Democrats fear Mitch McConnell is stoking infrastructure 'infighting'
Mitch McConnell must smell blood in the water. Having previously seemed accepting of Democrats' two-track infrastructure strategy, the Senate minority leader now appears to be playing a different game — one in which "he's trying to drive a wedge between [President Biden] and congressional Democratic leaders," Politico writes.
Last week Biden threw the bipartisan infrastructure deal he had just helped negotiate into chaos when he threatened to veto it if unaccompanied by Democrats' more sweeping reconciliation bill. On Saturday, the White House tried to do damage control, issuing a statement walking back his threat, which only seemed to anger progressives and confuse everyone else.
Amidst this chaos McConnell struck, calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday to ensure the passage of the bipartisan deal and reconciliation bill were no longer linked.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Unless Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi walk-back their threats that they will refuse to send the president a bipartisan infrastructure bill" if "trillions of dollars for unrelated tax hikes, wasteful spending, and Green New Deal socialism" are not also passed, "then President Biden's walk-back of his veto threat would be a hollow gesture," said McConnell.
Democratic lawmakers seem irked by the move. They told Politico the Republican master tactician, who claims he's "100 percent focusing on stifling Biden's agenda" and "undecided" on the bipartisan deal itself, is merely attempting to delay the bigger bill and force "infighting" among the party. Pelosi maintains she will not consider a bipartisan infrastructure deal until the Senate clears a larger spending package.
Regardless, McConnell's position still affords "major sway" over the GOP votes needed to pass a bipartisan deal, Politico notes.
Read more at Politico.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Magazine solutions - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
Magazine printables - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
'In a normal country, their activities wouldn't even be crimes'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Netanyahu makes controversial address
Speed Reads Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress denounced Gaza war protestors
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published