A DIVIDED, TESTY SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Feb 10, 2:22 AM EST
BY ALAN FRAM
ASSOCIATED PRESS


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans won Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump's choice for health secretary early Friday in the testy chamber's fourth consecutive brawl over Cabinet picks.

Senators approved Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to head the Health and Human Services Department by a strictly party-line 52-47 vote in the dead of night. A debate that Democrats prolonged until nearly 2 a.m. EST Friday was dotted with bitter accusations, reflecting the raw feelings enveloping Washington early in Trump's presidency.

No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas said Democrats' "obstruction" of Cabinet nominees was a rejection of Trump's Election Day victory and threatened "the stability of the government and that peaceful transition of power" from President Barack Obama.

Citing Price's long-time support for revamping the Medicare program for the elderly, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that with Price's confirmation, "The Republicans launch their first assault in their war on seniors." Trump has said he won't cut Medicare.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_TRUMP_CABINET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-10-02-22-15

[oberliner]

1. All caps?

Has Trump set a precedent?

[MADem]

2. "Election day victory?" Is Cornyn high? Or he just can't count? nt

[dchill]

3. You're forgetting those 3 to 5 million...

Fraudulent votes! But seriously, Cornyn, like all Republicans, views ANY victory as a HUGH!!! mandate.

[MADem]

4. Ah, yes...those "illegals!" LOL! nt

[tavernier]

8. It's Cornyn.

No more explanation required.

[joshdawg]

11. Yep. One of the two worst "senators"

in the history of Texas. You can guess who the other one is.

[TexasBushwhacker]

16. There are so many contenders

Don't forget Phil Gramm.

[joshdawg]

17. But the one I was referring to was cruz.

Yeah, gramm is in the top ten for sure.

[nikibatts]

5. The problem with Trump promising to not cut Medicare is he doesn't know enough to understand

the various ways Medicare can be cut. So unless he receives a bill that directly states that "Medicare is being cut by $xxxxx he will never recognize that changing age thresholds or changing contribution ceilings etc. is actually cutting benefits.

[raccoon]

6. Would you consider making this an OP? I didn't know this and I bet a lot of other people don't. nt

[murielm99]

7. I am tired of hearing about this

'peaceful transition of power.'

If Hillary had won the electoral college vote, there would have been no peaceful transition. Trump would have fought her every step of the way. They have no legitimacy, peaceful or not peaceful.

Don't just resist: Persist.

[logosoco]

10. After all the trouble they gave Obama with...

well, just about everything, it is pretty awful of them to even say anything like that at all. Obama was in the office almost 8 years and they were stopping him from seating a SC judge.

They just don't GAF and tRump doesn't have a clue. And even if he did, he wouldn't care about anything but himself.

[Vinca]

9. At least with Price there's a chance he'll be indicted.

Congress is only protected from insider trading to a point. Price makes Martha Stewart look like a jaywalker.

[joshdawg]

12. The idiot in the White House has "said" he won't cut Medicare,

but with bannon and the rest of the rabid republicans, don't hold your breath that he won't.
Why people vote republican is mind-boggling. They do nothing for the average American. NOTHING!

[yellowcanine]

13. Oh well. Alrighty then! Nothing to see here folks. Move along now. He alone will fix it!

[iemitsu]

14. We have paid for medicare through FICA taxes.

It is an insurance program that we have no choice but to participate in and they have no choice but to provide it. We paid for it.
Or they can give me back every penny they ever took from me so I can provide for myself.

[Liberalagogo]

15. Cornyn can go fuck his hypocritical self

sideways.