I have been following the farcical saga of the Biden administration’s attempt to find bipartisan compromise in crafting an infrastructure bill. I want sparkle ponies too. I do, I do, I do. I also want Mitch McConnell to have soul, but alas...
And while I give no credence to the sincerity of their principles, the Republicans have been giving voice to concerns about “too much spending” and “tax increases”. Pious tears have been shed. Pearls have been clutched. Won’t somebody please think of the children?!
Sure, I will, and I won’t just meet you halfway. I’ll meet you all the way. We’re happy to add a simple, bipartisan clause to the bill controlling both spending and tax increases and your concerns will be addressed...front and center. It’ll be a wonderful bipartisan WIN-WIN:
“In order to constrain spending, and minimize any new revenues required to support this legislation, infrastructure spending will be curtailed in accordance with the wishes of the Senate: any Senator opposing the bill will be deemed as refusing exactly one half of the anticipated spending for their respective state. Anticipated tax increases will be offset accordingly.”
When the time comes to put forth the Democratic bill. Let this serve as the first paragraph. Let’s dare them to vote against it.
Bluff called.
NOTE: The figure above shows Senate representation by population based on 2010 census figures and the current Senate makeup. Yes, Democrats already represent a solid majority of US population, 56%, (Thanks California and New York!!!) with Independents adding an additional 0.3% (Thanks Bernie (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME)). Overcoming a filibuster requires cobbling together Senators representing about 64% of the population, an impossible task in these polarized times. (See The Filibuster, The Math, and Senator Manchin (w/Corgis)