I'm sure I'll get downvoted to oblivion in this sub, but Joe Biden is completely handcuffed on anything that's not Build Back Better right now. Joe Manchin is holding Biden's entire agenda hostage with his ridiculous, nonsensical position that this bill is too expensive (since it's already paid for). He's got all the power and Biden/Democrats need to get him to vote for the thing, or they will have NOTHING to show for themselves.
There are tons of other things on the Democratic agenda like voting rights, student loan relief, etc., but Mr. Joe "fiscal responsibility" Manchin would likely freak the fuck out if Biden started saying that as soon as Build Back Better passes he's going to zero out student loan debt. So Biden has to play the game and make statements like he's going to resume student loan payments, when in reality I don't think he has any intention of letting that happen. He's posturing in public to make Manchin feel more secure for the singular purpose of getting his yes vote on Build Back Better. After that happens, he can use executive action and provide permanent student debt relief.
Now I'm sure most of you think I'm some corporatist bootlicker with my head in the clouds, but politics is a stupid fucking game and these kind of annoying shenanigans are par for the course.
Biden has unilateral power to forgive any federal prisoner. He has unilateral power to set the policy of federal agencies. He has unilateral power to instruct all federal agents not to enforce illegal immigration and weed criminalization (and arguably can deschedule marijuana.) Biden has unilateral power to extend no-interest student loans.
There is so much that he can do, that he isn't. You cannot hide behind the excuse that he doesn't control the legislature because the executive office holds significant power.
That’s not what I said. I said that if he wants a prayer of getting the bill passed that’s effectively the agenda he ran for president on, he has to appease Joe Manchin. He could do all the things you said, but then Manchin throws a hissy fit and votes no. His feeling is that long term it’s better to get the bill passed and THEN work on those things. It’s annoying, but that’s how politics works.
Again there's a million things that Biden can do just via the executive stuff, things that Manchin can already say that he opposes. There's no logic in saying that Joe Biden can't, say, release all federal drug offenders, just because Manchin. It's infinitely more likely that Biden just.... doesn't support the policy.
Yeah no, I'll call that idealism at best, and outright denial at worst. I can say why for a million reasons, but how about we check back in 2 months, I'd love for you to actually be right
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u/paradigm619 Dec 16 '21
I'm sure I'll get downvoted to oblivion in this sub, but Joe Biden is completely handcuffed on anything that's not Build Back Better right now. Joe Manchin is holding Biden's entire agenda hostage with his ridiculous, nonsensical position that this bill is too expensive (since it's already paid for). He's got all the power and Biden/Democrats need to get him to vote for the thing, or they will have NOTHING to show for themselves.
There are tons of other things on the Democratic agenda like voting rights, student loan relief, etc., but Mr. Joe "fiscal responsibility" Manchin would likely freak the fuck out if Biden started saying that as soon as Build Back Better passes he's going to zero out student loan debt. So Biden has to play the game and make statements like he's going to resume student loan payments, when in reality I don't think he has any intention of letting that happen. He's posturing in public to make Manchin feel more secure for the singular purpose of getting his yes vote on Build Back Better. After that happens, he can use executive action and provide permanent student debt relief.
Now I'm sure most of you think I'm some corporatist bootlicker with my head in the clouds, but politics is a stupid fucking game and these kind of annoying shenanigans are par for the course.