If you are disappointed with what appears not to be in what looks like the final budget bills now moving towards passage, please stop for a moment and both consider what is included and why it has been so difficult to include more and gain passage.
Even without everything on progressive Democrats wish list, this remai…
If you are disappointed with what appears not to be in what looks like the final budget bills now moving towards passage, please stop for a moment and both consider what is included and why it has been so difficult to include more and gain passage.
Even without everything on progressive Democrats wish list, this remains a transformative investment in our economy and working class American families. Are the final numbers large? Yes. Could they have been larger? Could more have been included? Could America afford a larger investment? The answers to each of those questions is also yes. Please remember this is less than an additional investment of 1% of our GDP over the coming decade. Also as an investment not merely a cost most of these will actually produce a tangible and measurable return.
So why could more not have been included? Many will fault centrist Democrats for failing to support many of the provisions on progressive’s wish list. Did those centrists like Manchin and Sinema fail to support some provisions? Yes. However, let us be clear that the Biden Build Back Better agenda will not get a single Republican vote. No Republican is supporting a longer extension beyond one year of the child tax credit that lifted 50% of children living in poverty out of those circumstances. No Republican is supporting lower prescription drug prices. No Republican is supporting paid family or medical leave, affordable housing, elder care, healthcare expansion, universal pre-K, or any of the other provisions that were dropped or those that remain in the bill.
So if you are disappointed remember who is responsible for your disappointment. American families could have gotten more if only a few Republicans had supported this along with 98% of Democrats. When you consider who should be representing your family’s interests in Washington, remember who voted for those interests and who opposed them. When politicians campaign for your votes and make promises they will support and work for those interests remember these votes and how they align with what is most important to you. If cultural issues are more important to you, you know who is going to bat for you. But if your family’s health, housing, education, finances, child and elder care, prescription drug prices, clean air and water, and climate change concerns are more important to you, you also should know who is really on your side.
Also celebrate the victories and wins on what is included and let's continue the fight for the rest of the agenda. This is not the last budget that will ever be proposed or passed.
Bruce, thank you for this comment. “When” this infrastructure bill is passed we should all be dancing in the streets rather than complaining we didn’t get everything on our wish list. Now we MUST get a Voting Rights Bill passed!!!
If I had to name the very most important issue, not saying other issues are not important, it would be the voting rights bill. We are supposed to be a democracy but if everyone can’t vote easily, we are not an inclusive democracy. Voting is good for your health, the economy, the climate, and equality.
I think that if everyone can’t vote easily, we are not a democracy.Our country has been a capitalist nation for the last 41 years, and many of us have suffered because of it. I am heartened that we are now on the road back to helping the folks who need it the most, but that does not make us a democracy if every single person who is qualified to vote, can’t.
It took almost 40 years for the Movement Conservatives to get everything on their wish list; Progressives will have to be patient, until Americans finally understand their vision includes them too.
You are absolutely correct. I tend towards progressive in ideology and moderate in terms of reality.
I wish the Progressives would learn that time is everything, change does indeed come slow and stop shooting off your mouth. The "defund the police" statements issued by some progressive groups did great damage to acceptance of their overall agenda. I was getting emails from one prominent progressive group espousing this idea. Remember when the Democrats losing 5 seats in the House was blamed on progressive rhetoric of "defund the police"
Remember when Sanders' Presidential aspirations impacted the 2016 Election. Remember that the Russians and trump ticket were promoting Sanders for the 2020 ticket because they knew the progressive candidate would be defeated.
The Republican disinformation machine has done an effective job of convincing people the Progressives are socialist/communists.
The progressive, moderate, conservative split in the Democratic Party will destroy Democracy as surely as the Republicans. Too many politicians get rich running their mouths and preening before the cameras is tiresome and sickening.
I wish politicians would learn this:
Suit up. Show up. Shut up. Pay attention. And don't be addicted to the outcome.
Ah yes, “defund the police” is all Progressives fault.
According to an article by the Brookings Institute the phrase was first coined by Black Lives Matter to describe the demilitarizing of police departments and reallocation of funding to trained mental health workers and social workers to reduce unnecessary violent encounters between police and citizens.
I always understood this phrase to embrace spending where it can provide the help people need.
The “split” is not what will be the demise of Democracy, because that assumes again that if we could just meet the Fascists half way maybe… By the way that is actually what Biden is doing using Manchin and Sinema as surrogates
Biden said repeatedly during his campaign and since taking Office that he supports reallocation of and increasing funding. But the Republicans out messaged Democrats and ran with the fear mongering phrase.
And I was getting emails from a prominent progressive organization of which I was a member to sign a petition to defund the police (in dollars). The lack of cohesive message among progressives hurt their influence.
I am not including the fascists in the mix of the conflict within the Democratic Party. I still maintain that the lack of cohesiveness in the Democratic Party is causing great damage.
