$3.5 trillion budget plan stalls in House amid standoff between Pelosi, centrists

[Calista241]

Source: Axios

The $3.5 trillion budget framework stalled in the House early Tuesday after tense negotiations between Democratic leaders and centrists failed to reach an agreement.

Driving the news: Moderate Democrats, who have vowed to block the deal until a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package is passed, held out on early Tuesday morning as divisions in the party flared, the New York Times writes.

...

The big picture: Pelosi's proposal to moderates would expedite passage of the $3.5 trillion social spending plan and includes a promise to approve the bipartisan infrastructure bill by the time current surface transportation programs expire on Sept. 30, per Politico.

But the group of centrists, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.Y.), have so far refused any deal that doesn't include an immediate, standalone vote on the infrastructure bill.

“The House can’t afford to wait months or do anything to risk passing” the infrastructure bill, Gottheimer, said late last week, per AP.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/democrats-stall-35-trillion-budget-plan-negotiations-74f13c58-13fa-4788-9b11-afe0f5055561.html

[Walleye]

1. I guess we're going to hear lots of stories about how the infrastructure talks have stalled

The old familiar Democrats in disarray theme. They are just trying to get us to fight with each other. Let’s not play along

[FoxNewsSucks]

8. Count on it.

Republicons are actually in a lot more disarray, more often. But even if the media weren't controlled by the right, it still wouldn't be much of a story as republicons don't actually try to accomplish anything. They just want tax cuts and handouts for billionaires and corporations. Which is the only thing they actually did when MF45 also had both houses for two years.

[Walleye]

9. That is all so true, it seems obvious to me

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

2. Blue Dogs are going to be solely responsible for us losing the House and Senate

in 2022.

[FoxNewsSucks]

11. Damn right they are.

Right now, republicons are busy rigging voting in every state. Using every dirty trick possible.

The "For the People Act" would put an end to that. Ensuring that elections are fair and above-board. Which would lead to DEMOCRATIC victories.

The same "Moderates/Conservadems/Blue Dogs/Centrists" are screwing that up too.

[turbinetree]

3. SO let me see if I get this...pass the 1 trillion and then say country doesn't need the 3.5 trillion

....

[FBaggins]

4. Close

Pass the 1T and progressives lose much of their leverage to gain the additional 3.5T... but that's more likely to mean a much lower figure than no bill at all.

[Fla Dem]

5. Our Blue Dog Democrats blocking the $3.5 trillion social spending plan

Members of The Blue Dog Coalition

Arizona
Tom O'Halleran, Representative from AZ-01

California
Lou Correa, Representative from CA-46
Jim Costa, Representative from CA-16
Mike Thompson, Representative from CA-05

Florida
Charlie Crist, Representative from FL-13
Stephanie Murphy, Representative from FL-7

Georgia
Sanford Bishop, Representative from GA-02
Carolyn Bourdeaux, Representative from GA-07
David Scott, Representative from GA-13

Hawaii
Ed Case, Representative from HI-01

Illinois
Brad Schneider, Representative from IL-10

Maine
Jared Golden, Representative from ME-02

New Jersey
Josh Gottheimer, Representative from NJ-05
Mikie Sherrill, Representative from NJ-11

Oregon
Kurt Schrader, Representative from OR-05

Tennessee
Jim Cooper, Representative from TN-05

Texas
Henry Cuellar, Representative from TX-28
Vicente Gonzalez, Representative from TX-15

Virginia
Abigail Spanberger, Representative from VA-07

[question everything]

6. Moderates flipped the House in 2018. Leftists almost lost it in 2020

The transportation bill already passed the Senate with bi partisan support. Just pass it and don’t play games.

[FoxNewsSucks]

7. "Leftists"?

If we want to see that term used as an insult, we can turn on Fox or AM Hate radio.

"Leftists" are responsible for what's good about this country. Jesus Christ was a "leftist". Anyone not proud to be a "leftist" is in the wrong place.

The country wants what "leftists" propose.

The deal Pelosi worked out was to pass both bills at the same time. The bi-partisan bill to get centrists on board, despite containing things that don't appeal to "leftists" AND the 3.5 trillion bill which republicons object to but contains so many things that will help regular Americans (and is paid for the correct way, also). It's been discussed frequently here, I'm surprised anyone is unaware of it.

But just like with Obamacare, along come the "moderates", "centrists", "conservadems" or whatever you want to call them to SCREW THE WHOLE THING UP. Inability to get this done will hand control to republicons, even without their election dirty trickery. Most people don't pay attention to politics, that's why the "dems in disarray" thing works. Most of the public will just think yeah they did nothing. That's why "none of the above" would win most elections. The people want something to get done.

