"So when The Narrative warns that Biden urgently needs to get the progressives and the moderates in his party to set aside their differences, I take a somewhat different view. What I see is a pretty normal exercise in legislative give-and-take, except that it’s all happening within the Democratic Party — while Republicans hoot, holler and obstruct from the peanut gallery. When it comes to Congress, things never go as quickly as they might, and there always comes at least one moment when it appears that all is lost. [snip]
"But failure is far from inevitable, as I see it, and the window for success is certainly not measured in mere days. Thus far, on votes that really matter, Democrats have shown remarkable unity. Bridging the gap on overall spending between what Manchin wants and what Sanders wants is mostly a matter of the kind of mathematical legerdemain that both men could do in their sleep. Getting Manchin on board with some of the climate change initiatives in the package will be harder, I fear, and may require painful compromise.
"As Republicans ever more slavishly bend the knee to Trump, however, it should become clearer that Democrats must act alone. There will come a time when Manchin and Sinema have to decide whether the Senate filibuster is more important than protecting the right to vote in free and fair elections. I hope they choose wisely." -- Eugene Robinson in today's Washington Post, on the "Democrats are doomed" narrative the media has latched onto, and why it should be taken with a grain of salt. Pass the salt!
