The House Ethics Meltdown

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... Bonnie mutates is the Wall Street Journal ... this is that sum lots ... well well I'm Polish ago here with another edition ... Potomac Watch from the opinion pages the last return all I'm here with my colleague York Joe rego tell a joke ... and in Washington D C Kim Strassel Henri Bakken was for James ... Kim keep an ... eye ... good to see you cam IBD here you Kim ... so we're a talk today about the Essex fiasco might be a one-time one Republicans in Congress ... Donald Trump's trade warrior appointees ... and and also maybe will get to ... president Obama scrambles up to Capitol Hill to try to rally Democrats to say what he can ... of his Affordable Care Act but let's start with a fiasco on ethics the show ... this was so ... they ... be ... breaking filing Capitol Hill House Republicans tried to ... reform the UN office of Congressional ethics which is not the same as the former House acted to me this is an independent body created by Nancy Pelosi ... frankly to distract from some of the ethical failures since two thousand ... and ... eight of the Congress ... um it but it's an independent body doesn't to have a lot of due process so ... as part of that novel or rules that Congress trading ... discipline of debt ... when a head over the objections of speaker Paul Ryan Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy only get black ... by the press ... then ... Donald Trump who Creek Republican path ... and ... in the mirror for some cells of the later embarrassing alr ... yet mean that the worst thing you can do in ... politics is ... say are going to do something intend to do it ... failed to follow through ... and then the ... Eesti retreat ... aam ... the ... there there is a genuine conviction in the ... Republican Conference that ... at least a majority of the conference that this confuses political accountability as you mention him as ... such we set out to just rock ... aam ... band aid on the these scandals and in the early ... or late Bush administration against bike with genuine out corruption which ... should be fair to down by prosecutors and the ethics committee ... that was and what the ... so the setting up this this Commission which takes anonymous chips essentially ... it can investigate if anything it pleases it sort of ... roving on commission you do don't compare it to fit your accuser and so forth ... so it's the it's gone ... but on the other hand it's it's not the ... time ... that's initial move for of for the conference when the ... GT S is the hashtag during the swamp via ... Whelan not at all so I'll what I think this is that what why or ... why this in such a bad message Kim said ... it shows the Republican members who are supposed to be so determined ... to implemented tough reform agenda no matter though the pressure ... it shows the running for cover it the first whiff of cricket ... I got ... it from the Democratic media ... a complex but also as Donald Trump in there to get it from both of those groups obviously ... may be at different times maybe from both the same time and this ... in this instance ... they better learn that to to to ... to toughen up ... it was disturbing and just flat footed and they were caught on ... it is a reality ... yes this up is each summer for ... us and this is what they were attempting to do this is an organization that has ended up being staffed by law to ... do gooder Liberals tore out it does this merge the ... big names and reputations inside ... Congressman there is no due process ... any reforms that the Republicans were attempting to put in place are very good ones in it what it produces ... a press secretary ... for ... Secretary's an organization ... the during chief ... Liker sheets and you know when they're putting accusations about Congresswoman there's no evidence I and all the dances does damage ... but Republicans should have realized if you're going ... to go and do something like this ... of course the habitable storyline going to come from the liberal media from Democrats is that you are cutting ... an ethics commission so that you can get away with high tea ... I their content that are furthest in a note last ... they needed to have done a lot of legwork to explain what this organization has won its problems are ... and then held strong and of course it did not happen ... and this is the inevitable outcome but a big need to realize this is what's going happen them again and again and the idea that they weren't aware ... and walked into this I keeps urging ... well and going to novices can say that this was ... this rule change was planned for months ... he was he was done totally ... off off the radar screens for me in the media now ... you can overstate your ... importance in any ecosystem that that's what good demand which was this this was a big surprise to everybody ... and because the sphere and it's it's another reminder ... that ... the best way to achieve reform is to ... make an argument and persuade people ... and when the argument ... in instead of instead of spring ... that the last at the last minute and hoping nobody notices writer look and make them and making