Biden infrastructure/tax increase megathread

[CookieDamage]

Hopefully next week sees actual legislative text being written and publicized as well as Sinema and Manchin explicitly saying they'd support the entirety of it.

[Xing]

https://mobile.twitter.com/stephensemler/status/1453043737005903878

We get nothing out of this deal

If this is the best Democrats can do with a trifecta, then I'm ready to go full-on doomer. I'm not going to make excuses for a party when its own members move the goalposts so far that we're supposed to be grateful for minimal changes that some members still had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support, even after multiple crucial programs were slashed. I'm more convinced by the day that I made the right choice by ditching the red avatar.

[Horus]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

[Mr.Phips]

First thing Dems should do after they lose the senate in 2022 is kick Manchin and Sinema right out of the caucus. 

[President Johnson]

https://mobile.twitter.com/stephensemler/status/1453043737005903878

We get nothing out of this deal

If this is the best Democrats can do with a trifecta, then I'm ready to go full-on doomer. I'm not going to make excuses for a party when its own members move the goalposts so far that we're supposed to be grateful for minimal changes that some members still had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support, even after multiple crucial programs were slashed. I'm more convinced by the day that I made the right choice by ditching the red avatar.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but they could do a lot more with a functioning trifecta. Say a 53-55 seat majority in the senate that abolishes the filibuster and at least 230 members in the House. Given how disastrous Trump's term was, the Republican Party should have lost in a massive landslide and after January 6 have no business in getting back to power for the rest of this decade.

[7,052,770]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

[Horus]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

[7,052,770]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

[Inmate Trump]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

I mean, I mostly agree.  But we have to continue voting for Democratic candidates simply due to the other party being outright fascists who are actively trying to fix elections and overthrow our government.

[Horus]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

Yes, that part is wonderful. The rest is useless. Of course I'd vote for the bill but you'd have to be crazy to think it's some kind of resounding victory.

Dems are not going to get bigger majorities with weak sauce bills like this.

Hell, we're probably gonna lose the VA governorship next week. That's beyond pathetic.

[7,052,770]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

Yes, that part is wonderful. The rest is useless. Of course I'd vote for the bill but you'd have to be crazy to think it's some kind of resounding victory.

Dems are not going to get bigger majorities with weak sauce bills like this.

Hell, we're probably gonna lose the VA governorship next week. That's beyond pathetic.

You're acting like the party was "supposed" to be able to do more with such a razor thin majority on the backs of blatant bad faith actors like Manchin and Sinema. It's a testament to Biden's leadership that he was able to get as much as he did. But we're going to need bigger majorities to accomplish our list of hopes and dreams, not some kind of punishment from angry progressives.

[Horus]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

Yes, that part is wonderful. The rest is useless. Of course I'd vote for the bill but you'd have to be crazy to think it's some kind of resounding victory.

Dems are not going to get bigger majorities with weak sauce bills like this.

Hell, we're probably gonna lose the VA governorship next week. That's beyond pathetic.

You're acting like the party was "supposed" to be able to do more with such a razor thin majority on the backs of blatant bad faith actors like Manchin and Sinema. It's a testament to Biden's leadership that he was able to get as much as he did. But we're going to need bigger majorities to accomplish our list of hopes and dreams, not some kind of punishment from angry progressives.

As much as he did? He literally got the bare minimum.

Biden should've called them out. He's too nice a guy sometimes.

Call them out, rally the base and put the pressure on their necks instead of sitting in your office hoping they come to their senses. But I know asking Dems to control the narrative for once in their existence is a bridge too far...

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

I’d just like remind everyone that Manchin and Sinema are still refusing to publicly commit to the framework (if they actually had BIF would have passed, but they didn’t and the progressive caucus are not idiots so it’s still on hold).

[It’s so Joever]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

Yes, that part is wonderful. The rest is useless. Of course I'd vote for the bill but you'd have to be crazy to think it's some kind of resounding victory.

Dems are not going to get bigger majorities with weak sauce bills like this.

Hell, we're probably gonna lose the VA governorship next week. That's beyond pathetic.

Alright look, I agree this was a bit of a disappointment, but I would like to remind people just how much the Overton window has shifted. This wouldn’t have had a chance of passing in 2009 even with 60 Dem senators and a terrible recession.

That is partially why I am convinced the right wing’s obvious upcoming authoritarian regime will only last for a limited amount of time before they get overthrown.

In the meantime, the best we can do is pretend this bill is the best thing since sliced bread once it passes to blunt our losses.

[Xing]

https://mobile.twitter.com/stephensemler/status/1453043737005903878

We get nothing out of this deal

If this is the best Democrats can do with a trifecta, then I'm ready to go full-on doomer. I'm not going to make excuses for a party when its own members move the goalposts so far that we're supposed to be grateful for minimal changes that some members still had to be dragged kicking and screaming to support, even after multiple crucial programs were slashed. I'm more convinced by the day that I made the right choice by ditching the red avatar.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but they could do a lot more with a functioning trifecta. Say a 53-55 seat majority in the senate that abolishes the filibuster and at least 230 members in the House. Given how disastrous Trump's term was, the Republican Party should have lost in a massive landslide and after January 6 have no business in getting back to power for the rest of this decade.

They probably could, but they need to be asking themselves why they only got a bare bones victory in 2020 despite so many things working in their favor, and why they're at risk of losing a race in a Democratic-trending Biden +10 state. If they're ever going to get a bigger majority, they need to reach more voters, and the current drama isn't helping.

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

If this is the best Dems can do they deserve to lose next year, and badly.

What a godawful take. If this is the best Democrats can do with razorthin margins, then they need LARGER margins next year.

