Time for a little self-awareness in the Acela Corridor? Day after day, we hear about the war in Ukraine, which the cultural elite cheers like a bloodier, upmarket Super Bowl. The fact that the inland nobodies are less enthused is taken as simply one more proof of their dubious taste and general unworthiness. What if the 'isolationism' of the provinces is related to their irritation at the administration? What if the rubes care more about avoiding yet another foreign war than about the restoration of civility and norms, issues which never resonated much outside of NYC and DC?
21
Wow, you mean he'll have to govern like the moderate he promised to be? I love democracy.
36
Trump tried to destroy American democracy, and continues to do so.
President Biden is trying to restore American democracy.
President Biden has defeated Trump and defeated COVID, and he is working on defeating Putin.
President Biden is doing an outstanding job in difficult circumstances.
73
Two outs, bottom of the ninth, no one on base. And Republicans are too far ahead to catch. Game. Over. For. Democracy. Biden's asterisk will be the last freely, fairly elected president in our country's history.
17
For the "come on, how can it get any worse than it is now?" crowd: remember the last time we said that? It was 2016, and millions of Americans voted for tfg because "come on, what have we got to lose?"
Well, we found out, didn't we?
37
I refer to excerpts of Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb"
"We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation
rather than share it
would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.
And this effort very nearly succeeded."
"But while democracy can be periodically delayed,
it can never be permanently defeated."
I hold on ever so tightly to a historical voter turnout of "We the Silent Majority' that support our young democracy and will defeat the GOP. Do not allow the thousands of people that continue to sacrifice their life's protecting our government Of the people, By the people, For the people shall have died in vain,
Vote Blue even if you have to hold you nose.
32
If the Democrats lose during this election is because they put too much emphasis on abortion, when the people's actual priority is the economy, security, and inflation.
31
It's a stretch to call them accomplishments. Most of what he has done has weakened the economy and fueled inflation. You could say we might get back to some semblance of sensible economic management.
36
@False Profit and the other issues? gun control. climate action. voting rights...
14
W/o Progressives, Democrats could win
Progressive Liberals’ Always Offended culture and Professional Victim culture. Liberals offense is to feign defense — keeping you in fear that the sensitivities of the liberal were offended (or made to seem so) by anything you said, did, thought, or your existence. It’s like a child threatening to hold its breath to dominate others.
26
@ABC You have an odd conception of "progressive." Progressives are about opposing the billionaires, aka robber barons. Your notion that we devote ourselves to policing language sounds like the result of too many right-wing scare stories. In reality, we're about preventing non-oligarchs from being exploited and tossed away by the billionaires--even when they're willing would-be victims like you.
17
Whatever happens, an FDR-Type phase is pie in the sky. There is a false.belief that if Dems get 52, they can bypass Sinema and Manchin and enact liberal legislation. This is nonsense.
Sinema and Manchin are the point people for a number of centrists who would vote against the liberal agenda if Sinema and Manchin weren’t out front doing the dirty work. Cornyn, Hassan and Tillis are not liberals of the FDR sort. And with 52, they would join Sinema and Manchin to assure that the liberal agenda is DOA.
Anyone who thinks Dems from TX, NH, and NC can vote liberal without committing political suicide hasn’t a clue. Whether you support the liberal or not you are a political neophyte if you think it has a smidgen of a chance.
18
The GOP will shut down the US government in order to create a recession, and then they will blame the recession on Biden.
Just in time to re-elect Trump in 2024!
VOTE BLUE IN '22!
45
@AKJersey shutting down the fed govt would create economic prosperity. Let’s hope the Republicans shut down permanently when we the people take charge in January
8
I just watched Obama stump for Evers and Barnes in Wisconsin and literally had tears running down my face as he reminded me of why I am a Democrat and what’s at stake.
40
You're correct that the "Midterm Elections Offer Starkly Different Visions for the U.S." One vision is support for the the Constitution and its "rule of law;" the other for authoritarian governance under the "rule of Trump" by completing his January 6, 2021 coup. The former is embraced by Democrats, the latter by Republicans. No other issue matters in what is truly a way-of-life in freedom or darkness and perhaps death under vengeful hatred.
