Dialogues on the Art of Stonewalling: The Average Joe Letters

President Joe Biden Talks on Phone with W.Va. Sen. Joe Manchin
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Featuring the Fabulous Dadbots

By Mark Mamerow, Dave. S., Mark O., Dennis Curley, and Geoff Carter

Bots,

Minnesota Mark had some provocative comments that didn’t make the final cut of our discussion of the BBB standoff. I think these are a good launchpad for further mind-numbing political blathering.

I’m not sure there is a Joe-to-Joe standoff. Joe M. has made his position crystal clear, and the Democratic establishment (read Joe B.) has once again thrown up their hands in surrender. There have been no consequences for Joe M. for his stiff middle finger to the BBB. It’s clear that there’s no institutional motivation (much less passion) to pass the BBB. I’m sure the bill has flaws, anything that massive will have flaws. That’s the nature of the legislative process, you don’t want to see how the sausage is made, but you still want the sausage. What has a Biden presidency delivered with respect to actual campaign promises? Let’s list a few items of importance to yours truly:

Cancel $10,000 of student debt. Nope.
Reduce the Medicare eligibility age to 60. Nope.
Meaningful climate change transition regulation or funding. Nope.
Child Tax Credit (CTC) extension. Nope.
Raise the minimum wage. Nope.
Scale back our foreign policy belligerence around the world (in relation to any of the standard adversaries), backed by the ever-escalating military budget. Nope.
Either of the proposed voting rights protection bills in Congress. Nope.

Some of these promises could be implemented by the stroke of the executive pen, others could be accomplished by application of presidential political power to a recalcitrant legislature. But instead, progressives get bumpus. Will someone please remind me of why someone like me should vote Democratic other than to simply postpone the onslaught of even greater evil?

–Mark O.

As a liberal centrist, I share MO’s frustration with the lack of tangible progress. Biden has managed to pass only two major pieces of legislation in his first year:

The American Rescue Plan, aka Covid Relief Bill II. This passed under the filibuster-proof “reconciliation” tactic, with zero Republican votes in support. It instituted the Child Tax Credit, extended unemployment insurance, and threw a ton of money at education, housing, vaccines and treatments, transportation, and agriculture.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This $550 billion investment in new funding for “hard” infrastructure had bipartisan support in the US Senate, with 19 Republicans voting for it, along with all 50 Democrats also in favor. (Predictably, the multiple Republican House opponents haven’t been shy about claiming credit for the infusions of infrastructure cash into their communities.)

And that’s where we sit. None of the Democrats’ highest social spending priorities, including those listed by MO, appear to have a shot at passage. Even the CTC, which was in effect for 9 short months, does not appear to have a chance at being renewed.

But I’ll differ with MO on the root causes of this lack of progress. There’s a theory of politics, first articulated by Dartmouth professor Brendan Nyhan, known as the “Green Lantern Theory of Politics”. The heart of the theory is “the belief that the president can achieve any political or policy objective if only he tries hard enough or uses the right tactics”.

The theory gained attention during the Obama Administration, as many of that President’s priorities — including even the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice—wound up on the cutting room floor. I recall pundits encouraging Obama to “have a beer with Mitch McConnell”, in the belief that the only barrier between Obama and success was some strategic schmoozing. Obama’s response was pithy: “YOU have a beer with Mitch”, he supposedly said.

Political stumbling aside—and there’s been plenty of that—the root cause of Democratic frustration is not a lack of trying by the President. It’s the party’s lack of political power. They don’t hold a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and their majority in the House is razor thin. This makes it impossible to get a strong majority even within the fractious big Democratic tent, much less a majority within the Congress. It’s that simple. The Senate, with its two-Senator delegations from multiple small rural states, is stacked against them. The filibuster is the icing on that cake.

The BBB as a major bill will never pass. So what’s the right strategy moving forward? Quite possibly it is to bust up the BBB into its constituent pieces. Elder care. Universal pre-K. Climate change. These will all be filibustered to death by Mitch and his minions. But at least the Democrats can be “caught trying”.

–Mark M.

Related, lot of down with Joe stories this week…his initiative failures, itemized by Mark…his Ukraine ‘little invasion is ok’ gaffe…all adding up to an “almost lowest” public presidential rating ever. But fear not, I’ll step in to defend Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.—POTUS #46.