With the current Congress, no amount of messaging can change anything. If the progressive caucus hadn’t stood strong for as long as they did we would have gotten even less. The messaging is what is needed before the next election. Dems from every walk of life rising up together and shouting from roof tops about the good things we can all have if we would just vote for candidates who want to serve instead of those who want to be served. We need more of these folks willing to do the hard part of being a candidate too!!
At the same time, it's crucial that progressives not allow themselves to be sidelined by two conservative Dem senators. There have been repeated attempts to get progressives to cave in so that only the roads and bridges infrastructure bill becomes law. Every one of these attempts is proof that the conservatives will only keep their agreement to pass both bills if it remains the only way to get the one they personally want.
From what I understand the Progressives want both bills passed at once. If they really did hold up the bill before Biden left the Country then that is a tremendously sad thing. And I do not believe the Infrastructure Bill has been hollowed out to roads and bridges. Even then. The historically tremendous impact the revitalizing of our infrastructure would do for our economy and the employment of countless Americans in well paid jobs is too good to pass up.
At the time the 'hard'(roads, bridges, broadband) infrastructure was split from the 'soft'(children, elders, families), so that some Republicans could vote for the 'hard', the progressive (aka mainstream) and conservative (aka business-prioritizing) Dems agreed that the bills would travel through Congress together, to prevent the business Dems from betraying the other 96% of the Dem legislators.
The progressives insist on sticking to the deal. It looks as this point as though their insistence is highly likely to result in the achievement of a tremendously significant 'soft' infrastructure bill - but only if they stay the course. Progressives have agreed to cut the 'soft' (children, elders, families) bill to half and half again (the original proposal was 6T, which dropped quickly to 3.5, and then recently to half of that) in order to get the necessary 50 votes to pass the Senate with reconciliation. That's realism.
It is also realism for them to hold back the roads and bridges that Manchin and Sinema want until M&S are fully committed to the families bill. If the conservatives did not intend to betray their agreement and tank the families bill if they could, why would they be trying so hard to pass their bill separately? They themselves are responsible for the delays to the families bill.
I sincerely sincerely hope you are right on... "The progressives insist on sticking to the deal. It looks as this point as though their insistence is highly likely to result...
A bigger reason to push for compromise. We have to show the kind of progress that moves the needle for the American working class. And then, we have to tell the people who benefit from this program that the Republicans want to take it away by taking away the power of your vote. THEN, we have a shot at a fairer America.
Good observation. The GOP is like the Chinese Communist Party in that they are good at playing the long game. That is easier when you only want one thing: power. Rebuilding America and keeping her moving ahead progressively requires simultaneous movement on many fronts. By definition, one cannot be focused on several things at once. I have an image of the man who jumps on his horse and rides off in all directions. So, the Dem's job is much more difficult. It requires prioritization, delegation, and lots and lots of communicating with the American people.
We need to do a much better job of controlling the narrative. Unfortunately, most Americans have been trained from infancy to be receptive to only sound bites. So the phrase "Defund the police!" sounds like just that. Few know that there is a whole back story to it. A better slogan might have been: "Fund a mental health force!" Or something like that.
The GOP specializes in fear-mongering. We don't need to keep giving them grist for the mill, such as saying that parents have no right to tell schools what to teach. How do you think fearful, hovering, smothering parents with control issues are going to feel when they hear that? You just lost their vote. Better to say something like: "A lot of forethought and effort goes into developing your child's curriculum and we're open to hearing your input." We need to put forth our agenda in ways that make it very challenging for the GOP to spin them into fear-mongering.
On the other side of the coin, people are much more motivated by their emotions than by their rational minds. This is still true even for people who consider themselves very rational. Functional MRI studies have proven this. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Dems to spin GOP statements into emotion-raising campaigns. For example, many of us are fearful of losing what little democracy we have left and look at how motivating that fear is for us. If the trumpettes built the society they want, what would that look like for women, for people of color, for people living with dual diagnoses, for free press, for healthcare, for so many aspects of our society? There is so much we could be messaging to Americans.
For example, anyone who feels the need to manipulate voters doesn't trust democracy. The GOP are serving their ultra-wealthy donors who want a return to the feudal system where they own everything and the rest of us are peasants. During a pandemic, we're all in this together and we can do what it takes to defeat this virus. If you don't want the government or anyone else telling you what to do, then just choose to do the right thing in the first place. The list goes on.
More than a comment, much more, this post is a work of rhetorical art. Bravo, Bruce C!
Earlier this month Jen Psaki, in response to a querulent question on the voting rights act, gave us a phrase that could be used effectively in the first half of a speech on BBB: "Shouldn't everyone want...?" (to lift our children out of poverty, to lower out-of-control and predatory prescription drug prices, better elder care to improve living conditions of our senior citizens and relieve some of the burdens on their families, etc., etc,. etc.)
This comment from Bruce C. is the second half of that stump speech. Now, where is my stump? Where is yours, my friends and fellow followers of LFAA?
Have you heard this song about Janet Yellen? It’s called “Who’s Yellen Now?” She wrote it in “Hamilton Style.” I think Dessa could write a song about voting rights.
The tfg continues to mold this end of the Republican party in his image by using name calling, bullying and engaging in juvenile frat boy stunts. I'm sure he's delighted. It's sickening and disrespectful.
A well said summation of the likely accomplishments of the 117th Congress's first year, Bruce. With reconciliation the likely mechanism for Congress's second year, I would put voting rights and climate change on my list as priorities for them and add a couple of popular social needs that can be winners for the second year. We have to get away from this doom and gloom attitude or the Biden-Harris administration could end up a one-year administration because we lose the majority in 2022 through our fatalism.
Unfortunately, the present limitations on reconciliation measures restrict the use of it for many of the needed legislation to tackle problems like voting rights. However, the answer to this is an end to the filibuster, at least in its present form if not its complete elimination.
I understand there are some who bemoan the fact that progressives / Democrats will one day again be in the minority and wish for the protections afforded by the filibuster. My answer it that we are already suffering governance by the minority feared by those who would preserve the filibuster. Let's stop worrying about that and end the filibuster and minority rule now and commence governing in a way that will be popular with the majority of the American public. That was what was envisioned at the country's founding. Government for the people by the people. Not government for the privileged by the privileged..
I agree. That filibuster is a ping pong ball wielded as if it were a machete by a minority whose major strength appears to be obstructing governance.
I have a question: I think the limitations on reconciliation have to do not only with what is included in the measure, but also with how many times it can actually be USED in a given year. I am wondering if the strategy behind which bills to push forward first might have to do with the proverbial "clock" and the recognition of how long it takes to negotiate a bill. If that is the plan, and the "clock" resets in 2022, perhaps the voting rights bills might be tailored to meet whatever requirements are needed to allow another reconciliation passage?
That is correct. Rather than try and explain it all here. Remember that in theory at least, all budget bills are supposed to begin in the House. This is a link to a thorough explanation of the Reconciliation process for budget bills, which are the only ones at present to which the exception applies:
Yes, we must celebrate any success in beating back rethug obstructionism and thereby passing helpful legislation. Your elucidation, Bruce, of what those successes have been and will probably be is heartening. We for sure need to hear encouraging messages while we continue to live with the consequences of Reagan’s convincing the white Americans, especially white working-class Americans, that they are better off without a functioning government.
It is essential to maintain our focus, and to do that we must not forget how Reagan captured the white electorate. He did it by pointing out that Democrats, given the slightest chance, might make a dent in the systemic racism ensconced since forever in the US political and legal system. A majority of white Americans (and a super-majority of white working-class Americans) will never vote for a politician who favors making even a tiny dent in systemic racism. Our only hope is to outvote the majority of white Americans, which is impossible in many states but just barely possible in enough places (if voter suppression doesn’t eliminate that possibility) to maintain a slim grip on decency in governance.
For sure not moral but did comprise a majority of white Americans (and almost nobody else, just like now but even worse because full support for systemic racism has declined by a few percent since then).
“ So if you are disappointed remember who is responsible for your disappointment.”
Republicans have been very adept at refining stonewall obstructionism, dating easily back to Clinton.
The amazing part is how effectively they create an illusion that the Democrats are the the ones driving the obstruction in the first place. This is accomplished with the “Neither party is worth a damn.” meme which puts the burden on Democrats to be less intransigent.
Of course fascist loving Republicans and their Fifth Column Billionaire Allies just sit by and enable this meme as it builds the perception that things would be fine if Democrats could just be more flexible.
Ironically, we see that it is far easier to use propaganda narratives to build a movement that shapes a policy then it is to build policies that will finally assist for the better the lives of hundreds of millions of people in what was supposed to be the number one nation while typically ranking in the mid to high 30’s
So is yours, Ol Flawrida, identifying the “illusion that the Democrats are the the ones driving the obstruction in the first place. This is accomplished with the “Neither party is worth a damn” meme which puts the burden on Democrats to be less intransigent.” Low voter turnout is known to favor Republicans. Voting third party because Democrats disappoint also favors Republicans.
“Voting third party because Democrats disappoint also favors Republicans.” And this has resulted in us not having liveable wages, affordable healthcare or education, clean water and air for a few decades at least.
In the small town I live in the "Republicans" that run our county are only interested in adding to the jail so they can get more money from the government to house ICE detainees. People in my county in Indiana need the items in the Build Back Better agenda but they vote Republican! So very sad!
Bruce, I took the liberty of copying the last part of your excellent post and sharing it on my FB page, with attribution to a "friend" on a substack (no name.) So well said. Thank you!
I agree, Bruce, that it is time to pass whatever bill can be passed that will have some positive effects on people's lives going forward. It's only half of what Biden promised? Fine. It's better than nothing and will help a lot of people, maybe some who will decide to vote for Democrats in the future. A Democratic schism is not the answer either.
But who will keep the GOP from destroying our democracy? That 40-year project will continue unabated until 50 senators decide to eliminate the filibuster. Is it possible for our country to confront the enormous challenges rushing towards us? I think not at this rate.
It is not enough for Biden to not be Trump. He has to be one of our greatest Presidents, not just breath of fresh air.
Cultural issues have been my focus for years. The "soft" infrastructure programs will get nixed by Republicans, who seek to feed only those who have far too much already. Their "family values" stance is hysterically laughable. And, then, there are Manchin and Sinema, cutely referred in recent readings as Machinema. Fitting!
Aye, Kinsman. I have lived an interesting time in a "cultural issue" of my time. When I came out in 1977, I had NO hope of ever being in a relationship that was "equal" to marriage. It wasn't until 1998 that my wife was able to be included on my health insurance policy (via court decision. I was taxed on the cost of her insurance, as it was considered "income" in the eyes of the government). We had to go to an attorney to get legal documents for health care coverage (be allowed into the ER in case of emergency, lawful disposition of remains, etc.), wills that were very specific in property distribution, etc. and several other documents that are things that straight married couples take for granted. In 2004. Oregon amended their constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. When California legalized same sex marriage, we were able to legally marry in 2008; this was about 2 months before our 25th anniversary, but our legal marriage ended at the state line. It took Obergefell being decided by SCOTUS in 2013 for our marriage to become "legal". We now look at today's SCOTUS and wonder when they are going to overturn that decision.
Your "family values" statement reminds me of a funny story. It was during the election season when Measure 36 passed (the marriage definition I mentioned earlier). I was in the report writing room with three other deputies, and sitting next to a good friend. Mike looked around the room, and asked the other two guys how many divorces they had. One of them replied "2", the other said "I'm not gonna marry anyone, I don't need to lose my pension when we divorce." Mike (thrice divorced) then looked at me, and asked "how long have you and Karyn been together?" My reply was "21 years". He looked around the room and said "Gee, which of us in here is more of a challenge to the institution of marriage? That vote is f-ing ridiculous."
I "came out" in 1968 with my first partner. At that time in DC, if a cop were to walk into a gay bar/restaurant and caught two men holding hands, they could be arrested. Dancing was an arrestable offense as well.
After Anita Bryant hit the airwaves, I became a gay/lesbian activist by participating on boards of directors of gay rights advocacy groups in the 1980s. Steve Endean, founder of Human Rights Campaign Fund (now HRC) was a good friend. In the nineties I wrote columns for small gay rags, before going off to Seminary for graduate study.
The current "culture of purification" among certain right wing ideologues is more like a culture of putrification. The fact is, many of those who oppose gay/lesbian marriage are indulging themselves in the darkness of the woods. Too much of life is spent attempting to change that which cannot be changed.
Think carefully about what is most important to you.
Democrats support reducing childhood poverty and supporting American families with the refundable Child Tax Credit, reducing prescription drug prices, increasing support for child and elder care, expanding support for healthcare, family and medical leave, measures to mitigate the risks of climate change, increasing support for internship programs and community college costs, and the Biden Build Back Better priorities.
Republicans support the Big Lie that non-existent, unproven election fraud cost Tя☭mp a second term, suppressing voting rights, politicians choosing their voters through gerrymandering, retaining power at all costs, enriching the privileged with tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations, restricting women’s reproductive rights, continuing racial discrimination, xenophobia, banning books from school curricula they don't like, partisan election administration, opposition to responsible public health measures, and opposition to everything supported by Democrats.
So think about your own priorities and your family’s and your neighbors’ best interests and choose a political party that best aligns with those. Yes, as our politics now seem to offer two dramatically different agendas and compromise no longer seems possible, you are required to choose. Choose wisely.
Disappointed? Why? -
If you are disappointed with what appears not to be in what looks like the final budget bills now moving towards passage, please stop for a moment and both consider what is included and why it has been so difficult to include more and gain passage.
Even without everything on progressive Democrats wish list, this remains a transformative investment in our economy and working class American families. Are the final numbers large? Yes. Could they have been larger? Could more have been included? Could America afford a larger investment? The answers to each of those questions is also yes. Please remember this is less than an additional investment of 1% of our GDP over the coming decade. Also as an investment not merely a cost most of these will actually produce a tangible and measurable return.
So why could more not have been included? Many will fault centrist Democrats for failing to support many of the provisions on progressive’s wish list. Did those centrists like Manchin and Sinema fail to support some provisions? Yes. However, let us be clear that the Biden Build Back Better agenda will not get a single Republican vote. No Republican is supporting a longer extension beyond one year of the child tax credit that lifted 50% of children living in poverty out of those circumstances. No Republican is supporting lower prescription drug prices. No Republican is supporting paid family or medical leave, affordable housing, elder care, healthcare expansion, universal pre-K, or any of the other provisions that were dropped or those that remain in the bill.
So if you are disappointed remember who is responsible for your disappointment. American families could have gotten more if only a few Republicans had supported this along with 98% of Democrats. When you consider who should be representing your family’s interests in Washington, remember who voted for those interests and who opposed them. When politicians campaign for your votes and make promises they will support and work for those interests remember these votes and how they align with what is most important to you. If cultural issues are more important to you, you know who is going to bat for you. But if your family’s health, housing, education, finances, child and elder care, prescription drug prices, clean air and water, and climate change concerns are more important to you, you also should know who is really on your side.
Also celebrate the victories and wins on what is included and let's continue the fight for the rest of the agenda. This is not the last budget that will ever be proposed or passed.
Bruce, thank you for this comment. “When” this infrastructure bill is passed we should all be dancing in the streets rather than complaining we didn’t get everything on our wish list. Now we MUST get a Voting Rights Bill passed!!!
We MUST, YES!
If I had to name the very most important issue, not saying other issues are not important, it would be the voting rights bill. We are supposed to be a democracy but if everyone can’t vote easily, we are not an inclusive democracy. Voting is good for your health, the economy, the climate, and equality.
I think that if everyone can’t vote easily, we are not a democracy.Our country has been a capitalist nation for the last 41 years, and many of us have suffered because of it. I am heartened that we are now on the road back to helping the folks who need it the most, but that does not make us a democracy if every single person who is qualified to vote, can’t.
Yes, yes, and yes!
Very important!
It took almost 40 years for the Movement Conservatives to get everything on their wish list; Progressives will have to be patient, until Americans finally understand their vision includes them too.
You are absolutely correct. I tend towards progressive in ideology and moderate in terms of reality.
I wish the Progressives would learn that time is everything, change does indeed come slow and stop shooting off your mouth. The "defund the police" statements issued by some progressive groups did great damage to acceptance of their overall agenda. I was getting emails from one prominent progressive group espousing this idea. Remember when the Democrats losing 5 seats in the House was blamed on progressive rhetoric of "defund the police"
Remember when Sanders' Presidential aspirations impacted the 2016 Election. Remember that the Russians and trump ticket were promoting Sanders for the 2020 ticket because they knew the progressive candidate would be defeated.
The Republican disinformation machine has done an effective job of convincing people the Progressives are socialist/communists.
The progressive, moderate, conservative split in the Democratic Party will destroy Democracy as surely as the Republicans. Too many politicians get rich running their mouths and preening before the cameras is tiresome and sickening.
I wish politicians would learn this:
Suit up. Show up. Shut up. Pay attention. And don't be addicted to the outcome.
Ah yes, “defund the police” is all Progressives fault.
According to an article by the Brookings Institute the phrase was first coined by Black Lives Matter to describe the demilitarizing of police departments and reallocation of funding to trained mental health workers and social workers to reduce unnecessary violent encounters between police and citizens.
I always understood this phrase to embrace spending where it can provide the help people need.
The “split” is not what will be the demise of Democracy, because that assumes again that if we could just meet the Fascists half way maybe… By the way that is actually what Biden is doing using Manchin and Sinema as surrogates
Remember what Will Rogers said, “I have never been a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat.”
I think that pretty well sums it up.
Sad for us right now.
Biden said repeatedly during his campaign and since taking Office that he supports reallocation of and increasing funding. But the Republicans out messaged Democrats and ran with the fear mongering phrase.
And I was getting emails from a prominent progressive organization of which I was a member to sign a petition to defund the police (in dollars). The lack of cohesive message among progressives hurt their influence.
I am not including the fascists in the mix of the conflict within the Democratic Party. I still maintain that the lack of cohesiveness in the Democratic Party is causing great damage.
Ever see the Republicans infighting much?
With the current Congress, no amount of messaging can change anything. If the progressive caucus hadn’t stood strong for as long as they did we would have gotten even less. The messaging is what is needed before the next election. Dems from every walk of life rising up together and shouting from roof tops about the good things we can all have if we would just vote for candidates who want to serve instead of those who want to be served. We need more of these folks willing to do the hard part of being a candidate too!!
Barbara, excellent point. There is little to no in fighting with the GOP. They are laser focused on taking control. They have their eye on the prize.
At the same time, it's crucial that progressives not allow themselves to be sidelined by two conservative Dem senators. There have been repeated attempts to get progressives to cave in so that only the roads and bridges infrastructure bill becomes law. Every one of these attempts is proof that the conservatives will only keep their agreement to pass both bills if it remains the only way to get the one they personally want.
From what I understand the Progressives want both bills passed at once. If they really did hold up the bill before Biden left the Country then that is a tremendously sad thing. And I do not believe the Infrastructure Bill has been hollowed out to roads and bridges. Even then. The historically tremendous impact the revitalizing of our infrastructure would do for our economy and the employment of countless Americans in well paid jobs is too good to pass up.
