Many progressive Democrats have started lining up behind an emerging social and environment bill that’s neither as big nor as bold as they wanted, thanks to an outnumbered but potent band of party moderates who have enjoyed a disproportionate say in shaping the measure.
With party leaders eager to cut a deal and start moving the legislation in days, progressives are grudgingly assessing whether it’s time to be pragmatic, back a compromise and declare victory.An agreement would bring another bonus: freeing for final House approval a bipartisan, Senate-approved $1-trillion package of road, water and broadband projects that progressives have sidetracked to pressure moderates to back the larger economic bill.
“At the end of the day, we have to accomplish something, we have to deal with the reality in which we’re living,” liberal Rep. Jim McGovern , chairman of the House Rules Committee and an ally of House leaders, said of his party’s. “So the question is would we prefer not getting anything, or would we prefer something that can at least be a down payment on some of the transformational programs that we want.
“I’m pissed off, man,” said freshman Rep. Jamaal Bowman , one of the party’s most progressive members, singling out Manchin. “It’s just unacceptable to me that one person from one state can have all this power and make these decisions that will crush my district and districts like mine across the country.”
Though many progressives have started touting the wins the measure will carry, they’re not all finished. Many are waging late efforts to rescue or beef up teetering proposals like expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage, providing paid family leave and letting Medicare negotiate lower drug prices from pharmaceutical companies.
Leah Greenberg, executive director of Indivisible, a grassroots advocacy organization, said Manchin and Sinema are “enabling an agenda that’s out of step with the Democratic Party.” Ellen Sciales, spokesperson for the Sunrise Movement, a group of young environmental activists, said watering down climate change provisions would be “a death sentence for our generation.”The centerpiece of President Biden’s climate agenda is running into opposition from key moderate Democrats.
We need more progressive and liberal Democrats in Congress. One conservative Democrat and one self absorbed ex Green Party Democrat for convenience should not be able to help the republicans obstruct.
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