It’s a critical juncture for both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and its companion infrastructure bill which is supported only by Democrats. Progressive and moderate Democrats in both the House and Senate have chosen an inopportune time to try to impose their will on their colleagues. Our extremely narrow margins in both the House and the Senate are incompatible with that kind of politics. I forcefully condemn either side that seeks to use those narrow margins to impose their will on the other.
We certainly can’t expect for Democrats in Congress to be totally aligned on every issue. They all have constituents back home to please and have a need to keep them happy if they want to be reelected. And we need all incumbent Democrats to be reelected in 2022 along with winning some Republican seats. However, there are times in politics that the needs of the party, and more importantly the needs of the American people as a whole outweigh individual differences. This is one of those times.
Politics has been described in many ways, but one of the descriptions which I find most appropriate is, “Politics is the art of compromise”. That description is totally appropriate for this situation. No one is going to get their way entirely in this situation, and if they insist on that prerogative, no one will get anything. However, there has to be a sweet spot in the middle to which all can agree without violating their basic principles. That sweet spot must be found in this situation or we will lose the confidence of the American people and likely the privilege of governing in the future.
Right now Republicans cannot prevent a united Democratic Party from passing any revenue and/or tax bill that they wish. It isn’t every day that control of both the House and the Senate is combined with control of the White House. To use an old cliché, “We must strike while the anvil is hot”. Otherwise, we will lose the opportunity to strike at all.
Keep in mind that Republicans are depending on differences within the Democratic Party to keep Joe Biden from making good on his campaign promises to repair and improve our country’s infrastructure, add to our country’s social safety net, and provide good jobs in a green economy. Republicans are counting on the failure of Democrats to unite in order to provide them with the ammunition necessary to take over both the House and the Senate in 2022. They are also anxious to depict Joe Biden as unable even to exert suitable influence on the members of his own party and thus unfit to govern the country.
Frankly, I have grown less concerned with the exact nature of the provisions of the companion Democratic infrastructure bill which can only be passed using Senate reconciliation procedures than I am with ensuring both bills passed by both the House and the Senate and sent to President Biden’s desk for signature. Failure to achieve both of these objectives could well be political suicide for the Democratic Party.
Cajun 9/21/2021
The progressive and moderate Dems know how to govern.
They are all in agreement on passing Biden’s program.
It is the CONSERVATIVE Dems who don’t care about governing, and are happy to blow up Biden’s entire agenda to satisfy their corporate masters. They are not behaving at all as compromisers —- They are acting as ELIMINATIONISTS!
It is a tragedy to watch those 2 utterly destroy Biden’s presidency. The GOP just sits back and laughs.
Everything Manchin/Sinema are doing right now HURTS Dems and BENEFITS the GOP/Trump.
Every. Single. Thing.
I never want to hear another complaint about progressives from the centrists & mainstream Dems. Progressives have been flexible and united in trying to pass at least some main parts of Biden’s BBB agenda.
But Manchin/Sinema will not compromise. Again and again, they insist on ERASING, NOT compromising on, major parts of the BBB bill.
Thom Hartmann and David Sirota hit the nail precisely on the head in this video:
Frustrating ain’t it? Plain and simple; the democrats have been consistently outmaneuvered by the republicans, and for years and years now.
Partly it is the need to kowtow to corporations for the necessary funds to wage campaigns, necessitating mild and less than effective opposition to our creeping fascism and partly due to an aging and out of touch leadership in desperate need of replacement.
On another note, our host seems in absentia, last posting Sept 22 and no new articles or editorials since this one.
I’m with you, Doubledee.
But I am encouraged by the Democratic Party’s more leftward tilt since Biden took office.
Many centrists have come to their senses and realize a turn leftward on policy is needed now.
Good for them.
But let’s see what happens with the $3.5 Billion reconciliation bill, and the 2 desperately needed voting rights laws.
If those can all go through with relatively modest cuts/modifications, the Dems will benefit, as will
the American people.
Appreciate the support, thanks. I am no fan of the current democratic party certainly. But the alternative remained Trump for four more years…shudder.
Doubledee, I long ago came to the conclusion that while the Democratic Party comes closest to you political positions, on the whole it is far too moderate for your tastes. In my opinion you will never be happy until we have a multiparty system where a far left party of your choosing has a sizable influence. Since that isn’t ever going happen you will never be politically happy and and you will always some ax or another to grind.
I am in general agreement, frankly, with most of what you noted in a very well written effort.
I am, however, far more critical of the Democratic Party than are you here. The seeds of our current situation, and it is dire indeed, were sown a long time ago. While the election of Barack Obama was rightfully applauded fore,finally, electing a Black man to our highest office, we simply elected the wrong one.
Obama, in his eight years, seemed to prefer partying with movie stars to defending the constitution. He refused, for reasons unknown to me frankly, to stand up for his summarily rejected nominees, most refused even the courtesy of a hearing by that architect for fascist America, Mitch McConnell.
This failure, this cowardice frankly, set up our current and impotent Democratic Party, and made the Republican Party , whether in the majority or in the minority, in charge.
If we fail to recognize the reasons for our dilemma how then can we correct it? I blame Obama , frankly, for a stacked Supreme Court, and a Federal Court system replete with activist right wing judges. Biden, an inherent part of that administration is simply not up to the task of fixing what Obama broke.
Until and unless we turn out voters in massive numbers we will continue to slide inevitably into fascism. Eventually we will need a multiple party system to be safe from extreme partisan and corporate ownership of our government.
Thank you for allowing me to rant….
Doubledee, I long ago came to the conclusion that while the Democratic Party comes closest to you political positions, on the whole it is far too moderate for your tastes. In my opinion you will never be happy until we have a multiparty system where a far left party of your choosing has a sizable influence. Since that isn’t ever going happen you will never be politically happy and you will always some ax or another to grind.
Quite an assumption there, buddy. That this comment speaks nothing at all about my post, only dodges the issues by an attack on my politics, or rather, your assumption thereof, a response could only be personal rather than political. I choose the high ground, a shame you did not.
Any perusal into multiparty systems might shed a bit of light on your recalcitrance. France, as a perfect example, has twelve functioning political parties, and, by the by, they run the gamut from right to left.
France also has the best conditions and benefits for working and middle class people as well. Under our two party system far too many voters are left out, and that is both conservative and moderate voters also.
I am registered Green, mostly because I support a multiparty system, and I find your negativity as to believing the goals and aspirations of moderates and progressives unattainable to be offensive and counter productive frankly.
This system is not working unless you are a member of the one percent, even you cannot, I trust, oppose that statement. The vast majority of people, not just here in the Us but around the world are used, abused and left without many rights to which we are all entitled.
To this you say the goals of progressives and leftists, which goals are directly aimed at bettering the lives of many millions are unrealistic and have no chance at being enacted.
I am sad to see a side of you I have never seen before.