Bernie Sanders still has secret weapon for future procedural fights

[Donkees]

Last Updated: Feb. 25, 2021 at 11:06 p.m. ET
By Jonathan Nicholson

Budget-process expert was brought out of retirement, but other procedural arguments likely ahead

Excerpt:

But for one Senate committee staffer — who was brought out of retirement by Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders only a few weeks ago — the loss may particularly sting: Bill Dauster, chief counsel for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Budget Committee. Dauster has long been known on Capitol Hill as a budget process expert extraordinaire, having literally written a book, “Budget Process Law Annotated,” on the subject during his more than 30 years on the Hill.

“I was proud to have argued the case for the minimum wage in reconciliation. The Parliamentarian decided incorrectly,” Dauster tweeted after the decision.

While most budget experts thought it was unlikely the parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, would rule a minimum-wage hike in order, the fact it took two days for her to issue a decision was a surprise.

“I thought it was a smart move on the part of Sanders to bring Bill in to negotiate these shoals as he moves forward,” said Bill Hoagland, who sparred with Dauster for years from the other side of the aisle as long-time Republican budget aide. While the minimum-wage issue has been resolved, other procedural challenges are likely to arise before the stimulus bill is passed or fails. And in a few months a second round of budget reconciliation is likely to begin, with infrastructure seen as the top priority. Hoagland said Dauster will be a formidable advocate.

Dauster’s insight was that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office was prepared to make a more in-depth study of the indirect effects of a minimum-wage increase on the federal budget, not just an estimate of how much more the government itself would spend on paying its workers a higher wage, and that that could then change the parliamentary equation.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bernies-secret-weapon-on-minimum-wage-the-guy-who-wrote-the-book-on-senate-budget-rules-11614296422

[PoliticAverse]

1. The parliamentarian saved Democrats from having to face the apparent reality

that they didn't have the votes in the Senate to pass a $15/hour minimum wage. There is nothing to stop the President of the Senate (VP Kamala Harris) from overruling the parliamentarian.

[comradebillyboy]

2. Parliamentarian or no parliamentarian the Dems don't

have the 50 votes to up the minimum wage. Overruling the parliamentarian won't do anything good for the Democrats. The parliamentarian saved the Dems from an embarrassing loss.

Bernie Sanders can't manufacture a Senate majority where none exists.

[comradebillyboy]

3. The votes aren't there to raise the minimum wage.

It would be great if Bernie could focus on what's actually doable for a change.