Which Would Be Better? Successful Bills or No Bills at All?

[MineralMan]

Last edited Mon Oct 25, 2021, 12:41 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm thinking about the 2022 congressional campaigns. It seems to me that having passed presidentially signed bills that help large segments of the population would be good campaign fodder for Democrats. On the other hand, not passing those bills because they don't have everything in them we had hoped probably wouldn't help Democratic candidates win elections, particularly close ones or elections in potentially flippable districts.

I think about things like that while we argue the merits of the pared-down bills that will be coming up for votes soon.

What do you think? Are passed and signed bills better than no bills at all? Even if those passed and signed bills leave out some measures we hoped would get through?

I think so. Yes, I do.

[The Magistrate]

1. The Old Adage Applies, Sir

"Half a loaf is better than no bread."

[jimfields33]

14. Definitely true. I'm glad there not going with the Medicare expansion yet!

I want it done but not something that doesn’t start until 2028. That would make it worse then waiting until 2023 and doing a separate bill on Medicare expansion.

[Elessar Zappa]

2. Yes,

I think a smaller bill is better than no bill at all. Even if the bill is small, it’s something that our Dem candidates can run on.

[Walleye]

3. Yes if we insisted on everything we want, we would never pass legislation

We fight the good fight. We win what we can and come back to fight another day. If we can’t pass anything we won’t come back to fight another day because we won’t be elected

[Red Pest]

4. Don't let perfection be the enemy of good.

Get good legislation passed. It may not exactly be what you or I want, but it is a start and it will demonstrate that Democrats can get important and very useful things done. Good legislation and good programs can always be improved later with updated legislation, but get the initial bills passed now and improve them later. Improve people's lives now and they are more likely to support you later. Insist on perfection now and fail to pass anything; the voters will correctly assume that you are incapable of doing your job.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Smaller Build Back Better for Now

Get them passed - then shift to Voting Rights.

Then we get everything else in 2023.

[gab13by13]

6. A bird in the hand,

is worth 2 in the bush.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Passing something is essential for 2022 and going forward...

Even if it isn't as big as we want, it is essential to get something done to run on in '22.

If we pass both bills we should be able to retain power in Congress and maybe even pad our margin. If we retain Congress, we can do more in the 2d half of Biden's term.

Passing nothing is a recipe for disaster in 2022. We'll get creamed.

JMO, YMMV.

[Xolodno]

8. If you are the GOP...

...then no bill.

They would rather sit with their thumb up the butt than actually do anything. They get elected, collect a salary and do nothing.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. Depends more on what passed bills offer than whether they passed.

If Dems get a bill through and tout its signing, and people don't see a difference in their everyday life, I'm not sure that's much of a success.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. Argument from Relative Deprivation.

Just because a situation could very well be worse doesn't invalidate one's feeling about the current state of affairs.

The rational brain may very well understand that X is better than Y. That doesn't make X any less stressful.

[Pantagruel]

11. Agree with "1/2 a loaf" logic

but beyond that, I'm arguing that GOP simply can't write good legislation. They're too incompetent to create any laws that will benefit the general population while passing judicial scrutiny. All the major TRUE legislative accomplishments were attributed to Dem lawmakers like Social Security or the ADA.
Somehow we need to educate the voters that getting good laws requires electing Democratic majorities. It's illogical to elect the GOP who preach the innate evils of government to actually provide good governance.

[uponit7771]

12. +1!!! GQP can ... NOT... Govern, they're too stupid

[Dawson Leery]

13. In the early 1970's, the equivalency of Obamacare (ACA) was offered.

The offer was not good enough for the unions, so congressional Democrats scrapped the plan. It was 40 years before meaningful reform was passed. The current BBB is better than nothing. It the child tax credits/daycare are popular, there will be immense force on congress to reauthorize them.

[bluestarone]

15. The best thing is this.

Anything we can do WILL help us in 22!! That's how i look at it!! We need anything positive.

[Hortensis]

16. Absolutely achievements to help people asap and to build on.

[old guy]

17. The key is what the voters perception is.

Voter perception will depend largely on how the media presents it.

[hamsterjill]

18. I guess...

But it is truly disheartening the amount that was promised in campaigns and is not being delivered. Voters are going to remember that, and if they forget, the GOP will be there to remind them.

In Biden’s town hall last week on CNN, he kind of addressed this. He said he would keep trying for certain aspects of his platform after and beyond the two bills being argued now. I hope he means that and I’m anxious to know his plans. There are things that were part of his campaign that I am very interested in seeing come to fruition because those issues directly affect me.

So, I’ll be disappointed but hope for more in the next year. Dems need to “wow” voters or the midterms are not going to go well. I’m sorry if that’s “doom and gloom”, but it’s going to be reality.

[BeckyDem]

19. Legislation must pass, it will be much worse, horribly worse if it is not.

Two main areas, imo, we address by passing the bills. Tangible relief for Americans from policies they overwhelmingly supported and why they voted. Honesty about why the benefits are now less, and describe a forward political path that can give the Democrats the votes they need to deliver much more before Biden's first term is over....before 2024 ends.

On edit. This will be a tall order to accomplish mainly due to the obstruction from two key voters..that is just the reality we govern with for the time being.