LogFAQs > #955067297

Regarding Biden and "bipartisanship" I think it's the unfortunate reality of the current Senate (i.e. Manchin, probably Sinema, etc.) Any agenda that requires Congressional action must meet their approval and they are just completely willing to die on this hill for whatever asinine reason. Their stated reasons about the filibuster are bullshit and just factually incorrect but their votes are literally necessary so they have to cater to them.

This is admittedly an opinion piece, but I think it's a bit instructive as to the current situation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/14/why-bernie-sanders-is-taking-quieter-approach-biden/

Particularly this section here:

Washington Post

Part of this is that Sanders surely knows Biden is pursuing this deal with Republicans in part to get Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W. Va.) to support a reconciliation bill later. In this pantomime, if Biden can reach a bipartisan deal on a roads-and-bridges infrastructure package, that second bill will be loaded up with many progressive policies, with Manchin's blessing.

Sanders knows that what Manchin will or won't support in the end will play a huge role in how big a package gets done. Though Sanders finds this frustrating, allowing Biden the space to do what's necessary to get Manchin to a good place might ensure a better outcome.

Another part of this is that the left is being brought into these process discussions. Remember, way back in March, progressives worked out an arrangement with White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, in which Biden would try to seek a deal on one package with Republicans, on the understanding that exactly this two-track process would be pursued.

Ultimately, according to Sanders aides, what all this really reflects is his confidence that a reconciliation deal will ultimately get done. It won't be everything that he or progressives want, but he believes it will be historically ambitious.

Essentially the farce is that because Manchin is obsessed with bipartisanship, the plan is to seek a "bipartisan" deal on the assumption that it's going to fail because it can't get 60 votes. Once it blows up like that, Manchin will finally be willing to go for reconciliation.

FWIW, when asked the other day, Manchin said he wasn't a no on a reconciliation path for infrastructure IF they "gave the bipartisan bill a real look."

So, yeah, it is unbelievably frustrating that this entire country is subject to the whims of Manchin's fantasy world but that's what happens when you literally need every last vote in the Senate.

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