36
Team Biden has done all it can to dismantle everything about the previous administration, so why shouldn't Republicans do all it can to dismantle the current administration's works. Liberals assume their ways are perfect so naturally everyone should be in favor, and only those "Mega-MAGA Republicans are against them. Actually, fully half the nation does not approve or like what Team Biden has done. Fully half believe the Trump administration, despite the many flaws of the embattled executive, did a lot of good things.
If Democrats cannot accept that, they should learn to. What one party begins is usually added to the arsenal of party favors. Speaking of which, I am looking forward to the next Attorney General being personally aware of and in favor of G-Men raiding the Biden compound in search of Hunter's hidden drug stash. What comes around, and all that.
32
I don't worry much, if Republicans are winning and try to implement their program it will be like Liz Truss in England, too much tax breaks for wealthy, not enough money to finance the program, and international investors will sanction and boycott this policy as they did for Liz.
13
I, who has never found a Republican I can vote for, figured Biden had blinders on (how appropriate those dark glasses) from the first time he hinted at his resemblance to FDR. Really? Then there was his inability to even imagine how disastrous his precipitous pull out of Afghanistan could be. And desoute his famed empathy, he was blind to the misery of the Afghans he pulled the rug from under on. But his ignoring the threat of Trump to even his (Biden's) own skin is entirely beyond comprehension. Biden seemingly could not even see ignoring Trump, allowing his appointed AG to stay in office just investigating Trump as an end goal would give his arch enemy another chance for vengeance. And vengeance is something Trump does to the hilt. Poor Biden and poor us who also have to live with the consequences of blindness.
9
crime is a local not federal issue. unless you want federal agents patrolling your streets look to your govenor or state legislators.
14
@straydog
Yup. And when one takes a clear eyed look at crime, the crime problems are much greater in red cities and red states.
16
Like the multitude of users fleeing Twitter, it's likely time to bid farewell to any recognizable semblance of democracy in America going forward.
12
I blame the Progressive Wing of the Democrat Party for being completely out of touch with moderate and conservative Democrats. They are led by ideology without concern for unintended consequences or however impractical their policies are. Sorry to see President Biden’s agenda hijacked by this fringe group. The Progressives lost me and most moderates with their defund the police craziness.
36
The president has to disavow Bernie and the squad. Bernie wanted to spend 15 trillion dollars if the pandemic lasted a year.
19
If President Biden's agenda "hangs in the balance," it's because a whole lot of us voters don't view his litany of left wing, inflation inducing disasters as "legislative accomplishments."
44
Why would Americans vote for a party that has become the most extremist right wing so called conservative party in the English speaking world.; a party of people who promote the business model of back alley butcher abortionists, who think that anything that the public sector does is socialism, who are climate change deniers, who are against any sensible gun law reform, who want to make it harder for people in ethnically diverse areas to vote,who promote absurd conspiracy theories and who have no regard to having good relations with traditional allies and who can’t understand that the war in Ukraine and supply chain problems emanating from covid are mainly responsible for inflationary pressures?
47
The democrats did nothing much other than posturing and infighting during the last two years and they probably deserve to lose both houses. As a foreign observer it seems the division we see in the US only gets broader and there is no end in sight. Can't see the US getting any better as a nation before it gets a lot worse.
21
@Rohan Observing from abroad your takeaway is that the Democrat infighting has been our main problem? You might want to reread the headlines for the past two years.
26
What if Biden's administration actually had tried to take the moderate path that his 2020 campaign promised. Whether he would still have to be worried about the post-midterm fate of "his" agenda is an open question.
31
@Beantownah The GOP would spin his moderate path as being socialist and full-brown leftism that hurts Americans.
27
@Andrew Eden-Balfour Apparently, based on his actions, no spin was necessary. Prepare for a GOP blowout.
10
@Andrew Eden-Balfour
Beantownah and John D prove your point.
