What a Difference a Day Makes
I’ve seen a lot of discussion online about the half-dozen Democrats who voted against the Infrastructure Bill – most from general comments, but some were professional, including surprisingly Peter Baker of the New York Times, whose usually very insightful, and I suspect was really rushed on deadline. I say this because for all the handwriting about the “No” votes, would not be surprised at all that at least some of those who voted "No" (and probably all of them) got an OK to do so because Speaker Pelosi – who is considered an master of vote counting and won’t bring a vote to the floor unless she knows it will pass) knew that Democrats had enough votes for it to pass. And if she needed though votes, they may possibly – or likely – would have voted "Yes.'
Just a guess, but that sort of thing does happen all the time. And whether one thinks it was a bad decision – or good – by those voting “No,” the point was that they know their constituents better than others do, and the bill did pass.
Further, for all the discussion about this Infrastructure Bill and what really matters is the larger, more important “Build Back Better” Reconciliation Bill, it bears repeating this this "lesser" of the two bills that passed on Friday was for $1.2 TRILLION. As far as "lesser" bills go, that's a bundle of money. And lost in that discussion is the very important things it does cover. Among them –
—$40b bridges
—$11b safety
—$39b transit
—$66b Amtrak/rail
—$7.5b e-vehicle chargers
—$5b clean buses
—$17b ports
—$25b airports
—$50b water resilience
—$55b drinking water
—$65b broadband
—$21b enviro remediation
—$73b power/clean energy
What also came to mind is something I wrote on Wednesday about the Virginia and New Jersey elections the day before (most of which were written before even the votes began being counted.) I noted that what matter far, far more for the 2022 mid-terms was not the Tuesday elections, but what happens over the next year with the economy, jobs, the pandemic and the Infrastructure and Reconciliation Bills. The elections were important (and it’s worth remembering that the Democrat in New Jersey won by more than the Republican did in Virginia), but mostly for what happens in those states and for, on a national level, what both parties have to address and fix in their campaigns. But for all the doom and gloom by Democrats over Virginia (while ignoring New Jersey) and hand-wringing and predictions of being crushed in 2022, life has a funny way of letting itself be know
Because then on Friday – only three days later (!) – came the news of 531,000 new jobs. Unemployment dropping to 4.6%. Huge seasonal hiring of a million people expected (which will help the next jobs reports). Unemployment drops to 4.6%. Readjustment of the past two jobs reports added another 250,000 more jobs than previously reported. A new Pfizer COVID pill that tests show to be 89% effective. And then…the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure bill passed.
All not only within just three days…but all on the very same day.
Man, talk about "good Friday"...
Furthermore, passage of this Infrastructure Bill was a double-victory for President Biden. First, it was seen has a huge win for him and the Democrats – but secondly, since it did get 13 Republican votes (and was bipartisan in the Senate when it passed there), it showed that Joe Biden and Democrats could work across the aisle with Republicans and be bipartisan.
And that leads to an additional point.
The past several months, so much attention has somewhat understandably been put on the disagreements in the Democratic Party that have held up these two bills – yet close to NO attention has been paid to the the reality that zero Republicans are voting for the Reconciliation Bill, not one GOP vote, and almost no Republicans are voting for the Infrastructure Bill. Two bills that will massively help Americans. With only scant, paper-thin Republican support.
Yes, the attention of division in the Democratic is real and important. But that division is two people in the Senate, and came down to six votes in the House. It’s important to keep in mind that none of that “division” would matter if the Republican Party wasn’t near-unanimously against it all.
Yes, there’s disagreement in the Democratic Party. But it’s not like pure unity is all it’s cracked up to be, since the unity in the Republican Party is because they’re united in their fascism, fighting to blocks bills that will help the entire country in great need of those improvements.
There are many hurdles ahead for the Democratic Party. Indeed, for both parties. But what matters is the year ahead, not a governor’s race in Virginia. Because as we’ve seen, a huge amount can change in politics – even in just three days. Even on just one day.
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