Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumKey Senate Republicans say Biden can break Washington gridlock
Key Senate Republicans say they can see themselves working with Joe Biden if he is elected president, bolstering the centrist Democratic candidate's claims that he would be able to break through legislative gridlock in Washington. Biden earlier this year proclaimed that Republicans would have an epiphany and start working more with Democrats once Trump left office. Bidens claim that he could achieve a breakthrough in bipartisan productivity if elected president has also been met with skepticism. But key Senate Republicans say they feel more optimistic about working with him compared to other Democratic presidential candidates.
I think Joe Biden has the ability to work across party lines, absolutely I do, said Graham, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman who was one of the authors of the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill the Senate passed in 2013 but that later died in the House. Graham said hes not so sure whether Warren or Sanders would be as effective. Graham said hes all in for Trump but could see working with Biden on a lot of things if he winds up in the White House in 2021.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key moderate who voted with Democrats against repealing ObamaCare in 2017, said she also sees Biden as someone who could work effectively with Republicans. Think about some of the initiatives Biden has worked with, whether its Leader McConnell or just worked on a bipartisan basis. The fact that he has legislative, congressional experience and had to work in a legislative body and then worked with President Obama as one within the administration working with a legislative body does give him a level of experience thats useful, Murkowski said.
Murkowski made reference to three of Bidens biggest accomplishments as vice president, when he worked with McConnell to extend expiring tax cuts after the 2010 midterm elections, raise the debt limit in the summer of 2011 and avoid the so-called fiscal cliff at the end of 2012.
Biden also played a key role in recruiting three moderate Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and then-Sens. Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.), to support the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which stimulated the economy after the 2008 financial crisis.Murkowski also singled out Klobuchar as a Democratic candidate who would likely work effectively with Republicans. But Murkowski doesnt hold much hope for working on a bipartisan basis with Warren or Sanders.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an adviser to the Senate GOP leadership who served with Biden on the Judiciary Committee, said Biden has that experience and everybody whos worked around Joe Biden has liked him.
Jim Kessler, the executive vice president for policy at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank, says voters want to see the pragmatic problem-solving skills that Biden says he will bring to the White House.
There is a longing for someone who is going to try their best to do this, he said. Even if voters think it may not succeed, they want somebody to try. A lot of them want somebody to try because they want an end to what seems like Washington warfare.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/471013-key-republicans-say-biden-can-break-washington-gridlock
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mopinko
(70,092 posts)the thugs will be handed their asses and we wont need them for squat, i hope.
they will obstruct in direct proportion to their numbers, and that is all there is to it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)bracing themselves for a Biden victory.
They see all of the polls where Biden is beating Trump by much greater margins than his competitors - they see the writing on the wall.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
LakeArenal
(28,817 posts)But not one of those asswipes is trustable. So although I think Joe will be successful, those mentioned are liars.
In any case, none of the other candidates have the experience to deal with them
I also hear but unsaid, the rest of the primary candidates dont have a chance of working with Repukes.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(32,762 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Valley Below
(1,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dsc
(52,161 posts)you are delusional with a capital D.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,517 posts)Thanks but I don't want trump, Graham or these other repubs making my choice for the nominee. repubs aren't the only ones who are delusional.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
enough
(13,259 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Response to Skya Rhen (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
BlueMTexpat
(15,368 posts)when Biden was Vice President?
The principal reasons for the gridlock that has existed since 2009: GOP Senators; GOP Representatives and their leader, Moscow Mitch.
Of course, there is also another reason - at least from 2009-2017 - and it completely destroys the credibility of any of those GOPers. Need I spell it out here?
No sane person would believe that these same POS would EVER do anything that might EVER make ANY Dem look good.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Obama did the job he earned well. He went out of his way to serve as the president of all of us and the elected Republicans hated him and refused to work with him no matter what, because that is what their constituents wanted.
