It's Not Biden Who's Taking a Risk on the Relief Bill

[DonViejo]

March 10, 2021 at 12:30 pm EST By Taegan Goddard

Jonathan Chait: “The Republican decision to vote against Biden in unison, without building much of a case against his bill, seems like the worst of all possible worlds. They are setting themselves against a bill that enjoys sky-high levels of support from both economic experts and a large chunk of their own base. It’s possible this gambit somehow works out. But if anybody regrets their political choices in the early weeks of the administration, the odds are it won’t be Biden.”

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https://politicalwire.com/2021/03/10/its-not-biden-whos-taking-a-risk-on-the-relief-bill/

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Here is the Dems message going into the 2022 Midterm campaign....

"Democrats brought YOU needed relief. The Republicans DID NOT."

Simple message and all TRUE.

[PatSeg]

7. Yes and Democrats need to keep hammering it home

Don't let Republicans control the narrative. We have truth and credibility on our side and mustn't let it go. Republicans will try to rewrite history, so it is important that we stay one step ahead of them.

[crickets]

9. Not only that,

Republicans VOTED AGAINST IT. It boggles the mind.

[DENVERPOPS]

18. The Dems are missing a great opportunity.

They should use some of their Rich Donors money to run large ads in news media across the nation showing how each House Member and Senator voted and their party affiliation.

On one side of the ad, a list in bold print of those who voted against it, and on the other side of the ad, the names of those who voted for it. Newspapers, Prime time Network TV, even buy ads on Fox news in prime time......

Now is not the time for Dems to be sitting back, patting themselves on the back. They should already be building a Major thrust focusing on the 2022 House and Senate elections and begin hammering away. (The other side is already focusing their efforts on re-taking the House, Senate, or Both. IF they succeed, they will obstruct Biden every day for two years, like they did with Obama....
and then go for the presidency in 2024 and it will be game over for a long time, if not forever......

[crickets]

21. Oh, the ads create themselves.

I have no doubt they're going to be wall to wall when campaign time comes. Every single one of the Republicans up for reelection in 2022 will have this vote hanging around their necks like a stone. Good.

[DENVERPOPS]

22. Do you know who

the Dem was who voted nay/?????????

[crickets]

27. Jared Golden

https://tulsaworld.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/house-passes-american-rescue-plan-sending-1-9t-virus-relief-bill-to-biden-for-signature/article_298b5ffb-db12-55c3-a4cc-2137a468cd49.html

Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat to oppose the measure. He said in a written statement that the bill provided hundreds of billions of dollars “in excess of meeting the most urgent needs," and he said that endangered the economic recovery.

[halfulglas]

29. But where does "the most urgent needs" stop?

Who makes the decision? This is one of Joe Biden's best arguments about the size of the bill, "What do you suggest we cut?" The kid who needs more help with school when he goes back in the classroom? How about no matter how careful the mother with food stamps is at bargain shopping, the kids are still hungry? How about the person working full time and a part time job but is told they are making too much to get help according to their state's rules? You know, those RW's who say OMG they did specifically lose their job to COVID, so they don't deserve any "extra" money. How about the small business owner who played by the COVID rules, but they have big expenses now if they want to survive? How about the landlords who couldn't evict people but they have mortgage payments and taxes due? You know unless the voting public LOVES this bill immediately, we won't get another chance.

Methinks this is a Democrat in name only.

[Lucinda]

34. The message is already all over social media...Dem leadership has got this... n/t

[ZonkerHarris]

13. Democrats got you innoculations, needed relief, and put your kids back in school.

I approve this message

[ShazzieB]

31. How about this?

"Democrats brought YOU needed relief. The Republicans tried to block them."

Nah, not as catchy. But also true!

[calimary]

33. Republicans DON'T want to help you.

And they just proved it - AGAIN.

I've been sneaking that one in for weeks now, in our Call to Action email that my Indivisible group issues every week. "Republicans don't want to help you."

[WHITT]

2. The Ads

write themselves. No way the Repubs don't regret this.

BTW, when Biden signs this bill, there should be a sign behind him that says:

"JOE DELIVERS!"

[PatSeg]

8. Oh that is a good one!

Short and to the point.

[DENVERPOPS]

19. How about:

Biden and Democrats Deliver..........

[BGBD]

3. It is a very

strange political calculus to stand united against a bill that has 2/3+ support in the public and actually hands voters checks. They could have argued that the min wage increase was just too much for them, but with it getting stripped out they really don't have anything to point to as to why they weren't behind it like they were the first bills.

It's a very hard vote to defend I think.

Does voting against the bill help any sitting republican hold their seat? No.

