Thread by @LemieuxLGM

I guess this gambit might work, but I think the Narcissist Caucus is failing to grasp that the mediocre infrastructure bill ain't the ACA; it means way more to them than anyone else, and especially if JM is signaling that he won't support any reconciliation bill House might walk

https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1439945418385805316

People who are confident that this is a bluff seem to think that everyone in the party is as invested in the BIPARTISAN infrastructure deal as Manchin/Sinema are, and I see no actual basis for that

https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1440109107579588608

And so in addition to the obvious problems with CREDIBILITY theory, the Manchin/Sinema/Gottheimer gang and the reporters egging them on don't seem to have figured out that this logic now cuts both ways

https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1427982541189955589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1427982541189955589%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fintelligencer%2F2021%2F09%2Fkyrsten-sinema-threatens-infrastructure-bill-biden-build-back-better.html

The good parts of the ACA were so important and likely to endure, and the opportunity so rare, that the right of the caucus has a LOT of leverage in the negotiations. That's just not the case with a mediocre one-off infrastructure bill

It's very 2021 that the Biden administration might get chop-blocked because Gottheimer is a complete clown falling for the transparent manipulations of Beltway hacks whose only interest is Dems In Disarray and/or Libs OWNED stories

Exactly. Not only is this an unusual case in which the "moderates" are more invested, they're the ones reneging on a carefully negotiated strategy and not being team players, and it's clear Pelosi is rather less impressed with them than Jake Sherman is

https://twitter.com/Take_Artist/status/1440126014760181760

It would also be one thing if the "moderates" were asking for stuff they could credibly claim was unpopular to be taken out. Instead, they're asking for extremely popular things (most notably cheaper prescription drugs) to be taken out in favor of upper-class tax relief.