I can remember a particularly instructive interview with Paul Ryan, where he said he thought it was cool that we elected Obama but he disagreed with everything he wanted to do. In other words, if Obama had agreed to be a figurehead token, he would have been okay with it. I wonder how prominent that view was among the GOP?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,762 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)I think that's the point of Biden's candidacy coded in "appeals to white working class voters" as well as an "ability to work with republicans."
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
jalan48
(13,863 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
pecosbob
(7,538 posts)Credit to Douglas Adams, apologies to St. John of the Cross.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
KPN
(15,643 posts)They can do that now ... take a bipartisan approach. Why wait till Biden or 2021?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Celerity
(43,344 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,370 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Bradshaw3
(7,517 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,370 posts)Too bad its an AMNESTY bill...
But, yeah, looking forward to a revival of the Gang of Eight.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)compromise. He follows the idea that a flawed compromise is way better than a perfect solution that leads to the wastebasket. We have many on democratic side that have difficulty with "less than perfect" and the inability to seek compromise. We know GOP absolutely hate compromise on all levels
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)He went out of his way to compromise and made a lot of progressive voters very angry. DU was in a fury over some of his compromises. Especially when he extended Bushes tax cuts. hmmmm. I wonder what the determining difference is between the VP and Obama?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)To those of us who recall the days when Dems surrendered to Reaganomics and Dixiecrats, it can also be understood as a belief that Joe will give in to the ugliest demand that is apparently very close to their hearts; "restore white male supremacy to the white house and we will be happy to help."
See the concerns about Koch bros threats also cited by Joe.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,762 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Sloumeau
(2,657 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(32,762 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dchill
(38,484 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bradshaw3
(7,517 posts)Obama thought he could work with them too. How did that go?
Some of these Biden supporters have the same problem Joe does. Or perhaps it's just any port in a storm.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Wounded Bear
(58,648 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,463 posts)Is not good for democracy. This is why I won't vote for Biden. We don't need a half republican sympathizer with monsters. Fuck bipartisanship.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,463 posts)We can change things. So republicans can't hijack the acts of Democrats,or Warren could do a signing statement. The pukes are not shy about using it,neither should Dems be shy of using it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skya Rhen
(2,701 posts)Liberal Democrats are upset this week that Senators Joe Manchin and Jon Tester have joined Kyrsten Sinema in saying theyll never vote to end the legislative filibuster. Since the best Democrats could hope for in 2021 is 52 senators, the argument goes, this means that Republicans will likely filibuster everything and the entire Democratic agenda is dead on arrival even if the party wins unified control of government.
Well ... its true that Democrats are very unlikely to wind up with more than 52 Senators. And its true that Republicans will likely filibuster everything. The rest? Not really.
The downside for liberals is that a very slim Democratic majority in the Senate wouldnt be able to pass most far-reaching liberal bills. But thats not because of the filibuster; its because Manchin in particular just isnt very liberal, and he likely wont be alone in opposing, say, much of what Senator Elizabeth Warrens campaign has proposed. Democrats may not even have simple majorities for a lot of liberal priorities.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)Link to tweet
"I think Joe Biden has the ability to work across party lines, absolutely I do," said Graham, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman who was one of the authors of the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill the Senate passed in 2013 but that later died in the House.
Graham said he's not so sure whether Warren or Sanders would be as effective.
"I don't know," he said when asked about the chances of compromise with Warren and Sanders. "That's going to be the challenge of the next president, whoever they are. Biden's track record is real."
Graham also expressed his warm regard for Biden, which is shared by a variety of Republicans who worked with him on Capitol Hill.
"I very much like Joe Biden. I think he's one of the most decent people I've ever met. He suffered tremendous tragedy," Graham added, referring to the death of Biden's then wife and 13-month-old daughter in a 1972 car accident and the death of his son Beau at age 46 of cancer.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
theaocp
(4,236 posts)Is this a joke?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
BuffaloJackalope
(818 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden