It was two months ago tomorrow when Donald Trump vowed to “sign” a “full and complete” health care plan “within two weeks.” The promise, of course, went unmet.
Soon after, Trump presented a new timeline: his new plan was “just about completed” and would “hopefully” be unveiled “prior to the end of the month.” That deadline, just like all the others, came and went.
Last night, the president peddled some truly ridiculous lies about health care policy and the Affordable Care Act, before ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos reminded the Republican that when the host interviewed him in June 2019, Trump said at the time that his new health care plan was “two weeks” away.
According to the transcript, it was at this point that the president turned anew to his transparently fraudulent pitch.
“I have it all ready. I have it all ready…. I have it all ready, and it’s a much better plan for you, and it’s a much better plan…. We’re going to have a very good health care. I think maybe a great health care for less money.”
Trump then went back to brazenly lying about his efforts to strip American families of their current protections on pre-existing conditions.
But wait, there’s more. At the same town-hall forum with undecided voters, when pressed on immigration policy, the president argued, “We are doing something with immigration that I think is going to be very strong…. In a very short time, we’re going to be announcing it. And I think it’s going to have quite an impact. I think it’s going to be something that actually will be popular for all.”
Oh, good. After several years of waiting, Americans will, in “a very short time,” be able to see the White House’s health care and immigration plans — or so Trump claims. If this sounds at all familiar, on July 31, reporters pressed Trump on the whereabouts of his elusive health care plan, at which point the president replied, “We’re going to be doing a very inclusive healthcare plan. I’ll be signing it sometime very soon…. We’re also doing a full immigration plan…. So we’re doing a health care plan. We’re doing an immigration plan.” Look, this is quickly becoming farcical. There are no such plans. They’re not “all ready.” They won’t be unveiled in two weeks. Trump keeps making these promises, not because he’s interested in governing, but because he’s hoping no one notices his wholesale inability to take governing seriously. The president doesn’t have an agenda; he has a con. Those waiting for the Republican to actually deliver these “plans” will inevitably be disappointed.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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