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Showing Original Post only (View all)If You Think Progressives Won't Compromise w/ Centrists, You Have It Backwards. Liberals are begging [View all]
to negotiate with centrists.https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/sinema-progressive-democrats-biden-build-back-better-infrastructure.html
The impression has taken hold with many people who have moderate inclinations that the Democratic Party is split between moderate pragmatists and left-wing ideologues who refuse to compromise. There are growing signs the Biden agenda could collapse because too many Democrats have unrealistic expectations and refuse to compromise, opined one of those research firms that recirculates conventional wisdom for investors. Charlie Sykes, editor of the center-right Bulwark, claims progressive Democrats are threatening to torpedo the bipartisan bill (and with it the Biden presidency) if they dont get what they want. The truth of the situation at hand is almost precisely the opposite. The people who are willing to compromise and accept half a loaf are the progressives. The ones who refuse to negotiate are the centrists. Just listen to what the progressives are saying:
What we have said is that if there is an agreement that the president strikes on this Build Back Better agenda, we will vote for the bipartisan bill, were willing to negotiate, Representative Ro Khanna said on CNN. The president keeps begging [Senator Kyrsten Sinema], Tell us what you want. Put a proposal forward How do you compromise when Sinema isnt saying anything? Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal: They need to tell us what they dont agree with. And we need to be able to actually negotiate it. Jayapal, again: If they dont tell us what they want to do, which was the presidents message, and if they dont actually negotiate on the entire bill, then were not going to get too close. Representative Jim McGovern: I think a lot of us want to make sure we have an assurance that, in fact, theres going to be a reconciliation bill.
They are not making implacable demands. They are begging the centrists to simply negotiate. The fear hanging over their position is that, once they have their bipartisan infrastructure deal in hand, some decisive number of centrist Democrats it would take just one in the Senate or four in the House will take their ball and go home. Nobody knows whether that would actually happen. But the progressives are hardly imagining this possibility. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Sinema has privately told colleagues she will not accept any corporate or income tax rate increases. No other publication has matched this explosive finding, which might turn out to exaggerate her stance. On the other hand, she has not publicly denied it. Sinema also reportedly opposes both Bidens plan to allow Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies, and even opposes a scaled-back version designed to be less unacceptable to Big Pharma. The entire Biden program is financed through a combination of taxing the wealthy through higher income or corporate taxes and cutting spending by negotiating lower drug prices.
So if Sinema actually holds the positions indicated by these reports, she would kill Bidens program outright. Bidens domestic legacy is only going to be as large as its financing sources, and if Sinema opposes all those sources, the size of the bill she ultimately supports isnt going to be $3.5 trillion or $2 trillion or $1.5 trillion, but zero. Business lobbyists are very clearly hoping to pass to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill which, at the insistence of Republicans, does not make any wealthy sources pay even a cent and then kill Build Back Better. Business groups and some Senate Republicans, reports the Times, have mounted an all-out drive to secure G.O.P. votes for a bipartisan infrastructure bill. Since Sinema is holding fundraisers with the same lobbyists who are pushing to pass infrastructure and kill Build Back Better, it seems at least possible that she is onboard with their strategy. Perhaps she just wants to scale back Bidens plan and has some specific objections she can share in private. The problem is that shes acting like somebody who wants to kill Bidens program outright. Progressives cant be blamed for suspecting a betrayal, especially when she refuses to give even the barest reassurance.
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If You Think Progressives Won't Compromise w/ Centrists, You Have It Backwards. Liberals are begging [View all]
Celerity
Sep 2021
OP
I agree, conservative moderates are the problem. There are no moderate Republicans. Not a one.
Autumn
Sep 2021
#49
Progressives are slandered by both Republicans and moderates. Sinema took a shot at them today.
Autumn
Sep 2021
#54
What are they gonna do? Cheerlead for Pharma Joe Manchin and Krysssstiieennnn?
BradAllison
Sep 2021
#23
as if calling them (which you just did) 'our version of the lunatic fringe' is not divisive?
Celerity
Sep 2021
#8
Well, then. I guess that different usage of "centrist" makes it OK to be divisive of Democrats.
Scrivener7
Sep 2021
#52
you actually are trying to sell an angle that calling a centrist/moderate or moderate conservative
Celerity
Sep 2021
#55
No doubt. And that might dodge the political issue if they can get away with it.
FBaggins
Sep 2021
#50
Neither Sinema or Manchin will even list most of the exact programmes they want to cut
Celerity
Sep 2021
#13
JFC, I wish people would stop calling those two Senators "centrist" or "moderate"
themaguffin
Sep 2021
#11
I was simply using the title of the article, which are labels (centrist, along with moderate and
Celerity
Sep 2021
#20
they seem to often be used interchangeably in the US (and often only the US, as in the vast majority
Celerity
Sep 2021
#57
If Manchin wants to wait until next year I feel like one of the things he is doing
Tadpole Raisin
Sep 2021
#39