Ask a Republican Senator
…if they’ve read the actual bill they’re about to vote on. (Spoiler: They haven’t.) Take a look:
“Senate Republicans are in such a rush to pass a tax overhaul in the next few days that they voted to start debate on a bill that could still undergo a bevy of last-minute changes they haven’t seen in writing — changes that could dramatically affect the US economy over the next decade.”
“But most Republicans aren’t letting some last-minute deal cutting that could mean billions of dollars in tax increases, tax cuts, or federal spending cuts get in the way of moving the bill along.”
“Even Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who’s one of the senators most skeptical of the bill and is pushing for the major addition of automatic tax hikes if the federal deficit grows too quickly, voted to start debate on the bill. He had told reporters earlier that he couldn’t describe the changes ‘until we get it in writing.’ Corker later told reporters after the vote that they could ‘throw away’ anything they’d heard about the deal because it is ‘still evolving.’”
“Now is not the time for such details, though, if you ask the senators themselves. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) likely spoke for many of his colleagues as he answered reporters’ questions in a Capitol hallway.”
“Just the day before, he had indicated he’d never vote for Corker’s ‘trigger’ provision, joking he’d have to be drunk.”
“But now?”
“‘I may have to get drunk to vote for the bill,’ Kennedy said. ‘But I’m not gonna let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and I’m not gonna draw lines in the dirt.’”
“But most Republicans aren’t letting some last-minute deal cutting that could mean billions of dollars in tax increases, tax cuts, or federal spending cuts get in the way of moving the bill along.”
“Even Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who’s one of the senators most skeptical of the bill and is pushing for the major addition of automatic tax hikes if the federal deficit grows too quickly, voted to start debate on the bill. He had told reporters earlier that he couldn’t describe the changes ‘until we get it in writing.’ Corker later told reporters after the vote that they could ‘throw away’ anything they’d heard about the deal because it is ‘still evolving.’”
“Now is not the time for such details, though, if you ask the senators themselves. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) likely spoke for many of his colleagues as he answered reporters’ questions in a Capitol hallway.”
“Just the day before, he had indicated he’d never vote for Corker’s ‘trigger’ provision, joking he’d have to be drunk.”
“But now?”
“‘I may have to get drunk to vote for the bill,’ Kennedy said. ‘But I’m not gonna let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and I’m not gonna draw lines in the dirt.’”