By Craig Fahle
Democrats have an opportunity to put their money where their mouths are, finally. The $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill is a crucial opportunity for Joe Biden to implement many of the ideas he campaigned on in 2020. Increased support for childcare, universal pre-K, expanded Medicaid, funding to combat climate change, investments in clean energy development, tuition free community college, immigration reform, and a fairer tax system are all crucial planks in the party platform. There will surely be some adjustments made to the reconciliation bill before it receives final votes, but even then, this will be the most significant progressive legislation passed since Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Democrats would be wise not to screw this up. Alas, there is always an opportunity for the Dems to do just that.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a bit of a fine line to walk … keeping a handful of skittish moderates from balking at the overall price tag (and their own reelection fears) thus scuttling passage of the bill. Meanwhile, progressives in the caucus have made it clear that they will not support the infrastructure bill if the reconciliation package isn’t done first. It’s a power struggle, but Pelosi must find a way to keep everyone in line. Sure, some moderate Democrats may fear being labeled as “tax and spend liberals” or even “socialists” in advance of the midterms. They may worry they will be hammered over a price tag with the word “trillion” attached to it. So be it. The Republicans were going to label them as such no matter what happens with the reconciliation bill. So … If you have a D next to your name, think about WHY you are a Democrat, and have the courage to vote for what you believe in. It may cost some seats next year, but what’s more important? Your job, or your principles?
Opportunities like this don’t come around for Democrats too often. If they pull this off, they will have a massive achievement under their belts – namely a spending plan that helps people instead of corporations -- a spending plan that taxes the truly wealthy and corporations to pay for a big chunk of it. If the Democrats can’t sell that in 2022, that’s on them.
Feeling Left out of our civil political discourse? Tune in to The Hustings Week in Review Friday, August 13, on the new audio social media site Clubhouse. Enter our room beginning 5 p.m. Eastern time, to listen in or voice your opinion in our new discussion of the week’s news. Download the Clubhouse app at clubhouse.com or from your favorite app store, for free.
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Also on the Left
>"Tales from Our Side of the Turnpike," Michelle Naranjo's left-column response to "Mask Mandates Redux: More Headwinds Approaching."
>>"Enforce the Tax Laws We Have by Giving the IRS the Tools to Do it," Craig Fahle's response to the question of whether more IRS funding is needed to improve tax collection enforcement.
>>>"Worthwhile Symbolism to Fight GOP Voter Suppression."
>>>>Opinion from "affirmatives" on the recent Braver Angels debate resolution: "America is a Racist Nation."
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