Thursday, November 17, 2016

Signing onto (Parts of) Trump's Agenda

New Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced a new strategy yesterday: help Trump fulfill some of his campaign promises:
On infrastructure spending, child tax credits, paid maternity leave and dismantling trade agreements, Democrats are looking for ways they can work with Mr. Trump and force Republican leaders to choose between their new president and their small-government, free-market principles. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, elected Wednesday as the new Democratic minority leader, has spoken with Mr. Trump several times, and Democrats in coming weeks plan to announce populist economic and ethics initiatives they think Mr. Trump might like. . . .

Mr. Trump campaigned on some issues that Democrats have long championed and Republicans resisted: spending more on roads, bridges and rail, punishing American companies that move jobs overseas, ending a lucrative tax break for hedge fund and private equity titans, and making paid maternity leave mandatory.

Some Democrats are even co-opting Mr. Trump’s language from the campaign. “Every single person in our caucus agrees the system is rigged,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan.
I think there is actually a two-part strategy here. By pushing for things Trump promised and they want, the Democrats have a chance of actually getting some of them. And, by inserting themselves into areas of disagreement between Trump and the Pence/Ryan wing, they hope to pry those gaps open wider and eventually get the Republicans to cripple themselves with infighting. It's an interesting approach, and I guess we'll find out soon enough if any of it works.

4 comments:

Shadow said...

I'm not sure republicans need an assist from democrats to cripple themselves. They've been doing it for 6 years in the House all on their own. I'm glad, though, to see Harry Reid gone.

John said...

Reid was not much of a leftist and one of history's worst public speakers, but he was a clever behind the scenes fighter. Schumer has his own baggage, in particular he is very close to Wall Street and the pharmaceutical industry.

G. Verloren said...

Some Democrats are even co-opting Mr. Trump’s language from the campaign. “Every single person in our caucus agrees the system is rigged,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan.

Great work there Debbie, tossing around absurd hyperboles and flatly untrue rhetoric which undermines our foundational trust in democracy. I'm sure whatever short term gains you think you might be able to gamble on here are worth the undeniable long term damage you're causing to society in the process.

This sort of bullshit is a huge part of why so many people chose NOT to vote Democrat this election. Instead of being principled, decent human beings who stand behind values like truth and honesty, we've got far too many pathetic excuses for Democrats like Sen. Stabenow floating around who seem to have absolutely no qualms about opportunistically selling out everything they're supposed to stand for the moment they think it can gain them any sort of political leverage.

Shadow said...

Oh, yes, Schumer does, but a change is good and, I hope, more important than any baggage coming or going. All but Ryan should go. All (Reid, Pelosi, McConnell) except Ryan have been in their positions for 10 years. Need New Blood.