At the time the 'hard'(roads, bridges, broadband) infrastructure was split from the 'soft'(children, elders, families), so that some Republicans could vote for the 'hard', the progressive (aka mainstream) and conservative (aka business-prioritizing) Dems agreed that the bills would travel through Congress together, to prevent the business Dems from betraying the other 96% of the Dem legislators.
The progressives insist on sticking to the deal. It looks as this point as though their insistence is highly likely to result in the achievement of a tremendously significant 'soft' infrastructure bill - but only if they stay the course. Progressives have agreed to cut the 'soft' (children, elders, families) bill to half and half again (the original proposal was 6T, which dropped quickly to 3.5, and then recently to half of that) in order to get the necessary 50 votes to pass the Senate with reconciliation. That's realism.
It is also realism for them to hold back the roads and bridges that Manchin and Sinema want until M&S are fully committed to the families bill. If the conservatives did not intend to betray their agreement and tank the families bill if they could, why would they be trying so hard to pass their bill separately? They themselves are responsible for the delays to the families bill.
I sincerely sincerely hope you are right on... "The progressives insist on sticking to the deal. It looks as this point as though their insistence is highly likely to result...
Thanks for explaining this, Joan.
I agree but time is short- if the Republicans win back house and/or Senate, there will be little left to stop the pending authoritarianism…
A bigger reason to push for compromise. We have to show the kind of progress that moves the needle for the American working class. And then, we have to tell the people who benefit from this program that the Republicans want to take it away by taking away the power of your vote. THEN, we have a shot at a fairer America.
Good observation. The GOP is like the Chinese Communist Party in that they are good at playing the long game. That is easier when you only want one thing: power. Rebuilding America and keeping her moving ahead progressively requires simultaneous movement on many fronts. By definition, one cannot be focused on several things at once. I have an image of the man who jumps on his horse and rides off in all directions. So, the Dem's job is much more difficult. It requires prioritization, delegation, and lots and lots of communicating with the American people.
We need to do a much better job of controlling the narrative. Unfortunately, most Americans have been trained from infancy to be receptive to only sound bites. So the phrase "Defund the police!" sounds like just that. Few know that there is a whole back story to it. A better slogan might have been: "Fund a mental health force!" Or something like that.
The GOP specializes in fear-mongering. We don't need to keep giving them grist for the mill, such as saying that parents have no right to tell schools what to teach. How do you think fearful, hovering, smothering parents with control issues are going to feel when they hear that? You just lost their vote. Better to say something like: "A lot of forethought and effort goes into developing your child's curriculum and we're open to hearing your input." We need to put forth our agenda in ways that make it very challenging for the GOP to spin them into fear-mongering.
On the other side of the coin, people are much more motivated by their emotions than by their rational minds. This is still true even for people who consider themselves very rational. Functional MRI studies have proven this. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Dems to spin GOP statements into emotion-raising campaigns. For example, many of us are fearful of losing what little democracy we have left and look at how motivating that fear is for us. If the trumpettes built the society they want, what would that look like for women, for people of color, for people living with dual diagnoses, for free press, for healthcare, for so many aspects of our society? There is so much we could be messaging to Americans.
For example, anyone who feels the need to manipulate voters doesn't trust democracy. The GOP are serving their ultra-wealthy donors who want a return to the feudal system where they own everything and the rest of us are peasants. During a pandemic, we're all in this together and we can do what it takes to defeat this virus. If you don't want the government or anyone else telling you what to do, then just choose to do the right thing in the first place. The list goes on.
There must be szone way to share the vision sooner.
More than a comment, much more, this post is a work of rhetorical art. Bravo, Bruce C!
Earlier this month Jen Psaki, in response to a querulent question on the voting rights act, gave us a phrase that could be used effectively in the first half of a speech on BBB: "Shouldn't everyone want...?" (to lift our children out of poverty, to lower out-of-control and predatory prescription drug prices, better elder care to improve living conditions of our senior citizens and relieve some of the burdens on their families, etc., etc,. etc.)
This comment from Bruce C. is the second half of that stump speech. Now, where is my stump? Where is yours, my friends and fellow followers of LFAA?
With you, Bill.
I still think music could spread the news! We need our Woody Guthrie of this moment.
https://youtu.be/VIOY3u1QbEQ
Yes!
Have you heard this song about Janet Yellen? It’s called “Who’s Yellen Now?” She wrote it in “Hamilton Style.” I think Dessa could write a song about voting rights.
https://youtu.be/-bgikOGb0rw
Thanks,, I posted it on fb.
This, and all like this, should be told and retold daily to EVERONE. Republicants don't give a f**k about Americans.
Not true. The ones who care are being forced to not run again because they know the bullies will torture them and their families.
We need to welcome them in, or for the good of democracy, support their efforts to form a new version of the rotted from within GtrpParty
Excellent idea.
We should welcome them into Russia.
Sorry, what is
GyrpParty?
Corrupted version of what used to be Rs
Maybe even worse. The Republican supporters are more and more prone to threats of violence.
Pretty cray cray times!!