First of all his ratings would be much better, sans Delta and sans the now the super, (social fabric),depressant, Omicron…hurting Biden to a similar extent, (though it’s year one), that it hurt—and thus saved us from 4 more of the bozo.
…Plus, it’s fricking winter, (up hear at least, Dennis).
Second, his ratings are the 2^nd lowest, still ahead of the bozo, so he (and other Dems), have that for a ‘go to’ line.
The first few months were good, lots of real action. And the covid vaccine roll out was not late—the use of the National Guard to ‘automate’ the process in all sorts of “this will work” parking lots, convention centers, school gyms…was war time, “let’s all pitch in and git ‘r done”, mobilization at its finest. Something we all could take pride in. Galvanize. Not difficult to increase team cohesiveness—we had the perfect common enemy—Covid, which had taken away our way of life, not to mention killed nearly 500k at that time. Alas, it was hamstrung by the basket of deplorables, (as Hillary once famously gaffed). Many point to the trump fueled isolation rebellion that empowered the anti-vaxxers. There always was strong anti-vaxxer contingent—many of them card carrying members of the above basket. But there were many on the fence. Would we now be in an endemic, not pandemic stage had things been different and the trump isolation empowering effect not in place? Would deaths have leveled out several hundred k less than the 900k we’ll crest before Valentine’s Day 2022?
As far as the deadlock and the (50) presidents we now have in the Dem Senate, one word: F! Honestly it seems like a sporting event, even when you think you’ve got the game one…somehow the other team claws its way back and has a chance at the final click of the clock. The Dems “won” the senate—minor miracle in Georgia…but then along come two outliers…but it is also…(can’t think of the right word, so insert your own)….but it is something, that the votes are so party line….why can’t they be whatever, but with little alignment along party lines? Shameful…maybe that’s the word—these leaders have a responsibility to get things done and this synthetic recalcitrance is something to be ashamed of. As I’ve harped on before, Obamacare, (the ACA), wasn’t prefect, but at least it got us off dead center—helped poor, sick people. Get a move on as prior generations used to say. We need a new Dylan to tell these jokers—both red and blue–to start swimmin’ or they’ll sink like a stone. Have I said that before? Sorry if so.
Joe also gets ripped on re Afghanistan, but that was going to be a mess no matter what. Other scenarios could’ve been worse. Those dozen or so young Marines that got killed going in selflessly to help others get on planes still makes me sad. Something I won’t forget.
In conclusion, it’s easy to be negative, especially when it’s cold and Coviddy out. Let’s hope the parceled BBB provides some forward movement. Makes me ask the question, why always bundle these things up into such behemoths? Lazy government would rather have a one n done than to have to put in an honest 40?

Turning ever so briefly to the roaring economy, (‘cept for last week) and low unemployment:

Heard a California Congressman asked, if the economy is so hot and inflation a concern, why do the Dems want to throw money at all these entitlement programs? Wouldn’t that only stoke inflation? He had a bad ‘Well…bl, bl, blah answer. Wish he would’ve said:

Ø Just because the Dow and everyone’s 401k is fat and happy doesn’t mean the lower tier of our society is fine. It ain’t. Look around. Get out of your gated community. Go stand outside an inner-city Walgreens for 30 minutes. WTFU.

Ø Buried in an earlier diatribe I posed the question about the I word…how Kai has been bringing it up forever…yet always ending with a ‘go figure’ Wall Street is going gonzo. The question is, is Inflation still the same reliable indicator it once was? Kai and Chair Powell seem to think it is…but…I sense many still just throw their hands in the air…as is currently the case. Gas prices…the big bugaboo. I hear they’re going up. No shit—they go up and down.

Out.

Dave.

Well, I’ve been slacking. To be honest, lazily prepping and pre-gaming for the Packer fiasco that transpired tonight. Oh well, time to move on to the post-Rodgers era Pack (and my likely post-interest Pack).

I’m tickled that my negative review of the Biden administration (so far) has kicked off some discussion, but I don’t give a rat’s ass about what folks think about Joe or his administration. I care about the material impact on the future, most of which will transpire after I am gone from this mortal coil. Doesn’t look good.

I believe in my own adage, “if you have power, use it”. The application of such power may not be pretty, or even blessed by posterity. Our forefathers like FDR and LBJ knew how to project political power (as did Nixon I suppose) and their methods would result in considerable pearl clutching today, but it worked. Obama was much too high-minded to engage in such political dirt dealing. I had hopes that Scranton Joe might be able to debase himself enough to make his priorities happen. But alas, I fear that Joe is just simply too old, like the rest of the geriatric Democratic hierarchy. It’s nap time, America.

I just returned from a month in AZ. The TV was saturated with political ads (with no election upcoming). One set of ads lambasted Kirsten Sinema for not sufficiently supporting the voting rights bills before the Senate. The other ads were from Sinema, bragging about her resistance to the Democratic administration program and flashing menacing images of AOC, Bernie, and Nancy. Madness!

