NEW: @RepStephMurphy, co-chair of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, tells @NBCNews the GOP must be kept out of power to save American democracy and national security.
A searing indictment that shows how much the Capitol siege has strained party relations.
Did a wide-ranging interview with Rep. Murphy on the unusual stakes for 2022, how Democrats should govern and her theory for how they can avoid the midterm curse. The political survival of her coalition's members could decide the fight for House control.
So the $15 wage is in Biden’s Covid relief bill headed to the House floor next week. But he’s predicting it won’t survive. Why? He says it’ll likely get stripped out in the Senate under the “Byrd rule” that limits reconciliation to budget changes, i.e. spending and taxes.
Bernie Sanders, the Budget Committee chairman, and Chuck Schumer disagree. They’re crafting a case to the parliamentarian that it should be allowed. But there’s a decent chance she disagrees. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
NEW: Democrats introduce a sweeping bill to remake the US immigration system, backed by Joe Biden. It includes a path to citizenship for "Dreamers" and others here illegally, eliminates hurdles for legal immigration and replaces "alien" with "noncitizen."
On immigration, Speaker Pelosi says Democrats have discussed a piecemeal approach as well as potentially using reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster.
"How it happens through the legislative process remains to be seen. But it is a priority."
This is significant. The House is on track to pass a $15 wage in the Covid bill. If it survives the Byrd rule then a federal minimum wage hike becomes likely. Senate Democrats aren’t all on board with $15/hour but they unanimously want to raise the current floor of $7.25/hour.
And in that case, which Democrat is going to want to stand up and wage a fight against $15, which according to polls has 2-to-1 public support and 80-85% support w/Dem voters?
For those citing Manchin and Sinema—this is where the process matters. If the parliamentarian rules a minimum wage is noncompliant, it’s probably over. Those two credibly say they won’t overrule her. But if it complies, their only leverage is to shoot down the entire Covid bill.
NEW: The Republican civil war ended today. Donald Trump won.
The party’s decision to acquit him on charges of inciting the 1/6 siege on the Capitol frees him to run for president again and cements his status as kingmaker for years to come.
The vote by 43 of 50 Republicans to acquit Trump shows the deep and enduring hesitation in the party to disown Trumpism, however they justify it. Senators know their voters care about how they vote, not the caveats they later add in a speech or statement.