Washington, (Transatlantic Today) – The moment Joe Biden became President, the left side of the aisle had command of the presidency, House, and the Senate for the first time in over ten years.
Following a robust beginning with the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021, the Dems have tinkered ahead, slowly yielding momentum and now seeming at a halt. Here are several things they should’ve accomplished last year but didn’t.
Create a Plan, Any Plan
Dems undoubtedly maintain the Senate with the slightest margin possible, requiring all 50 Democratic senators’ votes — such as quasi-Democrats like WV Joe Manchin — to pass bills.
However, everyday citizens will likely never tolerate this as a reason — if they even realize it, but most probably don’t. Since Joe’s inauguration, his approval rating has dropped from 57 percent to 43 percent. Interestingly, even among Dems, it’s fallen from 98 percent to 78 percent.
Utilize the Complete Authority of the Presidency
The POTUS has tremendous unilateral power if he chooses to employ it. For example, Biden doesn’t require Congress’ support to cancel student debt (he demanded forgiveness of “a minimum of $10,000/person” when campaigning); decriminalize marijuana at a Federal level (his lack of activity has upset even some Democrats), or pressure Big Pharma to lower Rx costs (a problem Dems have purportedly sponsored for 30 years). Biden has accomplished none of those items, yet he has used executive orders in some spots.
Destroy the Filibuster
James Madison created the Senate to, in his terms, “protect the minority of the opulent against the majority.” However, unfortunately, the filibuster was created accidentally in 1806 and has typically been utilized to shield the affluent and preclude the majority’s will even more aggressively than Madison anticipated.
The left could destroy or limit the filibuster right now if they wished. But, so far, they haven’t done anything.
Defend the Right for Abortion
Even if Roe v. Wade gets abolished by SCOTUS, Congress retains the capacity to forbid states from criminalizing it. Of course, Texas revealed how far the right may go to restrict abortion rights even without a decision from SCOTUS. However, Congress can furthermore stop state-level actions. The House passed a bill, but it possesses no possibility in the Senate.
