Biden huddles with warring Democrats as party's agenda hangs in the balance

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

President Biden met Wednesday with warring Democrats in an urgent effort to rescue his first-term agenda from potential collapse, attempting to broker a political truce that would foster passage of roughly $4 trillion in new economic spending initiatives.

Biden’s three high-stakes meetings — with party leaders and top members of the Democrats’ liberal and moderate factions — came five days before the House planned to take up a package to improve the nation’s infrastructure that could be doomed unless Democrats of all stripes unify behind it.

The internal tussle between Democratic centrists and liberals is set to come to a head Monday, when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has promised to hold a vote on a bipartisan bill to improve the nation’s roads, highways, pipes, ports and Internet connections. The package is urgently advocated by Democratic centrists, who hope it will show swing voters that Democrats can deliver on nuts-and-bolts issues.

The party’s liberals are equally passionate about a separate, $3.5 trillion spending bill that proposes sweeping overhauls to the country’s health care, education, immigration and climate laws, along with a slew of new programs to help low-income Americans. Some centrists reject that price tag as exorbitant — but liberals insist they won’t support the infrastructure bill without it, leaving Democratic leaders facing a dilemma.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/09/22/biden-democrats-infrastructure-reconciliation/

[hlthe2b]

1. He must have the patience of Job, that's all I can say

My blood is boiling whenever a certain couple of names are mentioned--and they likely aren't the only hold-ups...

[msongs]

2. how much will dems lower the $$ to pass something the mcconnell wing will support? nt

[PoliticAverse]

4. The $ 3.5 trillion bill does not really contain things that will garner Republican support.

Here's What's In The Democrats' $3.5 Trillion Budget Resolution
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/14/1016052307/democrats-budget-deal-would-invest-in-the-child-tax-credit-health-care-and-clima

[FBaggins]

11. I think msongs meant the McConnell wing...

… of the Democratic Party.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. we the dems shouldnt be at each others throats , we should be locking horns

with the rs and doing battle w them.

[IronLionZion]

5. Somehow the other party manages to achieve unity against us

[PoliticAverse]

6. "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." - Will Rogers

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. So, the M$M is pimping another 'Dems in Disarray' storyline?

That never gets old ...

[Jon King]

9. Well the Harvard-Harris poll says they are correct.

Afghanistan, Covid, no infrastructure bill, migrants at the border.....independents have dropped from 61% to 39% for Biden. Not sure what disarray looks like but this is not exactly going in the right direction.

[brooklynite]

13. Especially when its a true story...

[Hugh_Lebowski]

15. Oh, there's truly a 'war' going on?

Interesting ...

[brooklynite]

16. WARRING (adjective): disagree and argue strongly with each other

Works for me.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

17. So you don't think this is bit overly-dramatic phrasing overall?

"President Biden met Wednesday with warring Democrats in an urgent effort to rescue his first-term agenda from potential collapse, attempting to broker a political truce ... "

Wars, truces, urgent, collapse, rescue, etc?

You like that framing do you?

[brooklynite]

18. Doesn't bother me...

If we were discussing mild disagreements over policy language, we wouldn't be reading about summits with the President.

[Jon King]

8. Trump approval higher than Biden's in latest Harris poll.

This is no joke. Independents have turned on Biden in a huge way. For first time ever 48% approval for Trump and 46% approve of Biden in the poll.

Dems are playing with absolute fire here. This is why McConnell is playing hardball on the debt ceiling, he knows Biden is on the ropes.

Without some huge, huge wins for Biden, the Dems are almost certain to lose the House in 2022. Then comes impeachment and investigations out the wazoo.

Manchin, AOC, Sinema, and anyone not just letting Biden have whatever he wants in a desperate attempt to stop the negative momentum, are playing a very dangerous game. In a blink of an eye we could end up with a Repug House next year and a MAGA President in 2024.

And that folks, would be a wrap on this democracy.

[Elessar Zappa]

10. There's still plenty of time

for Biden’s popularity to return. He’s a likable guy.

[Magoo48]

12. We are sinking into a quagmire oozing from our own timidity, our own hesitations.

Time to remove all stops, overtly pursue nuclear options, lead by bold example.

The Republican/authoritarian’s fuck all-things-good agenda marches unwaveringly toward its dystopian goal, an ever expanding toxic smudge filling our horizon and pursued relentlessly.

We are betrayed by members of our own party, while many of us refuse to even chastise them. We all are like teachers’ unions I was a representative to: stymied by our own good nature, not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings.

I, like the rest of us, haven’t a clue what our actions must encompass.
But I do believe we must muster the courage to either Act Big or go home.