This is particularly true of the benefits that inure to an electorally potent constituency. Although the politics were complicated, and constantly shifting, at least some of the liberal opposition back then was based on the ground that the amounts of the proposed negative tax payments were insufficient. Benefits that are difficult, or nearly impossible, to initiate are even more difficult, if not impossible, to take away once people have them. The strategy of Repeal had to be changed to a strategy of Repeal and Replace. That is, without control of both houses of Congress and the presidency, the distinction between “repeal” and “repeal and replace” was academic, and politically inconsequential.

Source: Huffington Post March 27, 2017 00:33 UTC