4
Why not mentioning “illegal immigrants “ in your conclusion ? So bias report
26
@ZX I don't think taxes are mentioned either. You haven't had a tax cut in more than two years. So biased.
9
This is for the GOP supporters . Donald Madoff Trump reduced the payroll tax for several years and that what pays our Social Security and Medicare. They GoP will do that again and Social Security will be bankrupt sooner than 2034 . The report from 2022 said recently about Social Security. How will you pay your rent , mortgage ,food . The GOP won’t fix the high costs of every thing next year they are the cause of it and are for less government so you think it is bad now. Don’t complain when you are starving in 6 months with those phony economic policies the GOP already said all the money is going toward the rich and corporation. I will have a LOL moment when all this happens and not have sympathy when you 401 ‘s collapse.
28
@DK Why didn't Democrats take the time while they held the majority to use reconciliation to increase the payroll tax and bring Social Security and Medicare back to solvency? Just wondering for a wavering independent.
22
@Paul
Half of the payroll and Medicare taxes are paid by the business employing the employee.
Manchin and Sinema would never have been team players for that.
Biden never actually had a Senate majority with the Harris' vote.
McConnell had a filibuster, even over reconciliation legislation by virtue of his two, beloved "good and faithful servants".
Manchin and Sinema will probably caucus with the Republicans in the next Congress and be rewarded with plush appointments for carrying Mitch's water.
Biden set himself and the country up for heartbreak when he opened his administration by saying that he was sure he could work with McConnell and the Republican Senators. And on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue McConnell was holding a presser where he stated that his objective was to stop the Biden agenda any way he could.
17
@Paul
The cry baby GOP would have put up a big fight on that . They wanted less government . Look at Health care they had 4 years to get it right . Instead Donald Madoff Trump said it was to hard and said wait until the 2nd term. Well we know Rubio and Rick Scott said on their web pages if they get the full house and Presidency then they will sundown social security and medicare and in 5 or less years it will be gone. So in Florida there are 5 million families on Social Security paying for rent ,food and mortgage. The GOP will put them out on the street. If you vote for the GOP this will be your sin and shame on you.
21
If the Republicans had their way, there would be no rules, regulations, or people to monitor them. It would be like the Wild Wild West. We are truly a deeply divided nation. We are the United States of America in name only.
18
@JJ ….This rat trap governing system driven by millions of dollars from Corporations has finally taken control of our govt., all 3 branches have been captured. This is what Democracy dying looks,sounds and acts like. There is blame all around. As long as the generation of politicians who created the rat trap of obstruction are in positions of power ….or replaced by like minded pols our Democracy will be at high risk of failure and the tables could turn overnight. Democracy is on the ballot, integrity of our governing system is on the ballot. I don’t see the cavalry coming yet, everyone seems vested in Autocracy.
15
We depend on our Social Security, and all the Republican talk of eliminating it or allowing it to sunset are extremely frightening to us. My husband has been permanently disabled since he was 32, and I had only been working 20 years when I retired from a job that offered retirement benefits. Both of us, despite what Republicans might think, have worked extremely hard for what little we have, and now they've set their sights on it so they can, once again, give the gift that keeps on giving: tax cuts for the wealthiest people (including themselves) in our country.
Why do so many people believe that Republicans will handle the economy better when they're in office? I imagine they're going to be too busy tearing democracy apart to even think about inflation, let alone act on it even if there were something they could do.
My last hope in these coming weeks is that the polls have all been wrong (wouldn't be the first time) and Republicans will be sent packing.
43
@furnmtz There is no serious effort to eliminate Social Security or Medicare. Any action to do that would be met with resistance that would make Jan 6 look like a church picnic. We all know this, but just remind your representatives periodically, anyway. They might not care for their constituents as much as they should, but they definitely are concerned about their personal safety.
13
@furnmtz You worked for 20 years and it's up to the government to support you? I've worked for 50 and will vote Republican.