As usual I decry sinking to their level and cursing as they do. Do we really want to mimic their behavior?
The tfg continues to mold this end of the Republican party in his image by using name calling, bullying and engaging in juvenile frat boy stunts. I'm sure he's delighted. It's sickening and disrespectful.
Nope
A well said summation of the likely accomplishments of the 117th Congress's first year, Bruce. With reconciliation the likely mechanism for Congress's second year, I would put voting rights and climate change on my list as priorities for them and add a couple of popular social needs that can be winners for the second year. We have to get away from this doom and gloom attitude or the Biden-Harris administration could end up a one-year administration because we lose the majority in 2022 through our fatalism.
Unfortunately, the present limitations on reconciliation measures restrict the use of it for many of the needed legislation to tackle problems like voting rights. However, the answer to this is an end to the filibuster, at least in its present form if not its complete elimination.
I understand there are some who bemoan the fact that progressives / Democrats will one day again be in the minority and wish for the protections afforded by the filibuster. My answer it that we are already suffering governance by the minority feared by those who would preserve the filibuster. Let's stop worrying about that and end the filibuster and minority rule now and commence governing in a way that will be popular with the majority of the American public. That was what was envisioned at the country's founding. Government for the people by the people. Not government for the privileged by the privileged..
I agree. That filibuster is a ping pong ball wielded as if it were a machete by a minority whose major strength appears to be obstructing governance.
I have a question: I think the limitations on reconciliation have to do not only with what is included in the measure, but also with how many times it can actually be USED in a given year. I am wondering if the strategy behind which bills to push forward first might have to do with the proverbial "clock" and the recognition of how long it takes to negotiate a bill. If that is the plan, and the "clock" resets in 2022, perhaps the voting rights bills might be tailored to meet whatever requirements are needed to allow another reconciliation passage?
That is correct. Rather than try and explain it all here. Remember that in theory at least, all budget bills are supposed to begin in the House. This is a link to a thorough explanation of the Reconciliation process for budget bills, which are the only ones at present to which the exception applies:
https://budget.house.gov/publications/fact-sheet/budget-reconciliation-basics
Thank you!
Completely agree. Majority rule. Get rid of the filibuster!
I was intrigued by this idea on how to modify the reconciliation process. Toward the end of Sheila Markin's report. https://markinreport.com/2021/09/13/voting-rights-are-the-key-to-our-countrys-future/
I wonder if Dems in Congress have thought of this work around - if it truly is a possibility or frankly if they would dare to attempt it.
Bruce, I have felt that was way past time to deep six the Filibuster!
Its destructive no matter who uses it.
Hear! Hear!
Yes, we must celebrate any success in beating back rethug obstructionism and thereby passing helpful legislation. Your elucidation, Bruce, of what those successes have been and will probably be is heartening. We for sure need to hear encouraging messages while we continue to live with the consequences of Reagan’s convincing the white Americans, especially white working-class Americans, that they are better off without a functioning government.
It is essential to maintain our focus, and to do that we must not forget how Reagan captured the white electorate. He did it by pointing out that Democrats, given the slightest chance, might make a dent in the systemic racism ensconced since forever in the US political and legal system. A majority of white Americans (and a super-majority of white working-class Americans) will never vote for a politician who favors making even a tiny dent in systemic racism. Our only hope is to outvote the majority of white Americans, which is impossible in many states but just barely possible in enough places (if voter suppression doesn’t eliminate that possibility) to maintain a slim grip on decency in governance.
Remember the "Moral Majority" of the Reagan era? Those white folks who were neither moral nor the majority?
For sure not moral but did comprise a majority of white Americans (and almost nobody else, just like now but even worse because full support for systemic racism has declined by a few percent since then).
Well said, no matter where this ends up, much good will come from it and that good will be a solid stepping stone for more to come. 🙏
Seeking perfection can be the enemy of accomplishing something 'good.'
Thank you for your hopeful spirit, Dick Montagne. Namaste.
Well put, BruceC!
“ So if you are disappointed remember who is responsible for your disappointment.”
Republicans have been very adept at refining stonewall obstructionism, dating easily back to Clinton.
The amazing part is how effectively they create an illusion that the Democrats are the the ones driving the obstruction in the first place. This is accomplished with the “Neither party is worth a damn.” meme which puts the burden on Democrats to be less intransigent.
Of course fascist loving Republicans and their Fifth Column Billionaire Allies just sit by and enable this meme as it builds the perception that things would be fine if Democrats could just be more flexible.
Ironically, we see that it is far easier to use propaganda narratives to build a movement that shapes a policy then it is to build policies that will finally assist for the better the lives of hundreds of millions of people in what was supposed to be the number one nation while typically ranking in the mid to high 30’s
Your analysis is spot on!
So is yours, Ol Flawrida, identifying the “illusion that the Democrats are the the ones driving the obstruction in the first place. This is accomplished with the “Neither party is worth a damn” meme which puts the burden on Democrats to be less intransigent.” Low voter turnout is known to favor Republicans. Voting third party because Democrats disappoint also favors Republicans.
