Trump has zero major legislative accomplishments and he's working pretty hard to preserve that goose egg. Tuesday morning he continued mocking "Liddle' Bob Corker," the guy whose vote he desperately needs to pass a deficit-ballooning tax plan that Corker already doesn't like. Bloomberg writes:
Corker, a member of the Budget Committee, is seen as a crucial vote for tax legislation. Because he plans to retire when his second term expires in 2018, he has little incentive to compromise on his core stance. The Tennessee senator has said if the tax legislation adds even a penny to the deficit “there is no way in hell I’m voting for it.”
That’s a tall order.
The tax framework released late in September by the White House and GOP leaders would add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over a decade, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. And the few revenue-raisers it specifies, such as ending the $1.3 trillion state and local tax deduction, are facing Republican headwinds and may be preserved in some form, GOP lawmakers said.
What's truly amazing about this whole situation is that Trump still hasn't figured out he's on the losing end of it.
Another former House Republican, Tom Davis of Virginia, said the split with Mr. Corker would undermine Mr. Trump’s influence with other legislators as well. “Corker’s comments carry credibility because of his reputation as a thoughtful senator not known for shooting from the hip,” he said. “There is an old saying in politics: Don’t pick a fight with someone who has nothing to lose.”
We're not talking about a tiny flap here, we're talking about Trump killing any chance he has of accomplishing meaningful legislation.
One person close to the president, who requested anonymity to give a candid assessment of the situation, said the battle with Corker won’t help Trump get a much-needed legislative win. Another Trump ally, who also asked for anonymity, was more dire, predicting it may turn out to be the final nail in the coffin for the president’s tax bill and saying the past weekend may solidify a legacy of failure for Trump.