Does voting for it put any sitting democrat in more jeopardy of losing their seat? No.

[lagomorph777]

14. 3/4+ public support. Opposition to the COVID bill is political suicide.

[CentralMass]

4. However, we are talking about tRump Voters.

[Caliman73]

11. Trump voters won't vote Democratic.

We are actually talking about non-Trump, Republican voters and the independents that float around based on "issues". Trump voters are a lost cause politically. Even though Democrats will still work to make their lives better, we don't do it to get their votes. We do it because that is what the Democratic Party stands for, using government to make everyone's life a little better each day.

I think that Republicans are banking on a strategy in which they will significantly reduce participation in voting, through their legislative work in the states and then they will make those changes permanent if they are able to regain power. They seem to be in some kind of death throe, in which they have a few final gambits.

[BGBD]

15. I disagree

I think people who identify themselves as Trump voters are more likely to vote D than people who call themselves Republicans. A lot of those people were Obama voters at one point. I mean, Trump's position on trade and protectionism are probably closer to traditional democratic than republican stances. The difference is that Trump's populism as nationalistic and grew from racism while democrats was a position of keeping labor, and labor unions, strong. However, the message of "I'm going to protect your job." comes across as a winning issue regardless of why the person wants to say it.

[CrispyQ]

5. They don't want Biden to succeed. That's all this is.

It's just more GOP party-before-country bullshit. They are worthless. This is what you get when you vote for people who hate government.

[catbyte]

28. That might have worked if they still had the majority, but now they just look like the

petty, mean-spirited, sore losers that they are. Good. It can only help us in 2022.

[Botany]

6. Republican objections to the rescue package is based on one simple thing.

It will work.

BTW notice when Democrats get back into the White House the country needs a recovery
or a relief package.

[Caliman73]

20. Yep. Like President Obama used to say...

Republicans run the economy off the road and into a ditch, then Democrats do all the hard work of digging it out of the ditch. Once we finally get it back on the road and fixed up, the Republicans are yelling for us to give them the keys again.


I will keep saying, that Democrats and Republicans have fundamentally different philosophies about government and it is based on their philosophy on people.

Democrats tend to believe in fundamental equality and equity. That doesn't mean that we are all the same, with the same skills, needs, desires, and interests, it means that we are fundamentally of equal value and should be treated as such. All should have a fair and ongoing opportunity to become what we want to become. That means that if a person has the desire, some of the talents needed, and the drive to become a leader, then the circumstances of their birth should not be an obstacle. If they need some extra help from time to time, they should get it.

Republicans tend to believe that there is an "established order" based on natural hierarchy and that people are where they are because of their own choices. If you are poor, it doesn't matter that poverty is intergenerational, you just haven't "pulled yourself up by your bootstraps". Republicans think that government should be used to enforce the social order, the status quo. They are offended by the idea of using government to upset the natural order. They think that if you put people who are "unworthy" because they haven't already become powerful through their own (or their families current wealth) efforts, then they should not attain power. Josh Hawley is where he is, not because he had the chance to go to the best schools (even though he was a poor student) through his family's connections, but because he deserves it, whereas AOC who also went to a good school, through her efforts, was just given handouts and unfairly kicked a more deserving (read White) person out of their rightful place. Government should only exist to maintain the current structure of power and social control according to Republicans.

[CrispyQ]

30. Their natural order is the white, Christian patriarchy.-nt

[Oldem]

10. At least they're consistent. Once again,

they take a position that paints them into a corner.

The voters this idiocy will affect the most are independents. When these people get their federal benefit checks and those with children begin to get monthly help, we'll have more Democratic voters. This law will have an enormous impact in all sorts of ways. repugs are shouting, "No, no, please, no--glug, glug," as they sink into their own slime.

[calimary]

12. A KEEPER! Make 'em wear it around their infernal freakin' necks!

[Wounded Bear]

16. Joe has nothing to lose...he's working for the American people...

repubs should be forced to wear this going forward.

[kimbutgar]

17. I think all republicans who voted against it need to take a principled stand and refuse to take

The relief money for their districts.

[dalton99a]

23. Kick

[Ford_Prefect]

25. I think it underscores in no uncertain terms that the GOP is only in it for the monied patrons who

financed them and who will no doubt be looking to block any return to responsible civil regulation.

[BlueBassLines]

26. Oh...and also Democrats didn't storm the Capitol..

...or lie about a Presidential election drubbing!

[Aussie105]

32. Haven't yet worked out that the Repug game plan is.

Is it simply:

'It's a Democrat idea and we is against it'?

or

'It's Democrat money. Evil! Send that check back!'

No way to run a party. Unless you want it to go extinct.