Good morning. Don't confuse legislative sausage-making with substantive impact.

[kpete]

By David Leonhardt
.........

The legislative process is rarely pretty. It highlights political divisions and can feel disconnected from people’s lives. When a big bill is making its way through Congress, voters are often turned off.

The central piece of President Biden’s agenda has followed the pattern. It has caused squabbles among Democrats, and the plan has already shrunk nearly by half, disappointing progressives, amusing Republicans and providing grist for critical media coverage.

Eventually, though, the process behind a bill’s passage tends to fade into history. What matters far more is a bill’s substance. And if Congress passes anything resembling the legislative framework that Biden announced yesterday, it will be highly consequential.

That was the main message I heard from policy experts yesterday when I asked them to assess the framework. Compared with Biden’s original proposal, it looks paltry. Compared with the status quo, it looks like a big deal.

.............

more behind paywall:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/29/briefing/biden-spending-bill-framework.html
or here:
https://www.eschatonblog.com/2021/10/morning_0670582820.html#comment-5588906944

Link to tweet

?s=20

[mcar]

1. Kick!

[Irish_Dem]

2. Voters are turned off because we see corrupt leaders who go against the will of the people.

Corrupt leaders who represent the wealthy corporations, not the every day citizen.
During the sausage making process, true colors are shown.

[Lovie777]

3. republican congresscritters in both chambers would not have done a damn thing . . .

in support of the average American. More tax cuts for the rich and more laws downing Democracy would be in their daily schedule whenever they are in chambers. Stroking fear, hatred is all they got with tons of money and tons of lies.

Democracy works but it ain't easy.

[Jim_S]

4. "Nothing will fundamentally change" First the 'sausage, then the spin' as usual.

"It looks like a big deal." I don't think so.
David Sorota says is quite well:
"No doubt, in the coming days, more and more corporate media reporters, pundits and Washington think tankers will assume their well-practiced role of playing tone policeman, sheepdog, and enforcer, working to try to marginalize complaints about the legislation, corral support for the gutted bill, and defend the professional politicians whose capitulations were written into the legislative text."
For me, the fundamental thing that seems to 'not change', is a continued feeling of disappointment.

[Tommymac]

5. Really? I have a continuing need to work like hell to get ANY progressive changes advanced and

crow about them as loudly as I can!

Change is and has always been incremental.

I've been a progressive all my life - over 6 decades of struggle. I'll admit I am temporarily disappointed some of the time. Never lasts.

The setbacks just make me stronger and searching to find better ways to advance Progressive ideals.

Two steps forward and one and a half back...makes me ready to get back out there and Rock 'N Roll, baby.

And btw, millennia of history shows progressive causes do prevail in the long run, almost every single time. May take a few centuries - but that's ok. The Earth is slow but the oxen are patient.