Latest bipartisan gang tries to save Senate from itself...

[Jets]

As progressives push the Senate into a brawl over nixing the legislative filibuster, a group of senators is setting out to do the impossible: prove that the moribund chamber can still function.

A group of 20 senators, mostly centrists but also including some more ideological members of both parties, is seeking to replicate its success last year in breaking a months-long logjam on coronavirus relief. The so-called G-20 hopes to develop bipartisan approaches to issues like the minimum wage, immigration and infrastructure, in the process providing a compelling argument against axing the filibuster — if it can produce results.

Latest bipartisan gang tries to save Senate from itself

It’s no accident that 10 GOP senators are in the group: That's the number needed to break a filibuster.

www.politico.com

This is a step in the right direction. There was a time when finding common ground in the legislature was palatable for the two parties. As it stands now, internecine caviling is SOP in Congress.

 

[TNHarley]

Gross. The more congress "gets along" the more fucked we are.

 

[task0778]

" And although both parties have long claimed infrastructure as a potential area of collaboration, some Democrats are already signaling they want to use reconciliation to muscle through a package along party lines. "

First, the Dems already rammed through their COVID Relief bill via reconciliation, and that was a spending bill. They're only allowed to use reconciliation for one revenue bill, one spending bill, and one debt bill in each year, so they've only got a revenue bill and a debt bill at their disposal (under reconciliation rules). So, either they change the rules, or they try to disguise an infrastructure spending bill as something else and hope the parliamentarian allows it. My guess is, they will also try to attach all sorts of democrat priorities (pork) into that bill, but I would think infrastructure is the one area where they could reach a deal with the GOP if they don't fuck it up with other crap that has nothing to do with infrastructure. Like they did with the COVID Relief Bill.

I really don't think the democrats want to work with the GOP in good conscience. The Far Left branch of their party would go nuts, and they can't afford to have a big party split. I think instead they will say the right thing about working together but give up nothing. If the GOP agrees to whatever the Dem want and get nothing then it's a win for the Left. And if the GOP won't agree to that, then the Dems will cry obstructionism and demand the end of the filibuster. Which they will run on in 2022 against Manchin and Sinema, among others.

I am deadset against and increase in the federal minimum wage, that has no business being a federal mandate. Each state needs to do whatever they feel is necessary IMHO and leave it at that. The other issue mentioned was immigration, we really need to address that problem IMHO. I question whether the Dems really want to compromise on anything related to this. Maybe I'm wrong, but the Far Left does NOT want to compromise on ANYTHING at all, and the moderates know that if they do they'll face a serious challenge in their next primary.

 

[Gdjjr]

Good analysis- although it's inconsequential in the scheme of things- the scheme - funding - by Borrow to Spend and BOTH sides subscribe to it, so the circus antics (read theatrics) are just that- all show.

 

[Oddball]

 

[Batcat]

If our elected democrats vote themselves enough rope they will hang themselves with it.

 

[Gdjjr]

If our elected democrats vote themselves enough rope they will hang themselves with it.

If only that was the case-

 

[busybee01]

" And although both parties have long claimed infrastructure as a potential area of collaboration, some Democrats are already signaling they want to use reconciliation to muscle through a package along party lines. "

First, the Dems already rammed through their COVID Relief bill via reconciliation, and that was a spending bill. They're only allowed to use reconciliation for one revenue bill, one spending bill, and one debt bill in each year, so they've only got a revenue bill and a debt bill at their disposal (under reconciliation rules). So, either they change the rules, or they try to disguise an infrastructure spending bill as something else and hope the parliamentarian allows it. My guess is, they will also try to attach all sorts of democrat priorities (pork) into that bill, but I would think infrastructure is the one area where they could reach a deal with the GOP if they don't fuck it up with other crap that has nothing to do with infrastructure. Like they did with the COVID Relief Bill.

I really don't think the democrats want to work with the GOP in good conscience. The Far Left branch of their party would go nuts, and they can't afford to have a big party split. I think instead they will say the right thing about working together but give up nothing. If the GOP agrees to whatever the Dem want and get nothing then it's a win for the Left. And if the GOP won't agree to that, then the Dems will cry obstructionism and demand the end of the filibuster. Which they will run on in 2022 against Manchin and Sinema, among others.

I am deadset against and increase in the federal minimum wage, that has no business being a federal mandate. Each state needs to do whatever they feel is necessary IMHO and leave it at that. The other issue mentioned was immigration, we really need to address that problem IMHO. I question whether the Dems really want to compromise on anything related to this. Maybe I'm wrong, but the Far Left does NOT want to compromise on ANYTHING at all, and the moderates know that if they do they'll face a serious challenge in their next primary.

You just described the Republican Party. The Republican Party has refused to compromise. When they ran the Senate, they rammed what they could through Congress. Republicans refused to compromise on the coronavirus bill so Democrats were forced to ram it through. Republicans can't compromise unless they they want to draw a primary challenge from a fascist Trumpie.

 

[busybee01]

As progressives push the Senate into a brawl over nixing the legislative filibuster, a group of senators is setting out to do the impossible: prove that the moribund chamber can still function.

A group of 20 senators, mostly centrists but also including some more ideological members of both parties, is seeking to replicate its success last year in breaking a months-long logjam on coronavirus relief. The so-called G-20 hopes to develop bipartisan approaches to issues like the minimum wage, immigration and infrastructure, in the process providing a compelling argument against axing the filibuster — if it can produce results.

Latest bipartisan gang tries to save Senate from itself

It’s no accident that 10 GOP senators are in the group: That's the number needed to break a filibuster.

www.politico.com

This is a step in the right direction. There was a time when finding common ground in the legislature was palatable for the two parties. As it stands now, internecine caviling is SOP in Congress.

That turkey was not a coronavirus relief bill. It was a lobbyist relief act. The lobbyists carved that bill up like a Thanksgiving turkey while taxpayers got the crumbs and the bill. Garbage like that is better off not passed.