14
Mark my words, Granier will be released the day the Russians put Trump back in office. Anyone remember the deal Reagan made for the hostages in Oran? Released after he got in. What a world
13
Many of democrats and independents are squeezed to choose between “good for nothing” Republicans vs. clueless democrats who used our treasury as money plant causing the economic crisis today. Well, the strategies used by corrupt Republicans aka Trumper mobs are nothing new. It is always division, economy and crime. A third grade kid have the brain to understand the traditional vicious tools used by Republicans for decades. Anyone with sense would lead the party by avoiding any entrapment. But, an extremely weak Biden and party leadership did put a blindfold on their eyes pursuing agendas orchestrated by clueless Bernie-Warren-Squad cronies which alienated millions of voters. The warning signs were everywhere for the past year. But, the senseless leadership went on pleasing the fringe group whose ultimate goal is to create enough frustration and angst among democrats to takeover the party. They continued to dig party’s grave everyday. Blame should go to Biden, Pelosi-Schumer and our federal legislators. They sat idle like the current Republicans do. Readers, wait for the blame game by the fringe group after the upcoming political tsunami. This is the way those dividers work. It is sad for all of us- the incompetence and opportunist groups in the party created this mess. 2022 midterm was for the democrats to win because of the extremely weak candidates fielded by the Republicans. Alas, the spineless leaders let us down.
6
@RM do you think the dems caused the money crises in GB and Europe too? Trump kissing Putin caused Putin to be empowered and invade the Ukraine. That caused the crises, along with Covid (restrictions under trump) that led to the economic crises biden is solving. Just as Obama had to solve the mess Bush left and Clinton had to solve the mess that Reagan left. Republican money management is a myth. They enrich themselves and the fools on the economic bottom vote for them
36
Democratic Midterm Message:
The Fate of Democracy and the Right to Abortion Are At Stake.
Republican Midterm Message:
Democratic policies have made Americans poorer, our cities more dangerous, our borders less secure, and our nation weaker.
A Centrist Independent Assessment:
January 6th was an assault on democracy by radical conservative extremists. But neither right-wing MAGA extremists or left-wing Antifa extremists are existential threats to democracy.
The Supreme Court returned Abortion to the states to decide. Some states have legalized it, some have limited it. No state has a total, no-exceptions ban on abortion.
And the 19th Amendment — Women’s Right to Vote — provides a constitutional precedent and path for a 28th Amendment — Women’s Right to Abortion.
Inflation has made Americans poorer; crime in our cities has risen with pro-crime “no bail, no jail” policies; a record 2.4 million illegal immigrants have been arrested crossing the southwest border, spurring mayors of Major and border cities to declare illegal immigration a crisis; the United States Navy doesn’t have enough combat ships to ensure it can decisively defeat the Chinese Navy, the United States Air Force doesn’t have enough planes, pilots, or flight time to ensure it can fight and win simultaneous fights against China and Russia, and the United States Army cannot fill its ranks.
The midterm election is 11 days away.
The direction our nation takes is at stake.
You decide.
14
Oz is a good descriptor of these midterms
4
Inflation, public safety/crime, border security, erosion of education quality, decline of American diplomatic persuasiveness ... who caused it? Who can fix it? Everybody gets a vote. Count 'em up, and move on.
13
No mention of Putin's war. Is selling out Ukraine the Republican's go-to threat for wringing concessions from Biden?
18
The GOP has always been a disaster for the economy and debt. The GOP has openly embraced lawlessness. The GOP never has, and never will, do anything remotely serious about illegal immigration. Most importantly, the GOP is deeply and fundamentally anti-republican and anti-American. There is no rational reason for an average American to vote for the GOP.
40
@JT
Yes there is
They have a 24-7 Propaganda Machine that includes
a top rated (so called) news station.
The democratic party have nothing of the sort to counter.
Todays younger GOP voters support a Fantasy vs of the party.
Unless you are Anti-US Labor , Union , Safety Net
NATO etc..
& wish to see everything privatized & deregulated to the point of a wealthy oligarchs/grifters heaven
11
@Leo ... That's why I said "rational" reason...
