Trump fails with healthcare reform

US President Trump is unable to push through his promised healthcare reform. The Republicans are so at odds over the issue that they have cancelled the vote in the Senate. Their majority leader now wants a vote on the complete abolition of Obamacare. Europe's media doubt this approach will solve the problem.

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Tages-Anzeiger (CH) /

The most unproductive Congress ever

The Tages-Anzeiger discusses the political rifts in the Republican party:

“The years of resistance against Obamacare were a welcome uniting element for the party, but Monday's failure has revealed deep rifts. These do not bode well for future legislation - namely the planned tax reform and the budget due in the autumn. If things continue as they have been in the first six months of the Trump presidency, this Congress could go down in history as the most unproductive since 1853. Responsible for that is among other things the broad political spectrum of the Republican Conference in the US Senate.”

Delo (SI) /

Cooperation only way to avoid humiliation

There is one more alternative to abolishing Obamacare for the Republicans, Delo concludes:

“A further possibility would be to hand the Democrats the olive branch and to tackle the problems of Obamacare with their help - with measures supported by both camps. If something doesn't happen quickly the Republican members of the House of Representatives will leave for their summer vacations without chalking up a single legislative victory - despite the fact that they control all the levers of power.”

The Daily Telegraph (GB) /

Trump hasn't understood Washington

The failure of the healthcare reform exposes two of the US president's weaknesses, the Daily Telegraph writes:

“A deep misconception about life in modern America and an inability to understand how Washington works. ... The second misconception is perhaps more worrying for Mr Trump and his supporters who celebrated putting the ultimate negotiator into the White House: This President is struggling to master the art of the Washington deal. Senators would simply not fall into line behind the health proposals. Cajoling and threats did not help... Mr Trump is still trying to run the government like his business. He doesn’t understand that Congress is not just separate from his White House but in many ways is set up in opposition to him. ...It is time that Mr Trump learned that congressmen and women are not his employees.”