That some Senate Democrats (like Kyrsten Sinema and Tom Carper) are also pushing user fees, as if it would actually end up making Republicans automatically decide to play nice and vote for the bill-laughable, yet at the same time profoundly discouraging. There shouldn't be so many gullible Democrats anymore, not after all the years with Mitch McConnell as Republican leader.
Given how many Republicans have been out there claiming responsibility for the good stuff in Biden's COVID-19 relief law when they unanimously voted against it, Democrats should be getting the lesson. Republicans are going to stay in the negotiations solely for the purpose of weakening the bill. They will accept the offered bribes of special projects in their districts and states included in the bill and then 99% of them, if not 100%, will vote against it, forcing Democrats to pass as much of it as they can with budget reconciliation and a simple majority vote.
Then Republicans will run home, where they will rebuke Biden and the Democrats for not being bipartisan and at the same time take credit for the great projects that will soon be happening. Because that's what they do.
Biden needs to take the same tack with these Democrats as he has with Republicans: Keep them on a short leash and give them homework. One good task he should impose would be to practice message discipline, and stop them from going out in public saying things like: "I wish the president had not taken user fees off the table, whether gas tax or miles traveled. I think user fees make sense."
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