Bringing Republicans out of their natural obstructionism and into a real legislative coalition is an impressive feat of Biden-style negotiating. But it’s worthless to bring Republicans aboard if that comes with the loss of progressive Democrats. If Biden can’t build serious bridges to progressives already suspicious about his lack of urgency on issues ranging from protecting ballot access to immigration reform, he’s not going to get the money to build literal bridges.
Progressives have already proven their willingness to provoke a public fight with Democratic leadership. Back in May, members of “the Squad” including Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush nearly killed Democrats’ highly publicized Capitol security bill after the party tossed aside their concerns about strengthening police accountability. Snubbing the left on social infrastructure will almost certainly provoke an all-out campaign to humiliate Biden in the House.
Progressives are set to be a headache for the remainder of Biden’s presidency—especially if the fragile coalition of progressives and moderates which elected Biden in 2020 collapses after less than a year. And progressive leaders reject the idea they are jeopardizing party unity by refusing to rubber-stamp Biden priorities while their own policy proposals are overlooked and abandoned in the rush to compromise with conservatives.
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