The Reluctant Republican

("White House urges GOP to 'stay tough' as Senate debates amendments to the tax and immigration bill")

So we are at a threshold moment in the Senate as the "big beautiful bill" lurches forward with the President's July 4th self imposed deadline looming large. Let me end the suspense: enough of the reluctant, the recalcitrant, the reticent will be sufficiently assuaged so that the necessary votes in both the House and Senate are found just in the nick of time.

It is Groundhog Day at the Capitol with much faux hand wringing and grave concern. With the usual Republican suspects holding firm to their resolution, standing tall in their opposition to the grave injustices staring them in the face until suddenly, just as the clock is to strike midnight and Cinderella's carriage turn into a pumpkin, the aggrieved will be appeased. God will tell them all is right, or at least right enough so that Mr. Trump's anti-Robin Hood dreams and America's nightmare becomes reality.

Don't tell me it will be different this time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me a thousand times, my bad. This is all but charade, a game played by those engaged in preserving and protecting their own political skin. For Republicans who have cried most foul at every Democrat's budget that doesn't reduce the deficit, what is three trillion or so among friends. And inflicting a little bit of punishment on the poor and the oppressed has been central to their plan forever and a day. A win-win for the elephants.

Some of the holdouts will claim victory as they provide their assent in exchange for a wink, a nod and a pinky promise from the President not to primary them next time around.

Let us not be fooled by these protestations. This big, beautiful bill has already passed.

We just don't know it yet.