The failure of the House GOP to coordinate on a repeal and replace plan highlights existing fractures in the GOP. They’ve been visible between moderates and conservatives in the House Republican conference, between House and Senate GOP, between President Trump and House GOP leaders, and even at times amongst the White House staff. That meant that conservatives’ goals of ripping up all of Obamacare could not possibly have survived the inevitable “Byrd Bath” that would have purged offending provisions from the GOP plan. That the GOP plan was so toxically unpopular seems to have surprised Republicans. And declining presidential capital won’t make it any easier as the Republican Congress moves on.

Source: Washington Post March 24, 2017 23:30 UTC