Rarely do American presidents make a pilgrimage to Capitol Hill with their entourage. Yesterday was like today. President Joe Biden postponed his departure to Europe to make the trip to the stubborn Democratic comrades. Democrats have been negotiating Biden’s social and climate package for months. It is at the heart of the “building back better” agenda.
Biden is said to have knocked Democrats behind closed doors that they would jeopardize his re-election and the majority in Congress if they did not finally pass two bills – one for infrastructure and one for welfare state expansion and climate measures. .
Climate and social template reduced
Democrats have slim majorities in both houses, and so they need every vote from their ranks to get the packages. This makes parliamentarians tempted to use extortionate tactics.
For example, Democratic Representatives Joe Manchin and Kirsten Senema have traded the climate and social bill to $1.75 trillion—half the investments originally planned. They prevented an increase in corporate taxes and a tax on the rich. Corporate America lobbyists have done a great job.
Left vote delay
But left-wing progressives are now turning away and locked up in the House. You canceled a planned infrastructure vote on Thursday. They want to study the details of the laws in detail and consider at the last minute what new demands they can make. Although they indicated that they are satisfied with the last pillars of the White House.
These are games that are not going anywhere. Democrats will soon adopt both bills. You simply cannot bear to drown. That was clear from the start. But Biden needs to win now.
Falling polls
He needs it to be able to appear credibly at the Glasgow Climate Summit. He needs it to turn his popularity curve back on. Fifty-one percent of those polled now think Joe Biden is not doing a good job.
Democrats need to win Virginia’s gubernatorial election next Tuesday, and they need him to get into the midterm campaign.
Actually there is no reason to complain
The longer the stage stays around your boss’s infrastructure packages, the less victory will be. $1.75 trillion in social and climate spending, $1 trillion on infrastructure: Such a massive cash injection is rarely possible in Washington. But Democrats would rather grumble than celebrate.
“Typical entrepreneur. Lifelong beer expert. Hipster-friendly internet buff. Analyst. Social media enthusiast.”