The 24/7 hate and fear mongering are effective for sure but fundamentally irrational.
4
And yet, they do and will, and calling them irrational if they win isn’t grounds for refusing to accept the results. Or would it be? I believe that was the other party.
1
Inflation, public safety/crime, border security, erosion of education quality, decline of American diplomatic persuasiveness ... who caused it? Who can fix it? Everybody gets a vote. Count 'em up, and move on.
8
@BD
The fact we think any elected leaders can FIX
a world wide outbreak of Inflation is like voting for better weather !
We are often a silly voting population
Inflation is near 12 % across Europe , Japan , Australia
China etc.. (we are actually lower than most) but still ,
The world is so economically connected in 2022 & Covid lockdowns were a once in lifetime event.
10
What if we had borders like other countries? When can America be for Americans? Ever? Do other countries support an eternal flow of illegals? No. Anchor babies? No.
20
@ABC
America is different because we are a
melting pot nation
If we cut off immigration completely we would suffer
grave economic Consequeses.
A well run system of immigration makes us stronger
not weaker.
14
@Leo When that day arrives I’ll rejoice. It hasn’t, and I refuse to pin it all on just one party.
1
@Leo Key is "well run" and that means enforcing our immigration laws.
5
These are not the Democrats from FDR's era. The Social Security Act of 1935 was passed with three quarters of the Republicans in the Senate voting in favor of it. The same thing with LBJ's Voting Rights Act in 1965 with seventeen Democrats and one Republican voting against it. Same with Bill Clinton when he passed veto and filibuster proof welfare reform, gun laws and criminal justice reform.
I don't know what Biden's agenda is. After he took office, the liberal media ran daily articles declaring that "Biden is not a socialist!" Then, progressive Democrats introduced the largest socialist spending bill in congress in Biden's lifetime and called it his agenda.
The Democrats' agenda seems to be to get all of their votes in the Senate and none of the votes of the Republicans, the opposite of what FDR, LBJ and W. Jefferson Clinton did.
16
@M Ford You know the difference between you and me? I disagree with your (apparent) political beliefs as you seem to disagree with mine yet I do not read the news outlets that espouse yours but you read the ones that espouse mine.
7
@M Ford
The Biden agenda was clearly spelled out for all voters to read before 2020
He has passed about 50% including his infrastructure bill , but most social programs like Child Care remain
as they were blocked.
Its funny you say that as DJT/GOP ran without any written agenda in 2020 (1st time in party history)
Obviously he felt Lib Owning was more important
so he didn't even bother.
9
@John Perhaps inferring not only what @M Ford’s party but also that his assessment of Clinton and FDR is from right-wing sources - seriously - with the tinge of anger in, you know the difference between you and me, is worth a second look.
A number of comments below urge voters not to fear the Republicans. They indeed paint a picture of the GOP that is warm and welcoming.
I find this as soft and reassuring as... a smile from Kerri Lake.
There are so many avenues of refutation to these comments, but I will promote just a couple.
1. Herschel Walker is now declaring himself a "warrior for God."
A recent article, which should be required reading for anyone interested in keeping the U.S. a democracy, titled "How to Make a Semi-Fascist Party" in New York Magazine. It is written by Jonathan Chait, who shows not only how Florida conservatives are getting used to the idea of being compared with Orban's Hungary, but how he himself was "othered" at a conservative conference in Florida. That experience was for him redolent of anti-semitism.
I'd provide links but you can't really click on them, and I suspect that the NYTimes's algorithms use them to screen out a surfeit of comments.
14
@McX
That article is frightening. The "Woke Industrial Complex" (sigh....) that the speakers at the National Conservatism Conference cited is the made-up enemy du jour. First I've heard that term. From the article:
"Wokism is not a fever that will pass but a cancer that must be eradicated. And the free market won't do it." She [Rachel Bovard] added that "in this new reality, the only institution with the power to contend with and conquer the Woke Industrial Complex is the government of the United States."
"Senator Scott: "The militant left wing in this country have become the enemy within."
