Do Democrats ever stop to realize how stupid it sounds when they warn Republicans that if they vote one way or another they’ll be putting their seats at risk in the next election? Democrat Whip Steny Hoyer apparently doesn’t. He issued a dire warning to Republicans about how they vote on the American Health Care Act.

Hoyer, the Democratic whip, said President Trump’s warning to Republicans that they may lose their seats if they oppose the bill is just one side of the GOP’s predicament: Lawmakers who do vote for it, Hoyer said, will be held responsible for any negative effects on coverage or the affordability of healthcare.

That part may well be true. It’s largely why Hoyer and his ilk are in the minority in both houses of Congress right now.

“We Democrats think that Republicans voting for this bill will put their seats at great risk. Not every Republican who votes for it, but many Republicans who vote for this bill are in seats that Hillary Clinton won,” Hoyer said during a press briefing in the Capitol.

Hoyer’s concern trolling aside, I wouldn’t make too many predictions based on who won what districts in the last Presidential election. You had two candidates running who were hated by significant portions of their own parties. Which presidential candidate won a particular district may not be the best indicator of how people will vote in Congressional elections.

“We think that they may lose their seats if they vote for it, and Trump is threatening that if they don’t vote for it, they’ll lose their seats.”

In what reality does it make sense to warn your opponent against taking action that would work in your favor?

Imagine a football coach shouting across the field to his counterpart on the other team, “Hey, I’m really concerned that going for it on 4th and 15 on your own 11 yard line might not be the best strategy for you to employ with a one point lead and less than a minute left to play!”

Or how about in a poker game? “Look, buddy, the pot is huge right now. It really troubles me that you might be going all in with nothing but a pair of threes. You might want to rethink that.”

The routine is nothing new from Hoyer but it takes on an especially surreal quality when House Republicans are hearing virtually the same sort of threats from the President.

Hoyer also said that he hasn’t discussed any of this with Speaker Ryan but he is nonetheless “absolutely positive” Ryan doesn’t believe the bill can pass in the Senate.