I’m not disputing the lack of support. I have no doubt that it will end up with as many votes as the rescue package did. I just think that he feels like we have to at least try, and I think that he’ll do this with every single piece of legislation for as long as he’s president.
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So for a short time, really make a concerted, extremely visible effort at outreach that, if it fails (I expect it to fail) will expose, in the most blatant way, racist attitudes of those who oppose it.
If killing the filibuster is the only way forward, let it be made loud and clear to the point of being screamingly obvious.
At least, that better fucking be the plan.
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And they aren’t wrong, as far as it relates to their party. More people voting, particularly minorities, IS a threat to the GOP. Remember, they only won a national majority once in the past 29 years.
They are just as aware of that as we are.
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I agree, and am almost willing to bet dollars to penny candies that the policy in both reactionary congressional caucuses is the same as it was under Obama: to deprive Biden of legislative achievements, regardless of the merits. Then to blame him for “doing nothing.”
The only positive goal their party seems to have is hanging onto and increasing their power and it’s not by proposing legislation that uses government to offer positive solutions to the country’s problems. The only way they succeed is by fostering the impression that the Democrats are equally inactive (the “Washington is broken” game) and I think they’re going with it and will run on it.
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I agree. I feared from the very beginning that Biden would still be operating from the old notion he learned in his time in tgevSenatevall those years ago: that Republicans could be trusted to deal honorably. (And even then the idea was shaky)
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Biden argued during a private call with Senate Democrats that they ought to court Republicans for support
One could say many things here, but I’ll just needlessly point out something obvious: There is no such thing as a “private” call, not in DC and not in many other places.
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Yes, try to be reasonable, show the GOP isn’t willing to play, and then press for filibuster reform.
And find out what Manchin’s issues are with the House Bill. Hopefully, not major issues that can’t be modified.
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I suspect Manchin’s objections are largely illusionary. He is most likely reading this situation as a play to pressure/shame him into agreeing to filibuster reform. So as long as he says, “I have issues with this bill” he can push off that pressure. The moment he says “This is a great bill, sucks we don’t have 60 votes”, that changes on him.
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I would like to know what part of it that Manchin doesn’t like.
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I understand Manchinville WV is fantastic during Tourist Season.
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And I want a pony. Now what?
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If this isn’t a read-between-the-lines thing, then Biden is dreaming to get enough GOP votes, of course. Perhaps he wants to prepare us all for not pushing it though.
GOP support?
Joe, anyone ever told you about Lucy and her football?
Ask Barrack.
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Rope.
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Alright Manchin what are you doing to get Republican support for this bill? You’re the one insisting on some crossover support. Or what’s in the bill that you don’t like or want? What things would these Republican demand be stricken from the bill.
And for the love of God would someone please start questioning, pinning down, how Republicans in majority red states are insisting that their voting system is ripe for election fraud? And this is where research into who and when in these states proposed early voting, same day registration, and others measures that are now in Republican eyes too loose. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say GA expanded how voting happened beyond election day and standing in line by Republican state politicians.
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That is also a profoundly bad read of the current environment, IMO, too. Reforming the filibuster is nearly universal popular with Democratic voters, keeping it as is, polls just as badly.
Failure to pass legislation because we didn’t reform the filibuster would be perceived as a gigantic failure by most Democratic voters and, more importantly, those who voted for Biden, but are not totally onboard with him.
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Couldn’t agree more. And frankly, his team seems too smart to not read the current environment correctly.
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the text in the actual cnn article is a little different:
Biden, the source said, responded by pointing to his executive actions on the issue, his past work on voting rights when he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee – while also making clear that they need to win enough support in the Senate to get the bill through the chamber and continue to pressure Republicans. While he backed changes to make it harder to mount a filibuster, by forcing members to actually argue on the floor rather than simple threaten to stall legislation, the President has yet to throw his weight behind gutting the 60-vote threshold.
Of course we’re not.
President Biden is well aware of the facts.
But he has to be seen as making the effort before the GQP tries to fuck everything up.
After the GQP shows its collective ass again, Biden can wash his hands of the whole megillah and show that he tried to get bipartisan Senate support but that he was rebuffed by the anti-fair-voting Republicans.
Then he’ll “reluctantly” support killing the filibuster (or severely limiting its use) while still appearing to want Senate bipartisanship.
Biden’s nobody’s fool. But he is a skilled politician who knows how things get done.
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Yes, we’ve known for decades that, on the question of “bipartisanship,” Biden lives in … not his own little world but in the Republicans’ world. We’ve seen this time and time again over the decades.
As president he has made some good appointments and taken some good advice from the left … but on “bipartisanship” he’s always been soft.
Of course, there’s always an element of “spin.” Telling Republicans you’re looking out for their interests can be a good thing, if it is played right.
As for the filibuster, the fight (among Democrats) is not between complete abolition and just doing nothing. Biden himself has made useful comments in this regard.
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