It's like an alternate reality. Scary.
10
I have no problem with the Biden administration being stymied by Congress; it's important to recognize that the direction of any administration should be tempered by Congressional approval or disapproval. And, in turn, my vote helps ensure there is some way to limit the White House efforts in what I consider the wrong directions. That's the way things should work, if the WH doesn't like it, too bad.
13
@Margo
So, you are okay with someone taking your SS and Medicare away? You okay with tax cuts and trickle- down economics to make tax cuts for the rich permanent and give another tax break.
28
In most of our history cases you would be right, but here they shouldn’t be tempered by this GOP. This GOP has no good intentions. They follow a liar and they are as anti-democratic. They are the Trump/Putin party. There is no compromise in them unique spec no votes from them and they must be disbanded and banished from the political spectrum.
21
@Steve You need to calm down and consider exactly how your suggestions could ever actually work in real life.
I can't afford unchecked Biden policy.
7
All of the good policies and programs the Biden Administration have enacted and passed that deal with: climate change, infrastructure rebuilding, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, student loan relief, health care, NOT taking away a woman's right to her own body, etc. Not to mention the Jan 6th group of trump elections deniers who tried to overthrow our elections with lies and conspiracy theories and violence. Anyone who would vote for any republican has to not be paying attention, is extremely uninformed or brainwashed and is voting against their own self-interest and country....Vote Blue all the way or don't cry when things get much worse, which they will.
34
How about a headline saying "Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act ended if the Republicans take Congress" or "Women, say goodbye to all of your rights and autonomy if the Republicans take Congress" or "Middle Class, be ready to loose all of your tax deductions and pay higher taxes to give the rich another huge tax break if Republicans take Congress" or "Say goodbye to planet Earth if the Republicans take Congress" See, telling the truth and not denigrating Democrats isn't so hard and I give it all to you for free!
28
1. My working assumption is that Republicans will take the House, and spend about 18 months screaming, posturing, running phony investigation, and clawing at one another. Nothing will get done, however necessary, but they won’t care about that. Then they’ll transition to blaming Democrats because gridlock, and restocking their arsenal of lies, idiocies and threats for the election.
2. Pro tip, boys and girls: if you’re in a political party with Trump onna top, people like Jim Jordan and Tommy Tuberville and Ted Cruz wnd McCarthy running things, Marjorie Green running amuck, and candidates like Herschel Walker, you really best avoid yapping about rational discourse, eloquence, cognitive abilities and such. Mind you, I get that you have no sane arguments to make, you don’t have a party platform, and voters strongly disagree with you on everything from abortion to gun control.
So of course you have to do dumb stuff like complain about everybody else’s fear and hate or whatever, while screaming about “carnage,” and “replacement,” and immygrant hordes and so on. What else you got? Certainly not facts, about energy independence or crime or anything else.
Seriously, I get it. What you don’t seem to get is that there are a lot of good folks out there, and hard as you might work, they’re gonna wake up anyway.
Y’all like threats? Fine. Here’s one now: this is a better country than you. Here’s another: you may even figure out that you’re being played for suckers.
32
@Robert ... yes, quite right. Let's take a closer look at those Hunter Biden income statements.
4
@Robert
Enjoyed this, just how I feel, although I may be too angry to put it down in words.
More importantly, hope you are right about what kind of country this is. I am not sure.
10
@BD if you’re willing to include trumps kids, I’m all for it. Let the chips fall where they fall. I have a feeling all of them would end up in jail.
16
It is odd your article says nothing about immigration issues or policies legal or illegal (most especially the problem of discerning and handling of refugees versus economic migrants at the Southern border). Republican political adds hammer Democrats on this issue often in a veiled attempt to stop even legal immigration in line with white replacement theory. Your omission seems to imply Republicans only use the issue to gain power but have no intended policies or real desires to stop the processing of legal immigration or slow it as Trump did or what really to do about the problem at the border except possibly resurrect the inane idea of building a wall and having Mexico pay for it. Biden was able to get some funds for better processing of legal immigration by UCIS. He also has made promises to get it back on track by the end of 2023 and fees paid by applicants fund most of the program. However these promises and goals seem wishful thinking as processing times are actually growing longer and the system seems dysfunctional. It seems Republicans have won on this issue regardless of the outcome of the election and will continue to use it moving toward 2024 but really have no real policies.
