While many Democrats believe that in the end, party leaders will find a way to pass their ambitious plan, some have started contemplating a nightmare scenario, in which the talks fall apart and Democrats are left explaining to voters who gave them the keys to the car why they couldn’t get it out of neutral…

Beyond delivering a historic expansion of the social safety net, Democrats are trying to achieve something they set out to do from the minute they took over: demonstrate that government can work.

Failure to do that, would be a cataclysmic development, some Democrats said, reasoning that would it fuel Trump’s declaration that the system is broken and his claims the longtime Democratic establishment figures that ascended to powerful positions in the 2020 election can’t fix it. While Trump isn’t proposing policies to fix the system he says is broken, he was able to win in 2016 by stoking anger and not offering solutions. Democrats said they worry a failed agenda in Washington would be a boost for Trump, who says he’s may run again in 2024, and before that to Republicans in the 2022 midterms.

After immigration ruling, Democrats’ once-sweeping agenda continues to shrink

Inaction on the domestic policy package also presents more immediate perils. With Biden’s approval rating slipping on the heels of his chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and his ongoing struggles with immigration and the pandemic, Democrats in competitive races are starting to feel a drag. The antidote, many feel, is a sweeping legislative victory.