Paul Ryan failed miserably in his first important task for the Trump agenda.

Since 2009, the Republicans have campaigned in the elections of 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 that they would repeal and replace Obamacare.  One would think that given this history, the Republican leaders, such as Ryan, would have a well thought out plan to repeal Obamacare.  Ryan probably did not believe that Trump would win and was unprepared to lead the fight to repeal Obamacare.  Ryan did not support Trump during the primaries and did his best to damage Trump.

Moreover, since Trump's election in November, Ryan and the Republican leaders should have been working on a bill to repeal Obamacare to consider immediately after inauguration.  But it seemed that Ryan had a plan with little if any input from conservatives.  Trump had to step in to force compromises and adjustments to appeal to conservatives.

But it came down to about fifteen Republicans, mostly from the conservative Freedom Caucus, who refused to vote for the Ryan plan, as modified by Trump.  It is difficult to understand why the Republicans could not compromise with the fifteen Freedom Caucus members to pass the bill.  It is also difficult to understand why these fifteen did not compromise and refused to vote.

The key is to repeal Obamacare.  Now they have their principles, and we have Obamacare.

The Republicans should all have compromised.  They are all to blame.  The bill should have passed, then sent to the Senate for its amendments, and then back to a House-Senate conference committee to iron out the differences.  A complex bill dealing with health insurance will require all factions to compromise.

Why did the bill fail?  Some blame the Freedom Caucus, but why not put in the conservative ideas of the Freedom Caucus to pass the bill, where it will be amended by the Senate?  We all know that the bill passed by the House will not be the final bill.

Ryan is the leader.  He should have been ready to deal and listen to all factions.  He failed.

We now hear excuses that this will help Trump.  No way.  This is a big defeat, and it weakens Trump.  This will further embolden the Democrats to oppose Trump.  Trump had to get involved to get all sides to compromise, but his effort failed.  The compromising should have been done by Ryan, Meadows, McCarthy, and the rest of the House Republican leadership as an ongoing process beginning at least in November, when Trump won.

We make fun of Nancy Pelosi, but at least she could deliver the votes for Obama.  Ryan cannot even compromise with fifteen Republicans.

It is possible that the Republicans will try again.  But if the Republicans do not repeal Obamacare, they will lose the House in 2018 and possibly the Senate.  If that occurs, Trump will not be able to pass any legislation.  Worse, his nominees to the federal appellate courts and the Supreme Court will be blocked.  Even worse, a Democrat Congress will spend two years investigating every aspect of the Trump administration.

The Republicans need to get serious to repeal Obamacare now and do tax reform now.  They need to get a leader in the House who fully supports the Trump agenda and will fight for it.

Republicans should focus on the real enemy: the Opposition Party, consisting of Democrats and the mainstream media.