When it comes to infrastructure, a handful of moderate Senate Democrats have been intent on one thing: bipartisanship.
This focus speaks to a commitment to compromise as well as potential electoral considerations — since voters can reward moderate lawmakers who reach across the aisle. It has other major implications, however, limiting the types of policies Democrats can pass and leading the party to spend time on negotiations that Republican leadership ultimately may not support.
With infrastructure, bipartisan compromise has meant capping spending for provisions addressing electric vehicles and broadband at much lower levels than President Joe Biden’s original request, changes that won’t be made up in reconciliation. And as Democrats have sought out bipartisanship on other areas like police reform and gun control, they’ve similarly had to weigh major policy trade-offs.
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