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Washington, D.C. — “Strike while the iron’s hot,” said Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), one of the several dozen House centrists who have been pushing for swift action on the Senate deal across the Capitol. “If you get a deal, and if it’s significant money, don’t let it sit. It does not age well.”
She’s a moderate with the ability to shave down the package. Unfortunately, this bill can pass without GOP support in the 50-50 Senate, but it would need almost total Democratic unity.
I seem to recall a similar statement: “: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”
Translation: make this law before anyone realizes what we’ve just done. Snopes reports that this is taken out of context. I am not sure what context would change the meaning of this statement.
As progressives pander to Pelosi and make chest-pounding threats to sink the bipartisan bill if she fails to toe the line, moderates are encouraging the speaker to drop her blockade of the infrastructure deal. This will certainly test the resolve of Democrats’ House and Senate stances. And of course, there is the danger of collapse that increases the longer the process drags out.
And since 50 Senate Democrats voted to move forward on the bipartisan package Wednesday, other Democrats are ready for “a little more definition about what level of cohesion we’re going to have as a caucus,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
Big bills always create some friction between chambers of Congress, although it should be noted that lately, the Gum’ment seems to be getting comfortable with the idea of slinging around money like a sailor on shore leave. Given the Democrats’ ideological divides-with somewhat -slim margins, the coordination of these two packages is unusually delicate.
“All [Sinema] did is ensure that we don’t have enough trust unless they both move together,” said senior progressive Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.). “We’ve been very clear and Nancy Pelosi has been very clear on that.”
Pelosi insisted again this week the infrastructure bill is going nowhere unless she has the complementary $3.5 trillion party-line spending bill in hand, too, centrists are already pressuring her to move Biden’s infrastructure deal as quickly as she can. It should be pointed out that nowhere does either party state that they are doing the will of the people.
Republicans have accused Pelosi of holding the bill as “hostage” to the larger package that will spend trillions and raise taxes on the wealthy. Not sure why this is an accusation; it appears to be a stated fact.
And we also have senators from the progressive wing of the party are urging their House colleagues to stand firm.
“It would be nice if we didn’t need a backstop, that in the Senate we had our own adherence to our priorities among the Democrats. But she’s there,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). “I say: Good. Thank you Nancy.”
The House is set to go on recess (read: paid vacation as a reward for the fantastic job they are all doing) for seven weeks starting Friday, though members will probably need to return for a procedural vote to set the Democrat-only spending plan for launch. Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said little in private meetings this week about a potential schedule to move the Senate legislation, only calling the situation “fluid,”
In the House, there’s been a precarious accord between the Democrats’ two main splinter factions as they await details across the Capitol on the bipartisan plan. But pay attention, because as soon as the Senate passes that bipartisan deal, moderates are planning a full-throttle push for a swift vote. See above quote.
Senate negotiators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) briefed their counterparts in the House, a bipartisan group of called the Problem Solvers Caucus, consisting of around about four dozen moderates hours after announcing their bipartisan infrastructure deal
Both factions agreed that the House was the biggest hurdle ahead for the $550 billion allocated in new spending into roads, bridges and broadband.
“Problem Solvers Caucus” Democrats are already voicing their demands for Pelosi to deviate from her tactics. Some are discussing privately whether to clot together to block a vote on the budget — derailing the Democratic-only spending bill — until they get what they want.
And no point have any of these folks mentioned doing anything for the good of the US people.
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