Friday, April 2, 2021

Factions Don't Compromise

There is a lot of discussion about being bi-partisan and what that means. It requires compromise and for compromise to work both sides have to be willing to agree.

Since at least the Obama administration we have seen an inability to gain votes on the other side no matter what you offer.  Take the Affordable Care Act.  Despite many concessions to Republican concerns not one Republican voted for it.  

Nothing bi-partisan will happen if both sides come to the table with all or nothing demands.  

That is not to say that the other sides positions are ignored. To the extent they represent the will of the people they get incorporated.  The latest recovery act is very popular with Americans who know they stand to gain from it and beat back the virus.  Not a single Republican vote was gained because they demanded that the bill be reduced to an unacceptable number.

Similarly on infrastructure, paying for it requires some rollback of the tax relief from the 2017 act.  I don't want to argue whether that law helped or hindered but if the position is that any adjustment is a deal killer bi-partisanship is gone. 

The American people may see things differently.

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