it look like it's some kind of surreptitious move remember the late The Merriman were a covered Washington for ... Congress to wash imposed ... she wants said that when she died she wanted to be buried under the ... Capitol steps because she ... knew she'd still have sources ... there is no ... there to simply is no hiding in the pit like this and in Congress it doesn't work ... on ... our AG said then the other thing that I just the final point I would think about it is is discouraging to think about it from the point here the leadership of Paul Ryan Kevin McCarthy I mean ... here they they opposed it they advised against it yet they let themselves controlled ... by the membership ... and then a hike a lot out of there ... and they can and after under pressure so that ... they look bad coming and ... going in my view now ... Donald Trump actually made it ... whether or not he should actual act them publicly in ... what is actually said is look at its August as bad things that we've got a bigger priority is to be looking at here folks ... Obamacare and ... the taxes and plenty of other things ... unless this is not hard to come out of the box but this is your top agenda and ... I need a ... little concerning the Ryan didn't have more control over this ... and that people in his caucus of it ... let's talk about the Donald trumps with some of his latest appointees who concern that trade in the through train and on Tuesday nominated Robert Light Hines or who is a trade or in Washington as his U S trade ... this is interesting ... because ... usually the U S trade representative in recent administrations Democratic and Republican in fact it ministrations going back to the creation of the office ... have and ... people who knit promoted freer Trey who were the advocate inside the administration across the world for American ... leadership in opening up markets ... this is not Robert likewise Robert Lang Kaiser is a steal ... but let my ... trade attorney he is the man responsible for getting ... two for ... mitigating advocating for tariff barriers ... on ... foreign products and he is a pretty clean vocal ... opponent of trade with China ... and and as I look at this administration Hugo Wilbur Ross economists a more traditionally protectionist role where businesses go to get ... relief from competition from imports ... but you also now have light Kaiser who typically is on a roll of the free trader now he's a protectionist ... and piano viola economist has been set up in the White House ... as a ... new ... and then first-time creation of office of trait ... which Donald Trump says of the office of trade industrial policy so ... you've got the this triumvirate of ... trade Warriors and the ... this bodes ... to suggest on Trump isn't is serious about following through ... on in the renegotiation could be re negotiating trade deals and maybe imposing tariffs ... I mean like has there been just to underscore the point of the ... steel industry is by far the most trade litigious organization in the industry ... in in the country ... by far ... so that they ... think this is a discouraging sing all I think ... it's an indication that at least the first trumpet ministrations can be far more focused ... on enforcement ... and on bringing trade cases in from the WTO and candidates ... bomb bomb liberalizing trade ... they're they're mean they're ... multiple opportunities ... to do so ... on ... whether its trade with Britain ... rescuing Ave ... in in Japan ... I even ... reopening NAFTA in in the sense that there's there's a lot of stuff on energy to do ... but no indication right now that that is how ... to proceed now not ... in fact it's the opposite direction the signals they been sending ... crackdown on trade and been reopened after out with the purpose of ... expanding investment cross border ... on energy or anything else ... but stopping Mexican import well that's right in saying it's it's a missed opportunity at St prayer bringing in all these guys who are are are really ... a post a free trade ... well let me let me take a slightly more ... hopeful idea on ... because I agree there is no question that this is a sign it ... from this series that his campaign promises about trade and moreover that this is a significant shift for the Republican party ... with the appointment of the three men ... to chronic trade positions ... now I think you can look out there and some statements and and perhaps a ... more positive one France's extrapolate haters ... an announcement was made that they wanted their way to point out that he had been a deputy trade negotiator in the Reagan administration in his time there and help negotiate several dozen bipartisan ... trade deals so the Prophet ministrations seemed to feel the need to at least a point that out ... I think if you talk to some people was more optimistic view of this is that you're going to see a very different high it renegotiations going for our more focused on bilateral rather than big ones ... and of course to work and see a much bigger Foresman ... enforcement ... the approach that that this does not necessarily the signal the end of the tree deals ... alright will follow that because it's