Deal-maker’s skills failed over health bill

In his bestselling 1987 book The Art

of the Deal, Donald Trump outlined his strategy of appearing to walk away from stalled negotiations in business deals to force opponents to sign a lucrative agreement benefiting him.

Last week, as president of the United States, he tried the same timetested, often successful, tactic to force dissident members of his Republican party to end their opposition to his government’s American Health Care Act, which would replace the plan created in 2010 by former president Barack Obama.

However, notwithstanding his high regard for his own negotiating skills, Trump unexpectedly discovered a significant number of Republican Congressional members objected to the replacement legislation created by the Republican party’s Congressional leader, Paul Ryan.

And to the surprise of many, the dissidents were openly critical of the proposed replacement for Obamacare. Some called for significant changes in the proposed system. Many complained that countless voters from their electoral districts were adamantly opposed to scrapping the Obama legislation, as it contained provisions they supported.

Although Trump became personally involved in meeting the dissidents, it became clear his negotiating abilities were not having the intended effect among legislators who worried about what the bill would mean for those facing imminent re-election.

One Republican Congressman from New York State put it bluntly, saying he was swamped with angry calls from voters who didn’t want Obamacare cancelled.

To make matters worse, those involved in the discussions reportedly found Trump unwilling to look closely at the defects of the legislation, apparently sure such problem areas would ultimately be put aside. This unrealistic thinking boomeranged on Trump when, for example, women objected that the proposed legislation would be much worse for child-bearing women and maternity care than existing coverage under Obamacare.

Those close to Trump came to realize he had no intention of examining the full consequences of the proposed legislation, as if support for him were sufficient to ensure winning support of Republicans in Congress. He warned party dissidents from the Freedom Coalition they could lose their seats if they refused to back the now-imperilled legislation.

The fact several members still declined to come onboard not only helped doom the health bill, it also emphasized the reality that the Republican party remains divided, which even Trump with his selfdescribed skills at leadership could not ignore or overcome.

This rejection of Trump’s leadership in the Republican party after only two months in power is a development that could have even broader consequences in coming days as he tries to reassert his leadership over a political party that is far from united. It’s a reality that the Democratic party also confronts, as it tries to deal with its left-wing dissidents, many supporters of Bernie Sanders.

As the fallout from Trump’s setback becomes clearer, it’s important to understand that he has been systematically undermining or invalidating significant sectors of the U.S. political system, a major goal of the president and his supporters.

But because of the rejection of the health plan, Trump suddenly finds himself on a voyage of self-discovery where his image of himself as a unique individual with unequalled leadership skills confronts the unwelcome reality that being a successful leader depends on earning the support of others.

After experiencing the embarrassing withdrawal of the health plan, Trump said he had believed that, because of the alleged shortcomings of Obamacare and its escalating costs, it might have been preferable to sit on the sidelines and let Obama’s system implode, rather than bring in an alternative.

Many will find such a dubious comment indicative of Trump’s questionable leadership on important issues confronting the American public.