Unrelated, here’s an interesting link to a scorecard of how the Biden administration has performed on their platform of things that could be addressed by Executive Action from the White House.

The American Prospect: Biden Scorecard

Mark O

Hey guys,

Poor old anachronistic Joe, trying to make politics work the way they used to. Too bad he and McDonnell can’t sit down for beer and a burger and work things out, but that political parameter is long gone. The playing field is so tilted that there’s little or no chance for meaningful reform anymore. It’s all about the defense.

Joe and the Dems want meaningful comprehensive reform for health, education, jobs, and climate change, right? What do the Republicans want? Nothing. They have everything they want. Tax breaks for their corporate donors, tax breaks for their billionaire donors, and tax breaks for themselves. What else do they give a shit about? They’ve put no meaningful legislation on the docket for years. And they’ve been successful in consolidating their power base and fleecing the people. They’ve protected the filibuster, stacked the courts, and rigged the ballot box. All they have to do now is play defense, to obfuscate, stonewall, and parry. And they’re brilliant at convincing their base that change will devastate them.

To pass the BBB, The Voting Rights Act, or any other meaningful legislation, Democrats have to take the ball down the field in a drive that is the equivalent of the Oak Creek High School Varsity scoring against the 49ers. They’re outmanned, outspent, and outcoached. In short, I don’t think it’s to frame the problem as Biden’s fault. I think he’s playing—as Obama did—with faith in the integrity of the system. Republicans have taken the hill. Dislodging them will probably take a supermajority, which will be tough.

Mark and Mark, you’re right. Joe doesn’t really exercise his clout like FDR or Teddy or LBJ or Nixon did. But I don’t know how successful any of these guys would be in 2022.

—Geoff

Wow…just wow… (3) great e-mails to wake up too. Thanks.

Geoff’s article about Republican Defense reminded me of futbol. Even my friend Juan, (from Mexico City), thinks the game often devolves into a game of keep away with the team in the lead barely making it across the center pitch…The New Jersey Devils won a Stanley Cup doing the same thing on ice—I once read…Which brings me to my harangue ‘bout offsides. Compare and contrast the QB and wide receiver in football, vs the passer and receiver in futbol. One is allowed to use their hands AND get behind the defender. The other….no, no, no…you have to catch it with your foot AND please do be polite and wait for the defender to NOT be downstream of you. Huh??? C’mon! Joe soccer dude has amazing skills…I’d love to see wild high scoring games…allow them to show it off. Now in hockey, I get it…too easy to slither away down ice (cheery pick) and the game unravels. But in soccer it is still a big lung job to get past the defender and the space is so wide…bl, bl, blah, that I don’t think the scores are going to be 42 – 36 (Chiefs – Bills). Now there is the argument that, like a pitching duel, a 1-0 game is the most suspenseful…pins and needles…..all the time….but wait, only if the ball actually gets near the goal (in soccer)…otherwise they start slamming pints, singing their euro songs…(do they do the wave?…seriously, I’d love to see a game over there, over anywhere….also rugby…but I digress).

Sorry, can’t resist my take about the poor Bills…I only watched the last 5 minutes, but it was the best…OMG like a dozen scores…okay half dozen. So stupid the Bills D in the last 13 seconds—basically gave the Chiefs the tying field goal for free! All their DBs were at midfield so boom 25-yard gain, next play same thing and in 10 seconds they are easily in FG range—kick the tying FG and go on to win in OT. Reminiscent of 4^th and 26 and our DBs allowing Donovan McNab to convert in Philly in yet another strong squad squandered season. A mini tragedy for the tragedy riddled Bills—OMG! Josh Allen is the QB on top of the heap. Runs like a white version of Deebo Samuel, runs often, does NOT slide and throws the tightest spiral in the history of spirals. Farvesque arm.

I’m shocked at the lack of creativity of defensive coordinators in end game or end of half situations. Hail Mary’s are an example. The solution? Simple: Zero lineman on the field. Put 11 very fast dudes—combination of LBs, DBs and Safeties on the field to both rush the qb and cover better. D-lineman are dead weight, totally useless at this stage of the conflict. Line up very wide to rush—with speed guys—you no longer care about the run up the gut. If the qb should take off: a. You have fast guys to get to him b. The run takes much more time, per yard gained than the pass. Other fast guys like wide receivers or running backs are a defensive resource as well. Shocking, the stupidity of defensive coordinators. Talk about stuck in a box.

-Dave.