Reality check for the Democrats….
Democratic Senator’s Manchin and Sinema ARE in the drivers seat on this….
President Biden WILL take just about any ‘deal’….
Problem for others?
As Senator Collins has announced….
The ‘deal’ is half of what ‘Go BIG’ Biden advertised….
And ain’t gonna tax anybody except electric car owners….
Democratic Senate majority leader probably will support this with his ace card for some more in Bernie Sanders putting more stuff there Democrats wanted in a second reconciliation bill that will only need 50 Democrats to pass….
Oh, and they’ll need Manchin and Sinema on that one also….
Or Two brave or crazy Republicans….
CAN SINEMA DELIVER SANDERS? We’re still skeptical. But senior Democrats were telling us Sunday night they think the White House is actually considering the trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure deal floated by 10 centrist senators Friday.
First, however, they need to see if their own members can swallow it.
Democrats are going to have some candid family conversations this week. If they’re going to get behind an infrastructure proposal that’s half the size of what they were shooting for, they need assurances from two colleagues in particular — Sens. KYRSTEN SINEMA (Ariz.) and JOE MANCHIN (W.Va.) — that they will be there to back a lot more later through reconciliation.
Some Democratic leaders are concerned that if they endorse a bipartisan deal like the pair of centrists want, the duo will play hard to get when it comes time to go Democrats-only. A reconciliation package would likely include sweeping climate provisions, a massive investment in family and child care and higher corporate taxes. “There would have to be clarity that we’re getting the second package. Manchin and Sinema are going to have to give assurances to BERNIE [SANDERS],” said one senior Democratic source.
Speaker NANCY PELOSI hinted at this on CNN’s “State of the Union,” saying that if a bipartisan Senate deal “can be agreed upon, I don’t know how we can possibly sell it to our caucus unless we know there is more to come.”
Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER has been preparing for this possible two-pronged approach for a while. “We all know as a caucus, we will not be able to do all the things that the country needs in a totally bipartisan way,” he said last week. “But we’re not going to sacrifice the bigness and boldness in this bill. We will just pursue two paths and at some point they will join.”…
Sanders WAS quiet about the ‘centrist ‘ infrastructure ‘deal’…
No more….
Sanders Slams Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan
“Progressive Democrats working on a bipartisan infrastructure deal hardened their position on the legislation after tense talks Monday,” NBC News reports.
“Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a member of the Senate Democrats leadership team, came out against a bipartisan agreement Monday night after meeting with a bipartisan group of 10 senators.”
Said Sanders: “I wouldn’t vote for it. The bottom line is, there are a lot of needs facing this country. Now is the time to address those needs, and it has to be paid for in a progressive way, given the fact that we have massive income and wealth inequality in America.”
Crunch time coming on a infrastructure bill…..
Republicans have 10 Senate members that will vote for their version of a bill….
I’ll have a post later….