McConnell has been blaming treacherous Democratic resistance for the GOP failure to get Repeal and Replace passed, but its hard to see how even the most committed Republican can expect anyone to believe that any more. The Republicans and their majority and their supposed public support have done little to get anything accomplished, and have only served to underscore the problems with the Republican legislation and the division in the party. Even the GOP Governors are now starting to rumble that a collapse of US health care will cost the states (and their political futures) much trouble, including loss of Federal funding and the insurance companies are starting to worry their rich paydays are coming to an end. Its getting harder and harder every day to continue blaming it all on the other side.

There are already rumblings that McConnell will be soon challenged for his seat as Senate leader, and every legislative failure only reinforces that. Trump’s tweeting frenzies and impatient indignation on the sidelines can’t be helping much either, and neither is the disarray in the White House. The Senate recess only underscores that, they have even given up trying. We may be witnessing McConnell’s, and the Right’s, Stalingrad.

Meanwhile, the other items on the GOP agenda are nowhere nearer to getting passed, and Russiagate grinds on. Winter is coming, and the troops are all still in their summer uniforms.