gonna be a significantly expanded significant to ... have significant impact on ... the economy and sending signals and I think will produce in the early stages of the ... administration here ... the ... potentially volatile ... market signals ... as we as we move ahead and see how they do decide to proceed are were to take a break ... away come back ... president Obama scramble when most up to Capitol Hill is Democrat scramble to try to save ... Obamacare when we come back ... I my name is Jason Gay Emma sports columnist at The Wall Street Journal adaptive sports on the Wall Street Journal by the aisles of a podcast a free for all we talk a little sports we talk about everything else is well people from around the Journal and the bigger universe talking about culture life politics everything that's out there today it's a free ranging fun conversation I urge you to listen to it and if you don't and then knock on your door to more free for all ... of the U S state ... it's within ambitiously ... from the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal ... this is something that ... welcome back to impose ago year with Kim straw soul and Joe rego and ... so present Obama Kozak Capitol Hill today the Cup only a couple weeks from his final days was president we're ... trying to ... put on as rally cap ... and they get to get the Democrats to find a way to to support and a and save Celtics ... he is ... his signature legislative ... achievement to sectors it is so the Affordable Care Act ... it's imperil the Republicans are promising to repeal a girly other less United in what will replace it ... so where are we on this so ... Joe isn't says is something that present Obama has any hope of of of of of saving ... I'd I'd put the odds of that fairly low ... the the best oh four and is ... a Republican division and intransigence and in terms of our replacing ... not honor of the ... deal ... ahh and then as we are discussing for staying on and not a great time ... the ... first of all it's it's imperiled because it's failing ... it is ... if you look at insurers sleeve in the market what's happening premiums what's happened with satisfaction with ... the benefits that that people can get ... it ... is in terms of people were just complying with the individual mandate ... not when there's no indicator ... on the news that is moving ... in the right direction in in the real war ... the popularity of the laws it has never recovered from one to test ... the theory was that ... well this is unpopular but over time people will learn to love and an aunt has not been true ... so I'd I think ... voters are are ready for a new approach ... to the big question is whether Republicans are going to ... deliver ... something that can make a difference in in people's lives and and that ... isn't completely open question ... the way I read this trip up to Capitol Hill campus of the present Obama is of basically attempting to ... tell Democrats ... he is that the you know the Republicans can totally replace Obamacare without sixty said no said he wants them to basically draw the line to retain whatever they can have his life ... oh absolutely and look this is why Republicans are moving so quickly ... former appeal is because that's the easy part ... they can ... likely do that at the end of the budget reconciliation process is not over one year can offer to you ... and thinking that happened by and the time to rally around ... a replacement ... and here we need to put something together that can put some pressure on ... moderate Democrats those who are up for re-election in two years' time to come along with any get half at sixty okay ... so ... this is the president attempting to ... tell them know you need it ... to oppose any she ... is on presidental any any any bcm fixes whatsoever ... as a matter of principle and to salvage my and your legacy ... adding the interesting question here is whether or not Democrat to ... I think you've come to understand and need more than a few of them have lost their jobs ... because of that low inflation the first place that they're not listen to the press ... or listen to the constituents many of whom he launched ... the workplace plan that this is the need to prepare the Republicans ... whether or not they can get something together that really can happen and Sprint store ... to you and I ... discussed this ... in the office so a lot and ... and and I have real concerns about the Republicans repeal them ... the delay and then replace strategic is one to repeal it ... you own it you on the health care markets ... and Chuck Schumer Zarti signaled the that by saying hey man you knew repeal this thing don't expect us to help ... in every dysfunction in the market every price increase ... every person loses coverage ... Republicans will depend on it ... I it seems to me you be the idol at the the the ... the ... things percolate here in the markets do what they can to prevent the stricter regulation ... with a new administration for that real genuine dysfunction ... oh wait to repeal it and tell they actually can replacement ... he I mean I'd I think ... certainly the ... insurance markets street ... thrive on predictability ... not