Progressives see blueprint for next fights in eviction win

[Celerity]

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-voting-rights-0c8565386d3e8fffcaf88589af843ec5



Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The rare clash this week between the Biden administration and congressional Democrats over a lapsed eviction moratorium could become a blueprint for even larger fights that lie ahead. Finding allies in congressional leadership, a new generation of progressive lawmakers insisted the White House pay attention to them. Their tactics, including a well-publicized, multiday protest on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, ultimately forced the administration to find a new way to keep most tenants in their homes. After largely holding back as President Joe Biden spent his opening months in office courting moderate Democrats — and even some Republicans — many progressives say that deference is over. And with Democrats holding exceedingly narrow margins in Congress, that means the White House may have to pay closer attention to the left wing of the Democratic Party in the coming weeks, especially as the administration’s push for an infrastructure package intensifies. “Hopefully, this has shown not only leadership, the caucus, but our progressive family that when we say we are not going to back down, we don’t back down,” said Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who staged the round-the-clock sit-in on the Capitol steps.

While progressives are feeling emboldened in Washington, there are warning signs. Voters in Ohio on Tuesday rejected a congressional candidate enthusiastically backed by progressive leader Sen. Bernie Sanders. That followed similar setbacks for the left in elections earlier this year in New York City and Virginia. This week’s progressive revolt, however, was distinguished by Bush’s protest. By the time she brought her chair to the Capitol steps on Saturday, the House had already tried — and failed — to pass a quickly drafted bill to prevent a moratorium lapse. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told Biden a day earlier that Congress would not be able to provide a legislative fix. As Bush began her vigil, people streamed to the steps to join the freshman lawmaker, who spoke passionately of her own time being unhoused, a young mother of two, living out of her Ford Bronco on the streets around what’s now her St. Louis-area congressional district. Her visitors included Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, whose presence added to the media attention.

A quieter lobbying campaign was also taking place. Over several days, Pelosi rushed into a series of phone calls to Biden and senior White House officials, insisting the administration needed to move unilaterally and focus on a new moratorium directly linked to the public health emergency and the delta variant. “She was saying things like: ‘They can do it, I don’t know what they’re talking about. They are not prevented from doing it,’” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., the Financial Services Committee chairwoman, said of Pelosi. “We said, ‘Mr. President, you have to step up to the plate,’” Waters said. At the White House, officials were keenly aware that many of those impacted by the moratorium were Biden’s constituents and recognized the need to keep the liberals on the party line.

snip

To this point, Biden’s agenda has focused on working across the aisle with the bipartisan infrastructure deal, including keeping moderate Democratic senators happy. The president has yet to fully tackle progressive priorities like climate change, voting rights and student debt. But the eviction moratorium was an undeniable win for the progressives — and proof of their clout heading into a budget package that is especially central to Biden’s promise to reshape government’s relationship with its citizens. “Today is important because it marks, I hope, a turning point in the way that this White House views progressives,” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y. “We are prepared to leverage our energy and our activism in close coordination with grassroots activists and people all across this country of good conscience to do right by the American people.”

snip

[Demsrule86]

1. There was a court ruling. Chances are good that a judge will end this. Just another progressives

Vs Democrats fake story. Biden always wanted the moratorium to continue. The Gop went to court. You really should self delete. As for Turner, she helped give us Trump and a rightwing court in 16. She is not a Democrat...her choice. In my opinion, she is an opportunist and not particularly progressive.

[betsuni]

2. +1

[Celerity]

4. no

You really should self delete.

I will not.

[luv2fly]

5. It's about progressives and moderates

Not progressives versus democrats.

And the article doesn't even mention Turner, who is not all progressives.

We have a big tent, right? At least that's what I have heard.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

7. Yes. For most of us, the enemy is the GOP/Right Wing.

It is critical that we all remain united against fascism.

Continuing the moratorium on evictions is a nice thing. Good grief, economically underprivileged folks will be forced out of their homes, and become homeless in a plague infested nation, a nation that is plague infested directly because of TFG and his fascist worshipers.

The Biden Administration Issues A New Eviction Moratorium After A Federal Ban Lapsed

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/03/1024345276/the-biden-administration-plans-a-new-eviction-moratorium-after-a-federal-ban-lap

Bravo to everyone who advocated for this moratorium.

[Tarc]

6. The president is not a dictator, the holder of the office cannot make laws by Executive Order

We just spent 4 years railing against Trump for this kinda thing. Joe's reluctance on this and the student aid debt are the right moves.

It is up to Congress.