Good luck with that.

Enjoy your bloated Pentagon budget.

The millions of Americans trapped in the Medicaid gap are about to really enjoy life unless whiners like you kill this bill out of pouty spite.

We have another year to try to pass stuff that didn't make it into this one. In the meantime, we get multiple "signature acheivements" rolled into one package.

Yes, that part is wonderful. The rest is useless. Of course I'd vote for the bill but you'd have to be crazy to think it's some kind of resounding victory.

Dems are not going to get bigger majorities with weak sauce bills like this.

Hell, we're probably gonna lose the VA governorship next week. That's beyond pathetic.

Alright look, I agree this was a bit of a disappointment, but I would like to remind people just how much the Overton window has shifted. This wouldn’t have had a chance of passing in 2009 even with 60 Dem senators and a terrible recession.

That is partially why I am convinced the right wing’s obvious upcoming authoritarian regime will only last for a limited amount of time before they get overthrown.

In the meantime, the best we can do is pretend this bill is the best thing since sliced bread once it passes to blunt our losses.

Literally you just explained my, and clearly a growing majority of Americans, reason for loathing liberals. And I say that as someone who formerly was one.

[Torie]

This is not a #BothSides situation.  The progressives have been behaving like pragmatic adults willing to compromise when necessary while the so-called moderates have been legislative terrorists.

OK, I will bite. How do you define a "legislative terrorist?"

People, that don't support the legislation, I support.

I have my own definition that I will not share, but under mine, in no way, shape or form does Manchin in particular even remotely fit within it. But you can see right on this thread an example of how overwrought politics has become. I consider moving into a neighborhood adjacent to a toxic waste dump. In that sense I am glad that I am old. I have fewer years left to endure all of this. To disagree is demonic.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

This is not a #BothSides situation.  The progressives have been behaving like pragmatic adults willing to compromise when necessary while the so-called moderates have been legislative terrorists.

OK, I will bite. How do you define a "legislative terrorist?"

People, that don't support the legislation, I support.

I have my own definition that I will not share, but under mine, in no way, shape or form does Manchin in particular even remotely fit within it. But you can see right on this thread an example of how overwrought politics has become. I consider moving into a neighborhood adjacent to a toxic waste dump. In that sense I am glad that I am old. I have fewer years left to endure all of this. To disagree is demonic.

You’re reaching Olawakandi levels of incoherence.

[Frodo]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1454185536428642314

At the same time, the progressives rolled back their policy demands and lowered the tactical threshold for winning their votes on infrastructure. While leading liberals had initially insisted that their votes would hinge on Senate passage of the larger benefits package, now some are saying that a spoken commitment from the Senate centrist holdouts - Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) - would be enough to win their backing.

Are we seriously going to take their word for it?

[7,052,770]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1454185536428642314

At the same time, the progressives rolled back their policy demands and lowered the tactical threshold for winning their votes on infrastructure. While leading liberals had initially insisted that their votes would hinge on Senate passage of the larger benefits package, now some are saying that a spoken commitment from the Senate centrist holdouts - Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) - would be enough to win their backing.

Are we seriously going to take their word for it?

To be fair, I don't think they'll just blatantly knife Biden in the back by lying about how they'll vote.

[Xing]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1454185536428642314

At the same time, the progressives rolled back their policy demands and lowered the tactical threshold for winning their votes on infrastructure. While leading liberals had initially insisted that their votes would hinge on Senate passage of the larger benefits package, now some are saying that a spoken commitment from the Senate centrist holdouts - Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) - would be enough to win their backing.

Are we seriously going to take their word for it?

To be fair, I don't think they'll just blatantly knife Biden in the back by lying about how they'll vote.

Have you met Sinema?

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1454185536428642314

At the same time, the progressives rolled back their policy demands and lowered the tactical threshold for winning their votes on infrastructure. While leading liberals had initially insisted that their votes would hinge on Senate passage of the larger benefits package, now some are saying that a spoken commitment from the Senate centrist holdouts - Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) - would be enough to win their backing.

Are we seriously going to take their word for it?

Good news, Manchin and Sinema are explicitly not giving their word. This is exactly where we were Thursday. ‘Give us the text and a public commitment to vote for it’.
Manchin and Sinema refused and gave responses about continuing to work towards it.

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

At this point, even if Progressives do eventually fall in line and back this useless, impotent piece of legislation; we absolutely shouldn't attach our names to it. Let it fail at actually helping any significant amount of Americans who need help; as it's inevitably doomed to do, and then launch a huge PR campaign about what could've been.

And then make moves to slowly extract ourselves from the Democratic Party; and particularly its leadership. But that's another conversation.

[Frodo]

At this point, even if Progressives do eventually fall in line and back this useless, impotent piece of legislation; we absolutely shouldn't attach our names to it. Let it fail at actually helping any significant amount of Americans who need help; as it's inevitably doomed to do, and then launch a huge PR campaign about what could've been.

And then make moves to slowly extract ourselves from the Democratic Party; and particularly its leadership. But that's another conversation.

A better option would be to take over every single apparatus of the Democratic Party at every level no matter how seemingly mundane the way the Tea Party and Trumpster Republicans have done with theirs.  

[emailking]

At this point, even if Progressives do eventually fall in line and back this useless, impotent piece of legislation; we absolutely shouldn't attach our names to it. Let it fail at actually helping any significant amount of Americans who need help; as it's inevitably doomed to do, and then launch a huge PR campaign about what could've been.

And then make moves to slowly extract ourselves from the Democratic Party; and particularly its leadership. But that's another conversation.

As long as we're using FPTP, you're stuck as Dems.