The St. Louis Post-Dispatach’s Chuck Raasch interviewed Rep. Ann Wagner (R-2) about her take on the election of Donald Trump, a candidate she declined to support until threatened with retribution by ardent Trumpies. In response, she made a few funnies:
- When asked if she was stepping back from her congressional leadership position to ready for a run against Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, Wagner demurred, noting that “Missourians were tired of campaigns.” And there’s the explanation for the past two campaigns during which she refused to debate or engage on the issues – at least, out in the open, where she might have gotten get some troublesome questions. She was just trying not to fatigue the delicate Missouri psyche.
- Wagner noted that she was eager to help the GOP “repeal Obamacare and replace it with something that Republican leaders have yet to formulate.” What’s funny about this – apart from her preference for a plan that GOPers “have yet to formulate”? Simply that Obamacare is a Republican plan. Caused Mitt Romney, who adopted a nearly identical plan in Massachusetts, some serious grief after Republicans decided that they couldn’t accept their own ideas when promoted by a black Democrat. Sadly, GOPers aren’t likely to have much left in their healthcare plan inventory if they continue to pretend that Obamacare is anathema.
- Wagner denied Democratic claims that GOP rule is going to mean a “return to a lax regulatory environment.” Then she listed all the consumer protection regulations she looks forward to helping deep-six.
- Wagner also thinks Obama’s clean air regulations are solely responsible for the demise of coal industry jobs. Evidently she knows nothing about the way the vaunted GOP free market works, the prevalence of natural gas, or the automation of coal mining. Or about the importance of clean air.
- Funniest of all? Wagner declares that she is “most excited and focused on the opportunity to work with President Trump and this unified Republican government.” Guess she hasn’t been reading the news lately. Good luck with that “unified” Republican government thing.
Looks like Wagner, though, is ready to play ball. If there is going to be a Republican civil war, Wagner wants to let the newly ascendant GOP fascist wing know that she isn’t going to be on the front lines fighting for the other side any more, principles or no principles – she likely had her fill of angry authoritarians carrying big metaphorical sticks after Traitorstotrump.com came after her. And anyway, the financial industry folks she really works for are finally probably going to get their way – down with Dodd-Frank – so it’s all good.
*Last paragraph slightly revised for clarity.