4877

I don’t know about Garland, I guess it depends on how he does with the Bannon and other witnesses. I’m not impressed with Blanken either, he says the right things but I don’t really feel like he has a clear vision and is rallying the state dept, same thing with Austin although, he is starting to grow on me.

But as for Biden, personally, I’m Alstein camp. He is playing the game at Diety difficulty level, with a large number of crazy opponents, and some wiley ones (aka Moscow Mitch) , plus a deadly virus, and the most capable foreign opponents since Nazi Germany.

At the town hall, he made many of the points that I’ve made. Yes, Manchin is not in favor of accelerating getting rid of coal power plants, and that’s unfortunate, but there are plenty of other things we can to do help the environment so we will do those instead.

I find his candor refreshing, “yes I made mistake saying that Bannon should be prosecuted. That’s the job of the DOJ not mine.” But that’s my opinion. He has learned to give clear and direct answers “yes and yes”, before going off into detail albeit sometimes wandering .

But mostly it is his hard work. “When you have a 50/50 senate every senator feels like they are president.” But instead of giving up Sinema won’t raise taxes, Manchin won’t give up coal,and insists on means-testing community college, the progressive caucus insists on day care. Biden is getting his Exacto knife out and cutting the jigsaw pieces until they fit.

The picture isn’t going to be perfect, but I don’t think either Clinton or Obama had the skill or patience to pull this off.

4878

It looks like they’re nearing an agreement. By months end I imagine they’ll pass both bills.

Manchin and another Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have almost on their own halted Biden’s proposal from advancing. With Republican opposition and an evenly split 50-50 Senate, Biden has no votes to spare and the two Democratic senators have insisted on reducing the size of the enormous package and pressed for other changes.

I still do not understand why the media insists on framing it like this. We ended a war yet increased military spending by 20 billion. Military spending over the next ten years dwarfs the BBM (build back minimally) bill, yet it routinely gets 85+ votes in the Senate and the press never runs around with their hair on fire about the cost.

Are the voters in WV and AZ better served with more jets and destroyers? Seriously. But corrupt pols intent on cooking the planet are called centrists. Sure.

4879

We gave the military more money then they wanted even.

Such is the way of things. The military budget could triple and no one would report it.
But if a Private in Guam says someone ran out of TP back in August the world would catch on fire and heads would roll.

Unless it was a Republican President, then it would be because the Democrats didn’t think an extra $5 billion a year for TP was a good idea, because they hate freedom.

4880

The plan is to bomb climate change into the Stone Age. That will show it.

4881

Didn’t Trump propose nuking a hurricane?

4882

He did.

4883

Re that story above, does it matter the slightest bit that they’re discussing a wealth tax with Manchin when Sinema has put the kibosh on any income tax increases on wealthier people? We’re supposed to think she’s going to be totes OK with a wealth tax?

Pull the other one, AP.

4884

I think they realize the bill is sunk, so sink Sinema with it?

4885

I don’t quite think the Democratic Party has quite the desire for Life of Brian inter-party suicide as you would like.

4886

Sinema getting primaried out would likely help their chances in a general in 4 years.

This isn’t like Manchin where he’s their only hope. They have a bench in AZ, and the state isn’t deep red.

Sinema would cause enough folks to stay home that she’d lose a general I think. she’s that unpopular among Dems. She’s at Liebermann levels.

I suspect she’ll try to paint herself as a leftist once Dems lose the majority again to try and win those votes back, but it won’t work.

4887

It might be infrastructure week!

4888

Fucking hell, can we please just vote on and pass something?!
(apologies that this is from yesterday, I just saw it)

4889

Yes, what the people demand is ideological purity. We often hear chants of “NOTHING IS BETTER THAN SOMETHING!” so I understand where Bush is coming from.

4890

If anyone has been saying that- it’s Manchin and Sinema. The left has compromized time after time.

The Progressive Caucus has the votes to say no, and they’ve been pushed around way too many times. If they aren’t willing to draw a line, they’ll be ignored forever- which would make the never-Trumpers happy but be bad for everyone else.

4891

So we have to destroy the Democratic party to save it? Sounds like Trump-world to me.

4892

Say it like Cyndi Lauper!

Unfortunately for them (and us), they don’t have the leverage.

4893

They do have leverage, neither bill passes without their support. They have the same leverage as Sinema or Manchin.

Why are folks ok with the moderate and the loon blowing everything up, but clutching pearls at the left using the same tactics, and having shown they’re willing to compromise several times, unlike those two? It’s utterly hypocritical.

4894

Okay, cool, so no bill passes. Now what? I think Manchin’s voters are okay with that, but theirs?

EDIT: Don’t take what I’m saying as being anything remotely approaching happy with the situation. Sinema in particular makes me livid.

4895

It’s brinkmanship at its finest.

4896

I agree, I believe a deal gets done. That said, part of getting a deal done that isn’t a total surrender is you have to be tough.

The left learned from Obama’s failures in 2008-2009.

As for fine with no bill passing, I think the voters in the Progressive caucus districts want to fight, not just against Trump, but against the Manchins and Sinemas of the world, so if the left says no deal they won’t pay a price - they’ll keep their seats.