paying their very slow moving ... you have to plan months ahead ... for the coming tax benefit year ... on an EP Vardy seen this exodus ... of insurers if if they replace if they repeal it ... in and do nothing for ... months for a year of the day they are legitimately going to be harming the insurance market and and I think ... essentially committing political suicide ... right and and they will own ... healthcare dysfunction ... so ... that there are procedural reasons I think they they have to move to repeal now just ... to overcome that Senate filibuster ... but the more time ... and that they put between repeal ... and replace those larger their Proms are going to grow ... and build the survey ... and I think a Republican reformers could find themselves caught after the repeal and and and caught between Chuck Schumer and the Democrat to seeing ... to say you look you can get our vote on which he retains ample subsidies ... and certain rules ... and ... Ted Cruz and the freedom caucus on the right or wrong to say no compromises no subsidies ever ... I can see this thing heading towards ... I'll be the guys were ... this gets TV or so the Republicans actually doing something or lower or two ... they can capture the public's imagination ... either way it goes beyond subsidies to put pressure as a result on Democrats ... to go along with their new ideas that BBQ going to do that I tinker around the edges ... the Celtics to the public what they were four minutes ... that was something Democrats fail to didn't nobody was ever really convinced by ... any need to learn the lessons of what Democrats did wrong in each of the sweeping health care reform ... and not make the same Stakes one is looking to have an ad that he ... is does potentially hope Republicans is don't forget that ... assuming he is confirmed and the head of ... human services is going to be Georgia Congressman Tom price and ... this is the guy who has backed put together ever placed bill in Congress ... he knows the ins and outs of the former doctor knows the ins and outs of health care market and very well ... he has done a great time in Congress to ... say that ... potentially in these puts the truck missed ration in Republicans on the same page ... aam Joe ... do you think repealing the rapid repeal is going has been on last ... year I mean they've they've filed the record so and ... reconciliation line which yesterday ... and so did it's gonna ... take ... a couple weeks to move ... on non house but in the Senate where it can be ... slowed down with procedural motions but I think by mid February ... this the the this tells them that ... and it'll be and Donald Trump's task ... to sign in them ... and and ... look out below because they're jump in without and ... bright well but I can make ... someone more optimistic case if it's ... the title of the AIS's value purely hypothetical ... money dare call it the twenty fifth and I love them I love your your idealistic youth both of you can down the hardened cynic and I am ... the new hope hopeful please give it to each ... while ... one ... gets ... the can can trump sells something like this in ... non ideological terms for breakup ... that the ... debate it's been going on between ... President Obama and ... congressional Republicans for six or seven years now ... and there's there's the potential for that and then purely on ... policy grounds that there was always ... what's the space for compromise ... between the parties ... Obama decided not to pursue anything like that ... because he had sixty Democrats in in the Senate huge huge majority is ... it just come into office and said ... I'm going ... to fill ... you know ... half century of pent-up liberally ambitions ... aam ... but there are deer there is I think ... space between the parties on the worry you increase insurance coverage we use marketplace means ... I'd to to achieve that ... tight eye clinic I very much agree with that show ... my only point is a political one of them will ... there be enough Republican votes ... to pass that kind of a bill which I think is necessary to get Democrat ... yes and that's the big question right now ... lot of ... variables that are are are still Meera namely trump I mean ... get it ... we sell with the epic saying that two tweets could move the entire conference it ... is is that Woolworths in health care and it did ... I don't know ... but I agree with him that home prices the incident on ... I especially because late he has also a lot of respect among those ... treated caucus members the EU and pull it so ... I literally being there was a truck cake ... who had the knowledge ... and interest that out there he came out with the proposal working with the Paul Ryan said the world that that makes overtures to Democrats is to hide it ... and you had tried my hand I think there's a better chance potentially purchasing anything that catches can be happy twenty seventeen ... in a twelve year here you're reassuring and I mostly better this evening thank you ... thanks Joe rego and Kim straw soul will be back with another edition of Potomac Watch later in the week I'm Polish ago thanks for listening the WSJ's podcast listen ambitiously ...