Get this done, end republicon voting schemes, and Democrats can look forward to control for years. And we can look forward to a responsible government that doesn't cater to billionaires and corporations, and doesn't enable the spread of deadly pathogens.

[Walleye]

10. Yeah Afghanistan is working out great for them look at how they blame Biden.Unpatriotic

[brush]

12. Agreed on 95% of what you say but "defund the police" and...

self-avowed democratic socialists in the party were responsible for our majority in the House shrinking to a razor thin margin in 2020. Hope a lesson was learned as those two political stances are vote losers.

Call me a progressive, but a pragmatic progressive—get done what can get done. Tilting at purity windmills yields little.

On the other end of the spectrum, centrist inflexibility is often just as ineffective of little use as its opposite counterpart.

I'm sticking with Madame Speaker.

[FoxNewsSucks]

13. "defund the police" was taken out of context

and not at all what "the left" wants. It was a stupid phrase, and a mistake to say out loud which made it a great gift to rightwing talking heads.

I don't think the resident democratic socialists were responsible, but they do make good scapegoats. Without the label, a large majority of Americans want the things that make up "democratic socialism". As far as politics go, Bernie Sanders has been integral in working with Biden. He's not blocking anything or threatening to. We can thank him for getting a bigger deal, and maybe be thankful that Biden might possibly be more left than was thought.

In the House, with a 3-vote margin, "the squad" has the numbers to stop anything. I don't recall that happening. They speak up, but have generally only voted opposing Pelosi when their votes weren't needed. If they did shoot something down, I'm sure someone will remind me.

But there's a very real chance that "conservadems" will either stop or badly water down the 3.5 trillion bill. Giving republicons and the media the story of "democrats failed to do anything". They did it with Obamacare, it can happen again.

[brush]

14. We're on the same page mostly, as with "defund the police"...

Last edited Tue Aug 24, 2021, 02:46 PM - Edit history (3)

I still must disagree however on socialism as the idea of it is still toxic to millions of voters in the Greatest generation, Boomers and older GenXers, many of whom were schooled in their formative years against socialism/communism, failed communist collectives, Stalinist purges, the Iron Curtain, the cold war/nuclear threat, Khrushchev, Brezhnev—the whole deal.

Not all of them by any means as many developed critical thinking skills and understood there are good, socialist aspects of our system—public works, fire/police departments, sanitation, Social Security etc., but many voters in those cohorts never developed nuanced thinking and still view socialism as toxic and vote accordingly...and they always vote heavily, resulting in several lost House seats in 2020.

And then there are the Latinx voters of Cuban, Venezualan ancestry who have lived experiences against poorly implemented socialist systems (see Florida's election results).

A mix of capitalism and socialism as in the Nordic model works and I would love to see that here but, let's face it, there are too many on the right for that to happen anytime soon.

Just look at the opposition from those in our own party to the Dem reconciliation infrastructure bill which includes many great, helpful social safety net provisions.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

15. They should re-think this.

I have it on good authority that Speaker Pelosi will "cut your head off and you won't even know you're bleeding".
She don't play.

[mountain grammy]

16. +1000

My money will always be on Nancy.

[Deminpenn]

17. There are 95 members of the Dem progressive caucus

They aren't going to go for this. Speaker Pelosi should ask the Gottheimer gang if they have at least 95 Rs signed up to vote for the 1T infrastructure bill. If not, then they have a problem.

[FBaggins]

18. But it isn't 95-9

The same thing can be said of the reconciliation resolution. Does the Progressive caucus have six Republicans signed up to vote for a $3.5T reconciliation that will bypass a Senate filibuster?

If not, then they have a problem.

And if it comes right down to it... there might very well be 90-ish republican votes for the already-bipartisan legislation if those nine agree to block the reconciliation package. Leaving Pelosi to try to block it.

[Deminpenn]

20. It's moot now, but remember 130+ Rs voted

not to certify electors even after a riot and over 90% of the Senate voting to accept the electors. It will be interesting to see what the actual vote count will be when the 1T bill comes up for a vote.

[FBaggins]

19. They've apparently struck a deal

The budget resolution will push forward so that the House committees can start their process, but the compromise resolution will be voted on prior to late September - and the House version of the budget must be something that the Senate will pass (so the moderates aren't forced to vote for something that dies in the Senate).

[samsingh]

21. who are these centrists kidding? the gop will give more away in tax cuts

to the ultra rich and these so called 'moderates', which they are not, are trying to save money from the middle class so it can be given to the very rich instead.

they are disgusting.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. It's been passed

House Democrats break internal impasse to adopt $3.5T budget plan

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-democrats-break-internal-impasse-to-adopt-dollar35t-budget-plan/ar-AANHGMC