“Voting third party because Democrats disappoint also favors Republicans.” And this has resulted in us not having liveable wages, affordable healthcare or education, clean water and air for a few decades at least.
In the small town I live in the "Republicans" that run our county are only interested in adding to the jail so they can get more money from the government to house ICE detainees. People in my county in Indiana need the items in the Build Back Better agenda but they vote Republican! So very sad!
Bruce, I took the liberty of copying the last part of your excellent post and sharing it on my FB page, with attribution to a "friend" on a substack (no name.) So well said. Thank you!
Me too.
I agree, Bruce, that it is time to pass whatever bill can be passed that will have some positive effects on people's lives going forward. It's only half of what Biden promised? Fine. It's better than nothing and will help a lot of people, maybe some who will decide to vote for Democrats in the future. A Democratic schism is not the answer either.
But who will keep the GOP from destroying our democracy? That 40-year project will continue unabated until 50 senators decide to eliminate the filibuster. Is it possible for our country to confront the enormous challenges rushing towards us? I think not at this rate.
It is not enough for Biden to not be Trump. He has to be one of our greatest Presidents, not just breath of fresh air.
Cultural issues have been my focus for years. The "soft" infrastructure programs will get nixed by Republicans, who seek to feed only those who have far too much already. Their "family values" stance is hysterically laughable. And, then, there are Manchin and Sinema, cutely referred in recent readings as Machinema. Fitting!
Aye, Kinsman. I have lived an interesting time in a "cultural issue" of my time. When I came out in 1977, I had NO hope of ever being in a relationship that was "equal" to marriage. It wasn't until 1998 that my wife was able to be included on my health insurance policy (via court decision. I was taxed on the cost of her insurance, as it was considered "income" in the eyes of the government). We had to go to an attorney to get legal documents for health care coverage (be allowed into the ER in case of emergency, lawful disposition of remains, etc.), wills that were very specific in property distribution, etc. and several other documents that are things that straight married couples take for granted. In 2004. Oregon amended their constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. When California legalized same sex marriage, we were able to legally marry in 2008; this was about 2 months before our 25th anniversary, but our legal marriage ended at the state line. It took Obergefell being decided by SCOTUS in 2013 for our marriage to become "legal". We now look at today's SCOTUS and wonder when they are going to overturn that decision.
Your "family values" statement reminds me of a funny story. It was during the election season when Measure 36 passed (the marriage definition I mentioned earlier). I was in the report writing room with three other deputies, and sitting next to a good friend. Mike looked around the room, and asked the other two guys how many divorces they had. One of them replied "2", the other said "I'm not gonna marry anyone, I don't need to lose my pension when we divorce." Mike (thrice divorced) then looked at me, and asked "how long have you and Karyn been together?" My reply was "21 years". He looked around the room and said "Gee, which of us in here is more of a challenge to the institution of marriage? That vote is f-ing ridiculous."
I "came out" in 1968 with my first partner. At that time in DC, if a cop were to walk into a gay bar/restaurant and caught two men holding hands, they could be arrested. Dancing was an arrestable offense as well.
After Anita Bryant hit the airwaves, I became a gay/lesbian activist by participating on boards of directors of gay rights advocacy groups in the 1980s. Steve Endean, founder of Human Rights Campaign Fund (now HRC) was a good friend. In the nineties I wrote columns for small gay rags, before going off to Seminary for graduate study.
The current "culture of purification" among certain right wing ideologues is more like a culture of putrification. The fact is, many of those who oppose gay/lesbian marriage are indulging themselves in the darkness of the woods. Too much of life is spent attempting to change that which cannot be changed.
Beautifully stated, thank you.
Choose wisely -
Think carefully about what is most important to you.
Democrats support reducing childhood poverty and supporting American families with the refundable Child Tax Credit, reducing prescription drug prices, increasing support for child and elder care, expanding support for healthcare, family and medical leave, measures to mitigate the risks of climate change, increasing support for internship programs and community college costs, and the Biden Build Back Better priorities.
Republicans support the Big Lie that non-existent, unproven election fraud cost Tя☭mp a second term, suppressing voting rights, politicians choosing their voters through gerrymandering, retaining power at all costs, enriching the privileged with tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations, restricting women’s reproductive rights, continuing racial discrimination, xenophobia, banning books from school curricula they don't like, partisan election administration, opposition to responsible public health measures, and opposition to everything supported by Democrats.
So think about your own priorities and your family’s and your neighbors’ best interests and choose a political party that best aligns with those. Yes, as our politics now seem to offer two dramatically different agendas and compromise no longer seems possible, you are required to choose. Choose wisely.
Bruce, this was SO well said, I took the liberty of sharing it on my FB page, with attribution to "a friend" (no name.) I hope you don't mind.
“This is not the last budget will ever be proposed or passed.”
Hear, here!!