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Why the infrastructure bill is more important than ever to Biden (Analysis)

2021-08-06T14:39:04.599Z


The bipartisan infrastructure bill that made its way precariously in the Senate has always been a cornerstone of Joe Biden's presidency.


Get details of the US infrastructure package 3:11

(CNN) -

The bipartisan infrastructure bill, which made its way precariously in the Senate, has always been a cornerstone of Joe Biden's presidency.

But now it is even more vital for an administration desperately in need of victories as the White House navigates multiple crises.

The president had hoped so far to brag about victory over the pandemic, but the nation is embarking on another grueling battle against the delta variant. The new reality threatens to exhaust an already discouraged citizenry, slow the rebound in the economy and exacerbate the chain reaction of problems caused by the pandemic. In turn, it could slow down Biden's approval ratings and further hurt Democrats' chances in next year's midterm elections.

With public health officials warning of the possibility of several hundred thousand daily COVID-19 infections, it appears that the pandemic will now extend at least through the fall and winter (boreal) and potentially into next year, further reducing plus Biden's political leeway and increasing the weight of responsibility in his White House.

But after hours of debate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer decided to cut the debate on the infrastructure package on Thursday night, allowing for swift passage of the legislation, albeit the exact timing of the final vote was unclear.

Democrats hoped the fragile and rare bipartisan support for the legislation would continue for the measure to be sent to the House of Representatives, where there is no guarantee of passage.

The $ 1 trillion spending package on roads, bridges, railroads, electric vehicles, high-speed internet and other priorities is the main, and possibly only, display of one of the defining principles of the Biden presidency: the notion of that Republicans and Democrats can work together for national goals.

  • Here's what the bipartisan infrastructure bill includes

A bipartisan ceremony for the signing of a bill in the White House would allow the president to tell voters that he had kept his word when most experts and politicians in Washington doubted he could overcome bitter political divisions.

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That image, likely to feature heavily in Democratic midterm election advertising, would be so powerful that former President Donald Trump, whose own failed infrastructure initiatives turned into self-parody, has been trying to intimidate Republican senators into to remove support for Biden's plan.

Biden's team insists his presidency has reset the nation's course after what Democrats saw as the destruction of the Trump years.

That has involved saving America's democracy, restoring the country's reputation abroad, and presiding over the restart of the country's jobs engine.

And the west wing has been moving forward and building momentum in areas where Biden doesn't need the help of Congress.

On Thursday, for example, the president signed a decree designed to boost the electric vehicle industry, which aims to ensure that 50% of vehicles sold in the US by 2030 will be electric.

So his advisers strongly reject the idea that the Biden presidency is in crisis.

  • Biden Announces New Emission Standards, Aiming for 50% of US Vehicles Sold by 2030 to Be Electric

However, a major Senate victory in infrastructure would be a moment of relief in an administration that also faces a host of other problems from Afghanistan to the failure of nuclear diplomacy with Iran and the uncertainty of this week's interim solution. that saved millions of tenants threatened with eviction from their homes.

A treacherous road ahead

The infrastructure bill has a long way to go before it becomes law;

its fate depends on Democrats mobilizing through a $ 3.5 trillion spending plan in the Senate to appease progressives, who say the bipartisan bill is too narrow.

That Democratic measure will need to benefit from reconciliation, a limited maneuver that can be used to pass bills with budget implications in the Senate, in order to bypass the 60-vote threshold and allow passage, in a party-line vote.

Passing the more restricted infrastructure bill with a bipartisan vote would validate other aspects of Biden's approach, for example allowing the Senate time to work its will in accordance with the president's faith in a body in which he once served.

Biden could also claim a new boost in his presidency in his crucial first year when his political capital and authority are at their zenith, but with the hardships of a 50-50 Senate, which means his legislative record is pretty worn apart. of a whopping $ 1.9 trillion.

The covid rescue plan was approved in March.

A successful vote in the Senate could also ease some of the fears of Democrats facing the prospect of tough questions from voters this summer about the effectiveness of Biden's presidency in its first seven months and with the midterm elections looming on Thursday. next year, they are historically difficult for a new commander-in-chief's party.

CNN's Manu Raju and Melanie Zanona reported this week that some moderate Democrats in swing districts are increasingly anxious about their ability to hold onto their seats.

Lawmakers believe Biden's economic message, even on an issue like expanding the child tax credit, has failed to reach many voters.

  • Biden changes his tone and faces Republican governors over the rebound of covid-19

The dynamic was revealed when these Democrats refused to take a difficult vote on a measure that had little chance of becoming law: an extension of a moratorium on evictions of Americans who are behind in their rent because they lost their jobs during the pandemic.

That impasse forced the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to order a new moratorium that Biden admitted again on Thursday, which may not be approved by the Supreme Court.

"I went ahead and did, but here's the deal: I can't guarantee that the court won't rule that we don't have that authority. But at least we will have the ability, if we have to appeal, to keep this up for a month, at least. I hope longer, "Biden said.

Passing an infrastructure bill could give ammunition to these Democrats who have been disrupted by the first polls before the midterm elections.

But the accompanying $ 3 trillion spending plan could be a poisonous goblet for them, as it will play into what appears to be an effective Republican onslaught that Democrats are the party of taxes and mass spending.

This can be good for Biden

Biden has effectively argued that the government can be used as a positive force to lift up Americans who have not shared the fruits of years of economic prosperity. A bipartisan agreement would meet that goal. And the larger spending package would allow you to say that you had accomplished what could be a generational achievement: reshaping the economy to benefit working and middle-class Americans.

Another reason infrastructure choreography and spending deals are so important to Biden is that the future prospects for his schedule are so difficult. Democrats across the country, for example, are asking lawmakers in Washington to pass a comprehensive voting rights bill to counter efforts by Republican-led states to make voting more difficult and facilitate interference in the vote. election result. The state measures are being drafted on the basis of Trump's lies about voter fraud in last year's presidential vote.

There is little chance that the ballot measure will pass in the Senate due to the obstructionist tactics of the Republican Party, which require a supermajority of 60 votes to pass important legislation.

Moderate Democrats, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, oppose any move by their party to repeal the time-honored Senate rule, meaning the Republican Party has an effective veto. about legislation.

  • ANALYSIS |

    Biden shows that he is ready to take drastic measures in the fight against covid-19, even if he is not sure they are legal

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to seek to bring a reduced ballot bill to plenary in the coming weeks, but the move is likely to be largely symbolic given widespread opposition from the Republican Party. .

So, in regards to legislative accomplishments in the run-up to the midterm elections, a bipartisan infrastructure bill and an accompanying spending package, assuming Democrats can pass both in Congress. Restless, it can be as good as it seems for the president.

infrastructureJoe Biden

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2021-08-06

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