Chips act, Reconciliation, and the culture war.
While Democrats have mostly continued the infighting that prevented them from passing Biden’s (and the Democratic party’s) legislative agenda, some have come to their senses. Democrats like AOC in the House and Sanders in the Senate have realized that their election success is dependent on Biden’s approval numbers, and they need something to sell to voters in November.
While I think much of what he has done has been great for Americans. The ARP worked as a shock absorber for the inflation (inflation caused by the pandemic shutdowns) it also gave enough incentive to keep employment numbers trending in the right direction, along with the child tax credit, which cut child poverty in half! Those are no small feats couple that with a gun reform bill, infrastructure bill, low unemployment, unifying NATO to protect our European allies and combating the COVID pandemic, and you have part of a winning message now the hard part.
The things I listed are in the rearview, and voters need to see headlines of an active Biden, and Democrats focused on the economy, along with inflation, while mixing it up over the culture wars. Inflation, jobs, and protecting the voters in his coalition should be the focus of his executive actions and the legislation he works to get congress to pass.
The Chips act invests 52 billion in our domestic chip industry and means good-paying American jobs along with support for industries reliant on chips from auto manufacturers to computers.
BBB/Reconciliation, while it is unlikely to resemble the original, any new one should be fine-tuned to address the issues in our economy. Focus on deficit reduction, direct payments to Americans to take the sting out of inflation, investment and loans to the energy industry to stabilize prices, and negotiation of drug prices for medicare along with the extension of ACA subsidies set to expire. If you feel bold additional money for non-Medicaid expansion states to encourage adoption.
The culture is the last part of the Democratic coalition that has seen a full-court press from Republicans on Women’s rights, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, labor rights, and environmental protections. Biden has largely avoided the conflict while tasking the justice department or other officials to take care of everything from securing abortion access to protecting voters, and so on but he must be seen acting. Demand his party votes to enshrine the rights of these groups even if they fail, name and shame those blocking it, and give prime-time addresses on the issues. Voting for Biden was one of the most important votes in my life. I voted for him because I saw a culture backsliding, I voted for a man capable of healing the soul of a nation. Taking a side in the culture war is divisive, but we are the majority, and if people know you aren’t ignoring their material needs, they will come along with you. If you can do these things, the ads will write themselves, and your members will have something to sell their voters.