Taming the devil you know: The White House’s ambitious agenda to make good on their promises to the left and bring Trump supporters into the fold
Biden, Harris and the Democrats ran a political campaign not just to oust former reality television star and occasional President Donald Trump, but to implement a series of bold changes that in principle both the left and the right could agree on.
Their main strategy, over the past three months appears to be maybe we can’t convince the 74 million who voted for Trump using philosophical or ideological arguments, but if we can significantly slow down the rate of infections and deaths from COVID-19 by getting shots in arms, and enable Americans to finally send their children, who have been bouncing off the walls for the past year, back to school, and finally go back to work (not to mention get that long yearned for tattoo, and drink themselves silly at the local bar), then maybe the Dems aren’t so bad after all.
And it appears that not only is the White House making good on the ambitious plan of vaccinating 150 million Americans in the first 100 days, but they are surpassing it. Moreover they are firing up a “once-in-a life time” infrastructure bill that is designed to put many Americans back to work, to rebuild crumbling roads, highways, and bridges, construct out of date transportation centers and systems, and usher in a green economy.
This approach has nothing to do with doubling down on educating the public in critical thinking skills, civics classes, nor implementing proportional representation.
The unveiling of these plans does not mean that Republicans have finally given up with their quest to dominate the political landscape of Washington and beyond. While the Jim Jordan’s and Louie Gohmert’s of this world may be relatively silent, the Republicans are trying to press their ideological agenda at the state level through a series of voter suppression bills introduced in jurisdictions where they have control.
Trump and his most visible allies, like those in the Freedom Caucus, have not completely melded into the background and gone back to their farms and communities as the original framers of the constitution envisioned. Republicans, at least in terms of their outward political communications, have temporarily adopted the stance of “He who learns to walk away gets to fight another day.” They are planning for the next round of elections. And just because one of their star sycophants, and DUI evader, Matt Gaetz is now sinking as fast as a mafia or drug gang informer outfitted with a pair of concrete shoes, who has been just thrown into the East River, this just means that the news and social media spot light is off the more crazy Republicans for a while.
And yes there will be the Joe Manchins’ and Susan Collins of this world, but their voices are not that strong these days.
The Freedom Caucus or some post Trump reboot lurk in the background. They will try to breath new life into the culture war machine if not just before the midterms, then in 2024. How do we know this. Our history tells us so.
To the extent that the Democrats can achieve their impressive agenda, the more difficult it will be for loyal Republicans, and QAnon conspiracy believers who have benefitted from the Dems initiatives to vote Republican. This will also depend on the ability of the Dems to convince them that they were responsible for their economic and social well-being.
But the hard work of rolling up ones sleeves is what needs to be done. The money still needs to go out to the states and not be siphoned off by make work and boondoggle projects that either waste taxpayer money, or are window dressing for corrupt schemes. Yes, the Dems are going periodically stumble and fall, but the proof will be in the pudding.
Photo credit outtacontext
“Exhibit A: Proof of Sedition, remix”
