But Pence defended the president's actions, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" that "the president of the United States has every right to criticize the other two branches of government."

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Follow Colvin on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/colvinj

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Republicans mum as Trump adopts Obama tactics - Minneapolis Star Tribune

And yet, we are hearing no pieties about American lives from Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, no sense that the cause of the failure should be investigated, let alone that Trumps role in it should be a major investigative focal point.

It is through events like Benghazi that we see just how paper-thin the GOPs commitments to its most defining ideals really are. What Republicans have held forth as fundamental principles are, thanks to Trumps election, revealed as hollow bromides and shibboleths. Trump will likely be president for at least four years; but starting now, and through the eventual end of GOP rule, we never have to take Republican sanctimony at face value again, and their phoniness ought to be a commanding narrative of the Trump era.

Over the weekend, Trump referred to James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee who temporarily enjoined his anti-Muslim immigration order, as a so-called judge, and directed his Twitter followers to blame future terrorist attacks on Robart and the entire court system.

This is the second federal judge Trump has attacked directly and his most undisguised assault on the judiciary in general since he became a national political figure. With a handful of exceptionsSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell notably said its best not to single out judges for criticismRepublicans on Capitol Hill have decided to pretend nothing happened.

Given the understated nature of their response to Trumps shameless and dangerous assault on the integrity of the judiciary, would you believe that when President Obama politely disagreed with the Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens United decision

conservatives lost their minds?

Whereas Trumps efforts to discredit the judiciary need to be resisted, he is free, as far as Im concerned, to undermine the National Prayer Breakfast however he chooses. To that end, he couldnt have done better than plugging The Apprentice during his speech there last week. He asked attendees to pray for the shows ratings, knowing evangelical conservatives would stick their heads in the sand, as they have for all of Trumps unholy outrages.

It shouldnt be forgotten, though, that many of these same evangelicals were beside themselves (or claimed to be) when Obama implored Christian critics of Islam to be mindful of terrible things that have been done throughout history in the name of Jesus Christ.

Hypocrisy is a third-rate political crime. But it isnt just that conservatives apply different standards to different politicians on the basis of partisan affiliation; its that their appeals to like-minded voters are fraudulent. National security, rule of law, and religious faith are supposed to be central facets of conservative identity. Presumably some Republican voters around the country are genuinely motivated by conservative views on these issues. For the time being, its up to Democrats and the media to make clear to these voters that the GOPs commitment to their principles is illusory.

But eventually Trumps presidency will end, and just as quickly as they abandoned these pieties, Republicans will try to reclaim them. It will be a major failure of politics, and perhaps also the media, if they succeed in doing so. Republicans outed themselves when they submitted to Trump, and they cant be allowed to pretend it never happened.

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Never Believe the Republicans' BS Ever Again - New Republic

Two of the top Republicans in Congresson Mondaysaid they are pushing ahead with the plan to begin repealing ObamaCare this spring, despite any confusion caused by President Trump saying the process could spill into next year.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin BradyKevin BradyOvernight Healthcare: Republicans say ObamaCare repeal starts this spring Republicans: ObamaCare repeal starts this spring Four areas Republicans have moved to uproot Obamas legacy MORE (R-Texas) told reporters that he is working off of Speaker Paul RyanPaul RyanOvernight Healthcare: Republicans say ObamaCare repeal starts this spring Republicans: ObamaCare repeal starts this spring Bottom Line MOREs (R-Wis.) timeline of moving repeal legislation by the end of March.

Thats the timetable Im working off of, Brady said.

"We're continuing on a good, deliberate, but pretty steady pace," he added.

Sen. John CornynJohn CornynOvernight Healthcare: Republicans say ObamaCare repeal starts this spring Senate set for high-noonvote to confirm DeVos Republicans: ObamaCare repeal starts this spring MORE (R-Texas), the Senate's No. 2 Republican, told reporters that a repeal bill under the fast-track process called reconciliation could come up in the Senate even within the next 30 days.

Hopefully in the next 30 days or so, Cornyn said when asked when he thinks the reconciliation bill could come up.

That could be an ambitious timeline, given the thorny issues Republicans have to work through when it comes to repeal and replacement of ObamaCare.

Trumptold Fox Newson Sundaythat maybe itll take till sometime into next year to put forward a replacement plan, calling the process very complicated.

Asked about Trumps comments, Cornyn emphasized that the initial repeal bill under reconciliation is just the beginning of the process, and that a series of smaller bills will follow.

We've said all along we're going to start the process using budget reconciliation, but it's not going to be all in one piece of legislation, they'll be multiple steps, Cornyn said. You'll have to ask him what he meant, but I think it's going to take it's not going to be instantaneous, because there is going to need to be a transition period.

