Sanders urges House Democrats to vote against infrastructure bill before reconciliation

[AZProgressive]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday urged House Democrats to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill until Congress approves the party’s reconciliation package, heightening the standoff between moderates and progressives as key components of President Biden’s legislative agenda hang in the balance.

Sanders, in a series of tweets posted on Tuesday, said the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Thursday without the reconciliation package would be “in violation of an agreement that was reached within the Democratic Caucus in Congress.”

He also said such a move would “end all leverage that we have to pass a major reconciliation bill.”

Link to tweet

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/574347-sanders-urges-house-democrats-to-vote-against-infrastructure-bill-before

[Walleye]

1. We have less leverage if we don't pass this bill.

Does he think voting against his party’s bill makes a statement, or does he expect it to produce results this way

[CrackityJones75]

2. His Party's bill?

Uhhh which party is his party?

[TheRealNorth]

3. Shhhh

Some people think preserving the status quo as things get worse and worse are the keys to success in 2022.

[Walleye]

4. Yes OK. But he's chairman of the committee for crying out loud

[OnDoutside]

5. Well no, it comes down to a matter of trust and the conservatives

have already double crossed the Progressives, so why would they trust them again ?

[Walleye]

6. So what is the solution. I've been assuming Democrats negotiate in good faith with each other

[OnDoutside]

9. Clearly one side have not been negotiating in good faith, that's why

this had blown up now, at the last minute. The fear is that once the bipartisan deal gets passed, the likes of Gottheimer and Manchin will kill the Reconciliation bill. And I can't blame Sanders for his caution, in light of this.

As regards a solution from where things stand now, I think if Nancy was to publicly state that she will hold back the bill from President Biden's desk until the Reconciliation bill passes (and agreement that the Manchins etc won't ratf*ck it), then that might well be enough to move forward.

[questionseverything]

11. The info structure bill is a Republican dream

Once it is passed we won’t have any leverage for the reconciliation bill

It’s the reconciliation bill the people want and would benefit from

[qazplm135]

12. against?

Who is we and what less leverage do we have against what if we wait on this bill to pass both bills later?

[TexasTowelie]

7. What is the sequence of events here?

Is President Biden supposed to meet with Senators Manchin and Sinema prior to the House voting? I think that Bernie should let the president continue to negotiate with those senators to find a compromise. Playing the game that Bernie suggests is likely to get us with no bill passed and no reason for voters to want to reelect Democrats in 2022.

[AZProgressive]

8. From what I understand the $3.5 T is the compromise for a lot of Progressives

There is no Medicare for All for example in the bill so progressives in the House and Senate settled for the compromises in this bill. I thought both bills were already agreed to as Sanders points out.

I don’t support Sinema scaling back the bill or whatever game she is playing.

[qazplm135]

14. two paths

1. We pass the BIF on Thursday
2. Reconciliation gets pushed to...the future.

or

1. BIF fails
2. Negotiations get serious
3. Both bills pass in some form a month or so from now

Which path makes more sense for progressives? For Democrats?

[JohnSJ]

10. We have no leverage anyway with Manchin and Sinema.

[honest.abe]

13. This will result in nothing happening at all.

Republicans are cheering Sanders.

[FBaggins]

15. He's confused a strategy with an "agreement"

If you get together with 49 other Democrats and everyone is onboard… you have an agreement. Or if you’ve negotiated with some of the opposition you might have an agreement. But merely agreeing with other progressives (even if that’s 90%of the caucus) doesn’t matter if that isn’t enough votes to pass something.

Manchin clearly never signed on to a strategy of passing both bills together. Heck… his whole purpose in pushing the infrastructure bill was to create this scenario. And Sanders’ purpose in pushing for them to be joined was to pressure moderates to back the larger bill. Obviously there would be no need for such pressure if there really was “an agreement within the Democratic caucus”

“End all leverage” makes that clear - since there’s obviously no leverage with Republicans.

Progressives agreed with party leadership on a strategy. That isn’t surprising since leadership is largely made up of progressives. It isn’t leadership’s fault that the strategy needs to change when circumstances show that the first plan didn’t work.

Contrawise - when you make a deal with the opposition in exchange for something you need… not keeping your word is damaging the next time you need their support.

[sheshe2]

16. So, all or nothing?

[sheshe2]

17. The twitter comments don't agree.