Everyone has written -- us too! -- that Schumer could face a primary challenge from his left from @aoc. Yet that seems less likely. and a fight from the left seems ill advised at the moment.
Here’s why:
→ Schumer as majority leader is a lot harder to challenge than Schumer as minority leader. Yes, Senate majority leaders have lost re-election, but it’s been a good 80 years since this happened. Ossoff and Warnock’s victories made a Schumer challenge much tougher
→ The American Rescue Plan could’ve been called the “Chuck Schumer Rescue Plan.” McConnell (R-Ky.) called it a “liberal wish list.” Sanders (I-Vt.) said it was “the most significant piece of legislation to benefit working families in the modern history of this country.”
→ “In the Stimulus Bill, a Policy Revolution in Aid for Children.” That’s the New York Times headline on a Sunday night story about the $3,600 child tax credit included in the American Rescue Plan. Which Schumer helped push through the Senate. This has to delight Team Schumer.
→ Look at the bills Schumer is backing this Congress: A minimum wage increase; creation of a permanent “Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Peoples” inside the State Department;
a major immigration reform initiative that includes a path to citizenship from 11 million undocmented immigrants (something Schumer has long supported);
a “Baby Bonds” proposal by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) that sets up a federally funding savings account for every child and is designed to close the racial wealth gap. How do you get to the left of this?
→ Schumer held a press conference recently with Warren and several members of “The Squad” -- but not AOC -- to talk about getting President Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt per person. Biden has said no, but Schumer and Warren continue to pressure the WH
Put together, you have to come to this conclusion: The room to the left of Schumer is shrinking. The New York Democrat was already going to be very tough to beat. Now he’s trying to out-progressive the progressives.
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>@PunchbowlNews AM: The Congress Biden wants vs. the one he has
In the Congress Biden wants -- and the Congress he campaigned on during the presidential race -- Rs and Ds work together to notch big legislative priorities. They meet constantly, and hash out big deals.
@PunchbowlNews In the Congress Biden actually has, Republicans will stand pat against the $1.9-trillion package after a few perfunctory meetings and conversations.
@PunchbowlNews In the Congress Joe Biden wants, you nominate a candidate for a post and the Senate considers them on the merits. You talk to senators, and you expect a logical result.
“Get rid of them all.” Trump on a whole bunch of House and Senate Rs
We’ve been waiting for this moment because it gives us the opportunity to write about the challenges of this approach for Trump and for D.C. Republicans.
@PunchbowlNews For Trump: The principal question we have here is whether Trump is going to have the infrastructure and, more importantly, the sustained interest in launching and facilitating primary challenges against these Republicans.
@PunchbowlNews That would include endorsing & most likely clearing the field for candidates in various congressional districts across the country. Saying you want to get rid of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is one thing. But ensuring that Cheney or any candidate faces just 1 challenger is critical
In @PunchbowlNews AM this morning: We have some new reporting on Republicans’ position on earmarks. This is huge news for DC.
— @LeaderMcConnell said he’ll defer to @SenShelby, which means earmarking will almost certainly be starting again for Senate Rs.
But now for House Rs...
@PunchbowlNews@LeaderMcConnell@SenShelby 1) This House Republican minority isn’t like the Tea Party fueled group of a decade ago. Instead, they’re inspired by former President Donald Trump, who had no problem spending vast piles of federal money. Bringing back earmarks doesn’t seem like a huge ideological hurdle now.
@PunchbowlNews@LeaderMcConnell@SenShelby 2) Democrats are going to request earmarks. If Republicans don’t, they’ll be at a substantive and political disadvantage, they say.
The Republican Party has had some low points in the last two decades: The Mark Foley scandal, the Jack Abramoff mess, the nightmare in Iraq, losing their House majority in 2006, followed by the historic beatdown of 2008.
But we’re going to make the case this morning that the Republican Party is more adrift than it has been at nearly any point since Watergate.
Here’s why:
1) There’s plenty that Republicans could be hitting Democrats about these days. Democrats have a razor-thin House majority following their disastrous showing in November, and there’s a good chance they’ll be in the minority by next Congress;
Big news everyone: Legislating is about to happen again. Congress comes back from recess, and President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda is about to face a crucial few weeks.
The $1.9-trillion Covid relief package is expected on the House floor this week. In order to stay on track, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s House needs to get it through the chamber quickly. The House Budget Committee takes it up today. The bill will get a full House vote later in the wk
We bet the vote is Saturday because it’s Congress and 2021.
We live in a society filled with politicians who make a range of really questionable decisions on a somewhat regular basis. We all watch career public servants act foolishly.
@PunchbowlNews In fact, it’s our job to document them and put their behavior in the larger context of clownery in our political system. We see so much stupid behavior that it takes a lot to surprise us.
@PunchbowlNews But this week, irrationality and silliness have reached new heights. It’s been the week for politicians to engage in a stunning level of self immolation.