Putting off some elements of replacement in a step-by-step process, though, would call into question Trumps pledge to repeal and replace ObamaCare essentially simultaneously.

Congressional Republicans have said they could include elements of a replacement plan in the repeal bill. Yet they note that full replacement cannot pass under the fast-track rules of reconciliation that allow a measure to avoid a filibuster.

Trump has caught congressional Republicans off guard on ObamaCare before, like when he said last month that he would soon be putting forward his own replacement plan, something lawmakers said they had not heard of.

Republicans arefacing headwindsas they seek to promptly pass a repeal bill, though. Many Republican lawmakers are pushing to pass replacement at the same time, and there are tough disagreements on what the replacement should look like, including on how to handle ObamaCares expansion of Medicaid.

Lawmakers are also facing crowds of constituents pressuring them not to repeal the law.

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Republicans: ObamaCare repeal starts this spring - The Hill

Californias House Republicans have asked the Trump administration to block a pending federal grant that will ultimately support the states high speed rail project until an audit of the projects finances is completed.

The letter, signed by all 14 members of the states GOP delegation, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, was sent to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Itcites cost increases, reductions in the projects scope and its failure to attract private financing.

Dated Jan. 24, the letter asks Chao to stop approval of a $650-million grant that the Transportation Department could make to the Bay Areas Caltrain commuter rail agency as early as next week aspart of an effort to install an electrical system. The bullet train would eventually use the same line from San Jose to San Francisco.

This latesteffort to at least temporarily derail the multibillion-dollar project comes at a particularly tense political moment.

President Trump on Sunday told a Fox News hostthatCalifornia in many ways is out of control and has vowed to cut funds to the state over immigration issues. But he has also said he will massively increase the nations infrastructure spending.

Trumps and Chaos view on the bullet train, the nations largest infrastructure project, is largely unknown. The unified position against further federal funding by the states own Republican representatives will be an early test of the new administrations direction.

California Democrats quickly countered the Republicans letter with one of their own, asking that the grant be approved, and charging that the Republicans letter misstated the fact that the grant was being sought by the rail authority, rather than the Caltrain joint powers board.

A spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) issued a statement Monday, saying the Republicans letter was rife with inaccuracies and innuendo and arguing that blocking the train would cost California thousands of jobs and make commutingbetween San Francisco and Silicon Valley, dirtier, slower and more crowded.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno), an early and staunch supporter, called the idea that the project is a waste of tax money false, adding: The positive impacts of High Speed Rail construction can be seen in my district and throughout the Central Valley.

The rail authority did not respond to a request for comment.

If the administration cuts off related money for thebullet train and attempts to enforce stricter controls on existing multibillion-dollar grants, it could cause significant stress on a project that is already facing increasing costs and schedule delays.

Ultimately, California may have no other choice than to increase its commitment of state tax money to Gov. Jerry Browns signature project, even as the statefaces a projected budget deficit.

The letter notes that the original cost of the bullet train was estimated about $33 billion for a system that would run from San Diego to Sacramento. Since then the cost has risen to $64 billion, while the scope of the project has been sharply curtailed.

It also cites a risk analysisby the Federal Railroad Administration projected a potential $3.5-billion increase in cost forthe first segment of the project from Merced to Shafter. The analysis was made public last month by The Times.

The GOP congressionalletter, which was obtained by The Times, says providing additional funding at this time to the authority would be an irresponsible use of taxpayers dollars. In light of the new revelations from the confidential FRA report, we request no further monies be granted to the [California High-Speed Rail] Authority or the state of California for high speed rail until a full and complete audit of the project and its finances can be conducted and those finding be presented to the public.

Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), chairman of the House rail subcommittee, has said repeatedly that serious problems in the project were not made public by the Obama Administration and has vowed to stop any future federal funding for a project that he had branded as a fiasco.

The Republican letter did not specify who would conduct the requestedaudit, but House staffers said it could be the Transportation Department inspector general or the Government Accountability Office. Such wide-ranging audits often take many months and once completed could be subject to congressional review or hearings that would take additional time.

The grant in questionis a key part of the $2-billion electrification project, which would convert Caltrains system from diesel locomotives to electric-powered cars. It was put into motion in the Obama Administrations closing days.

It requiresa 30-day notice to key members of Congress before it canbe approved. Thatwindow closes Feb. 17.

If the grant is not funded some time this month, it would have potentially devastating effects on the Caltrains electrification project, said Seamus Murphy, the rail systems chief communications officer.

The rail system, operated by a joint powers agency on the Peninsula, already has signed contracts that pledge to give a formal notice to begin work by March 1. If the agencyfails to provide that notice, it could incur penalties so severe that we might not be able to do the project, Murphy said.

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California Republicans ask Trump administration to block bullet train ... - Los Angeles Times