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You are here: Home / Budget & Taxes / Rand Paul’s Absence Could Hurt GOP Agenda

Rand Paul’s Absence Could Hurt GOP Agenda

November 6, 2017 at 6:50 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “A prolonged absence by Paul could also complicate matters for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and the broader Senate GOP’s legislative agenda. Republicans control just 52 votes in the chamber, and absences can thwart the leadership from obtaining the simple majority needed to confirm nominees and pass some legislation. The Senate GOP is aiming to take up their own tax overhaul later this month, which they are trying to pass using a fast-track legislative procedure that undercuts a filibuster from Democrats. A bill could be released later this week.”

“Paul has already indicated that, like during the health care fight, he is preparing to use his leverage to push the Senate’s tax bill in a more conservative direction — pushing for more ambitious rate cuts and even repealing Obamacare’s individual mandate to purchase health insurance. He was the sole Senate Republican to vote against the GOP budget that set up the fast-track procedure for tax reform, called reconciliation.”

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Filed Under: Budget & Taxes Tagged With: Rand Paul

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Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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