“This Bill Now SUCKS” – Disappointed Dems Blast Biden, Bernie, & House Progressives Over New Spending Plan

Although they fought hard to preserve a vision of the biggest overhaul of the American social safety net – along with a revolutionary reworking of climate change policy – it appears that President Biden is preparing progressives in Congress for a major let-down by insisting that a scaled-back bill – the details of which are being shared with the public and press bit by bit – is better than no bill at all.

And while House progressives grumbled to the press following Biden’s Thursday morning visit to the Hill, the administration seems to think it has them convinced that it’s this bill, or no bill, as Nancy Pelosi says she’s hoping to hold a House vote on the “bipartisan” infrastructure package that progressives have been blocking for months.

Still, it’s worth noting that during the entire stretch of negotiations, President Biden has been insisting that he shares the progressives’ ideals, and that he has been on their side.

But the sense of defeat that progressives in both the House and Senate are grappling with Thursday was perhaps best encapsulated by comments from Sen. Bernie Sanders, the standard-bearer for the American far-left.

Sanders complained to reporters that “almost every sensible progressive revenue option that the president wants, the American people, that I want seem to be sabotaged.” As recently as Wednesday night, Sanders insisted that Dems were still far apart on a deal. President Biden seems to think he’s at the very least won the support of all the Dems in the Senate with the current package.

Meanwhile, in the House, Representative Ilhan Omar said that her position hasn’t changed, and she won’t support a vote on the infrastructure bill until the text of the spending-climate change package has been published in full.

Already, the liberalati on twitter are attacking progressives for failing to achieve their objectives, with one user accusing progressives of “gaslighting” Americans and that the “gutted spending bill..doesn’t even come close to meeting the moment we are in.”

The worst part is the Democrats will try to deceive and gaslight the people that this gutted spending bill is a big win for them when it doesn’t even come close to meeting the moment we are in. End this abusive relationship and do not give this corrupt party your vote ever again.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) October 28, 2021

Others wondered if the package would be enough of a win to convince voters to back the Dems in 2022 and 2024.

#infrastructure – Friends I’m afraid that if our Dem Reps in DC don’t get their act together – we will lose the House & Senate in ‘22 & ‘24@Sen_JoeManchin @RepJayapal @SenatorSinema @BernieSanders – your actions, your constant prevarications & arguing will hurt us. Help @POTUS

— Dan Miller (@DMiller_357) October 28, 2021

The biggest complaint it seems among progressive Dems was the decision to cut mandated family leave (at least four weeks), while taxes on billionaires’ unrealized capital gains has also been tossed, it appears, after Wall Street strenuously pushed back. Other tough cuts included a deal expanding Medicare to include dental AND vision coverage, along with agreements on prescription drug coverage. The Dems just couldn’t get the votes for a prescription drug plan of sufficient scope.

Biden appears to be confident the package has the support of all 50 Dem senators (and the tie-breaking vote from VP Kamala Harris) and enough votes to pass the House. Asked as he arrived on the Hill if the framework will get the support of progressives, Biden said, “Yes.”

Another high-profile progressive commentator, “Young Turks” Cenk Uygur urged progressives to “vote no” on the package, claiming “we have gotten nearly nothing.” In particular, he slammed Dems for cutting paid family leave from the bill.

Democrats drop paid family leave! This bill now SUCKS. Democrats are total losers. #VoteNo

— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 27, 2021

The as more new details of the package came together, Uygur slammed progressive leaders in Congress, including House progressive caucus leader Pramila Jayapal and even Sen. Sanders. The reason, he said, is because Sen. Manchin is willing to kill the bill and Biden’s legacy, and Bernie isn’t.

Undeniable fact: Manchin and @BernieSanders are both Senators. But Manchin is getting everything he wants and Bernie is getting almost nothing. Why? Because Manchin is willing to kill the bill and Bernie isn’t. Progressives will have no power until they’re willing to kill bills.

— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 28, 2021

However, he ultimately blamed Sens. Sinema and Manchin, whom he accused of being “corrupt”.

If you’re trying to figure out why Manchin and Sinema are trashing the entire Democratic agenda, it’s actually quite simple. They’re corrupt. They’re acting on behalf of their corporate donors. Silver lining here is that they made the corruption so obvious it can’t be ignored.

— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 28, 2021

Every time you have to go back to work right after having a baby, know that Manchin and Sinema did that to you. Every time you pay unaffordable prices for your lifesaving drugs, know that Manchin and Sinema did that to you. They chose to cause you pain and suffering, for money.

— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 28, 2021

Biden will unveil more details of the bill later on Thursday as he prepares to jet off to the G-20 Summit. But the president surely knows progressive activists are seriously unhappy with the plan – and that’s a major risk heading into the midterms. But more immediately, the big test will be a House vote planned on the “bipartisan” infrastructure bill that’s reportedly being set for Thursday.

We give the last words to Mike Shedlock who seemed to sum things up rather succinctly…

I wish Progressives would kill the bill.
They would then get what they deserve:
NOTHING https://t.co/QSqtceST8T

— Mike “Mish” Shedlock (@MishGEA) October 28, 2021