This Week in Washington: Biden’s Spending Agenda Put to the Test

Congress is set to take key votes on Biden’s infrastructure plans, government funding to avert a shutdown, and raising the government’s debt ceiling. It is going to be a wild week.


Summary

This week in Washington is filled with deadlines and tripwires as Democrats face a daunting agenda of government funding, debt ceiling extensions, and infrastructure spending.

 

reporting from the left side of the aisle

 

 

 

Author’s Take

Axios’ framing of the legislation is something we really have not seen much of. Their report spells out just how transformative this legislative agenda is. Democrats call it investment; Republicans call it intrusion. Republicans say it betrays the larger promise of American federalism while Democrats believe it enhances it and makes good on the promises of a more equal nation.

The machinations of House Democrats are interesting as both sides play a game of chicken. Recent history provides examples of both sides backing down. In the Senate, Joe Manchin tends to puff his chest, oppose major Democrat legislative ambitions, but accede in the end after securing the most modest of changes.

It will be a wild week. If it all fails, the blame game will be interesting.


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© Dallas Gerber, 2021