Day 136.

Good news today: the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act has stalled for the moment.

One thing to remember is the reason the Republicans wanted to do this before any other major legislation. By repealing (and replacing, or not; they seemed ambivalent on the later point at times), they would also repeal the taxes that supported the ACA. This was necessary to pursue the plan they had for tax reform, which would involve significant rate cuts, especially on the highest income brackets, but it would still be “revenue neutral.” Because it would be paid for by the removal of the ACA taxes.

Now that plan is going to be redrawn. Paul Ryan has said that Congress’ next major legislative goal is tax reform.

This should be interesting.