Wed Mar 3, 2021, 05:40 AM

Democrats must decide whether they want to govern or let Republicans hold them hostage

Let’s stipulate something at the outset: There was no circumstance under which President Biden’s American Rescue Plan would get Republican support. Not if it came in under $1 trillion. Not if it was stripped of funding for the arts or Planned Parenthood. Not if no one whispered the words “minimum wage.”

This was fated from the moment the second hand struck A-Democrat-Is-President o’clock, and Mitch McConnell dusted off his old playbook.

Like Barack Obama, Joe Biden responded to a crisis he inherited by proposing a large stimulus that polls very well, even among Republicans. But as in 2009, Republicans see no upside to working with the new president. If the economy bounces back, they figure, Biden will get credit regardless. But by withholding their votes and making the bill partisan, they can take some bloom off the rose. After all, hadn’t Biden promised to unite the country?

In 2009, this worked splendidly. Obama’s overtures to Republicans watered down the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act until it was too small and too loaded with inefficient tax cuts to quickly juice a languishing economy. Republican messaging about a convoluted process and out-of-control spending stuck, laying the groundwork for GOP gains in 2010.

You’re watching what they hope will be the sequel.

Read more: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/democrats-must-decide-whether-they-want-to-govern-or-let-republicans-hold-them-hostage/Content?oid=28897731

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
Democrats must decide whether they want to govern or let Republicans hold them hostage (Original post)	TexasTowelie	Mar 3	OP
K&R	Mike Niendorff	Mar 3	#1
They also need to deal with Manchin, he is a roadblock	Escurumbele	Mar 3	#2
At least with a simple majority	gab13by13	Mar 3	#8
Manchin is already 73 years old, and he is not up for election until 2024.	Lonestarblue	Mar 3	#9
Manchin is writing the sequel.	lagomorph777	Mar 3	#11
K&R for this: A-Democrat-Is-President o'clock	TigressDem	Mar 3	#3
We need to pass as much legislation as possible that will help the underserved,	diehardblue	Mar 3	#4
This GQP is the enemy of the people and of democracy itself!	bucolic_frolic	Mar 3	#5
Agreed. We need to be ruthless in passing our agenda.	tecelote	Mar 3	#6
In the undesirable, unavoidable event we find ourselves in a battle, which we have,	Magoo48	Mar 3	#7
They want war.	movingviolation	Mar 3	#10

Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 06:11 AM

Mike Niendorff (3,231 posts)

1. K&R

Make your choice, make your case, make your stand.

Failing to join the fight is not an option -- at least if you want any chance at all of remaining in office.

MDN

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 07:47 AM

Escurumbele (894 posts)

2. They also need to deal with Manchin, he is a roadblock

Offering him full support for his dealings with his constituents, a campaign to bring his voters to the table, etc...not sure what else.

He is afraid to loose his job because he is in a red state, then campaign hard to turn people blue.

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Response to Escurumbele (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 08:37 AM

gab13by13 (3,103 posts)

8. At least with a simple majority

the pressure on Manchin and Sinema will just grow and grow. If I were Democrats I would push bill after bill and see how Manchin's no votes sit with the poor people of his state. Eventually the heat will get to him.

The other option, a 60 vote threshold, is a given, we get nothing passed and Republicans use that against us in 2022. At least this way Democrats can show which party obstructed getting things done.

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Response to Escurumbele (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 08:50 AM

Lonestarblue (3,849 posts)

9. Manchin is already 73 years old, and he is not up for election until 2024.

He’ll be 77 by time of the election, so 83 by the end of another term that he doesn’t really need. It’s time for him to work for all the people, not just his own reelection. With the filibuster, Republicans can just go on being the tail that wags the dog, and much of Biden’s agenda will fail to pass, setting the stage for Republican wins in both 2022 and 2024. Is that what he wants?

Manchin should have learned the lesson from the Obama years that it does no good to negotiate with Republicans on big new initiatives. In an effort to get some Republicans on board, Obama spent much of the first year of his presidency allowing Republicans do demand change after change to the ACA, weakening it and killing the public option. Not one Republican voted for it. They were stalling the passage to prevent other things getting done in hopes of taking control in the midterms, which they did. They’re doing the same thing now, and Manchin should be smart enough to see that.

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Response to Escurumbele (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 04:33 PM

lagomorph777 (22,205 posts)

11. Manchin is writing the sequel.

Buy him off, threaten him, whatever it takes. Get him to sit down and shut up.

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 07:48 AM

TigressDem (1,477 posts)

3. K&R for this: A-Democrat-Is-President o'clock

THAT IS SO TRUE....

ALL THE RULES CHANGE OR ARE THROWN OUT THE WINDOW when it is a DEM in the White House.

AT LEAST the party of ReWONKulans think so.

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 07:50 AM

diehardblue (10,532 posts)

4. We need to pass as much legislation as possible that will help the underserved,

deal with the midterms, and if we lose the senate (prayers that we won't), begin a campaign to replace Joe Manchin. He has got to go! Find a candidate who can challenge him. Build and work with the West Virginia Democratic party. I feel he is still pissed about VP Harris visiting West Virginia and all his actions represent revenge like the GOPer that he is.

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 07:54 AM

bucolic_frolic (23,986 posts)

5. This GQP is the enemy of the people and of democracy itself!

They only cooperate in anything when they can subvert or tweak the system to give themselves more money!

This rule of the minority by election theft, vote suppression, filibuster, money in the media has got to END!

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 08:00 AM

tecelote (4,768 posts)

6. Agreed. We need to be ruthless in passing our agenda.

The positive results will win more votes than bipartisan pandering ever will.

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 08:13 AM

Magoo48 (1,983 posts)

7. In the undesirable, unavoidable event we find ourselves in a battle, which we have,

Last edited Wed Mar 3, 2021, 08:53 AM - Edit history (1)

72 years of life shows me, if we fight fair we lose. And, we must fight to win, and therefore survive. Because our opponents are likely trying to destroy us, we must be creative, have imagination, use tactics which confuse our antagonists (humor, art, music). We must consistently use surprise to exploit their most glaring weaknesses: lack of compassion, empathy, and love for their fellows. Above all, we must know our foes well which requires investigative intelligence-backed, grassroots, organized, honestly and consistently-motivated people power. Success requires a level of sustained action that few of us have been willing or able to exert to this point. It’s a course that only a few of our Dem leaders are willing to lead us on.

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Response to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Wed Mar 3, 2021, 01:49 PM

movingviolation (296 posts)

10. They want war.

I'm all for giving it to 'em. I'm so beyond sick of republiQans. They are in no way for the common good, just their own bank accounts matter to them. I'm all for giving each and every one of them the Crassus treatment.

Marcus Licinius Crassus (115-53 B.C.E.) was a Roman politician, mentor of Julius Caesar, and quite possibly one of the wealthiest men in Roman history. Crassus amassed a personal fortune primarily by seizing the assets — including property, slaves and riches — of those declared enemies of the state. A shrewd and well-liked leader, Crassus was successful in both the political and military arenas.

Two of his most notable victories included the defeat of the Spartacus slave rebellion and formation of the First Triumvirate, a three-way alliance between Crassus, Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, better known as Pompey the Great.

An ongoing feud with Pompey ultimately proved to be the downfall of Crassus. Driven by this grudge, Cassus embarked on his final military campaign Parthia, a region in modern-day Iran. Crassus and his legions were defeated by the Parthian King Orodes II. Crassus was taken alive and, according to legend, executed by having molten gold poured down his throat as literal reference to his unquenchable thirst for wealth.

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