13
This is the fallacy of the Republican Party. Relentlessly rail against democrats for not being effective on issues that Republicans made a mess of in the first place.
14
The title of this headline reflects much of the problem in how the Republican Party is covered by the media. The so called “Biden agenda” actually reflects the majority of the US population. So in reality if the republicans control either the senate or house they will be stopping the Peoples agenda. There is a big difference between limiting the goals of a single politician versus stymieing the will of the majority in a democracy.
41
Your preaching to the Choir. We know The Right is not going to support Biden on anything that does not make him look like a loser in 2024. Knowing all of this it is mindboggling of why messaging on The Left is Soo Soo Bad.
11
If Republicans win the house and senate, they vow to block or dismantle Biden’s agenda. Ending new taxes for corporations, block or redirect infrastructure funding, block student loan forgiveness, bar new funding for the IRS, stop fighting climate change, repeal Obamacare, confirm more conservative judges, promote strict or near-total bans on abortions, stall the Democrats equity agenda, decrease or end entitlements and weaken consumer protection. If you vote GOP, all these will happen. But if the Dems win, we continue to make America better for the minorities, the poor, the middle class, women, children and students.
20
What Mr. Peter Baker calls "social welfare architecture" is nothing more and nothing less than the beginning of the road to modernizing society. A bit more social justice, away from the view of some who see the socially weak as inferior just to portray themselves as successful.
At the same time, maintaining the pressure to keep these groups in low-wage jobs, to "recommend" them for low-paying jobs.
6
The GOP stands for nothing but obstruction. Democrats build things up and Republicans tear things down. The GOP is truly a malevolent force.
18
According to Joe Kent, the radical right wing white supremacist republican congressional candidate, we can look forward to "investigation, obstruction, and impeachment" in a Republican house. All because Americans are too stupid too stupid to understand that the president cannot push a button and make gas prices go down. 7 o f the 10 States with the highest crime rate are Republican States with Republican Governors and legislatures. 9 of the 10 States With the highest poverty rate are Republican States with Republican governors and legislatures. That is their policy on crime. That is their economic policy.
16
The Republicans led by TFG are openly trying to destroy democracy. Anyone besides Trump and his mob would have faced serious legal consequences by now for crimes they have committed.
I think the tax cuts are just one example of Mitch McConnell's malfesance. I would like to see Joe Biden apply pressure to both McConnell, McCarthy to actually lead in defending the Constitution.
Merrick Garland's inaction on TFG and people associated with him seems extremely risky. The Jan 6 committee has done a great job but the DOJ seems unable to act.
10
This is the Achilles heel of the American system. If a party different from the president's party controls just 1 chamber of Congress, nothing gets done.
9
Biden’s agenda may or may not be toast. But he can still be effective. I would like to see him go on TV every day for the next two years and propose legislation to:
1) cap the price of a gallon of gas, a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and a dozen eggs at $1; and
2) make any disruption of supplies of those things a felony, with charges being leveled at fossil fuel company execs and boards of directors, as well as producers of eggs, milk, and bread ( with exceptions for non corporate, mom and pop farming operations).
Let Kevin “Lips Attached To Trump’s Back Pocket” McCarthy explain every day why he w refuses to end inflation.
6
I’m curious as to how you expect any of that stuff to get made for less than a buck.
17
This is an almost even-handed look at the issues in play. But many would dispute the term “legislative achievements” for what Biden has done, let alone be willing to overlook what happened in Afghanistan, or what is happening now at the borders or overlook the rise in crime. From this not-Democratic world view, these elections would then be about reversing the damage to our country that has taken place under a Democrat-controlled the Presidency and Congress. In essence, stopping Biden from further damaging our country.
13
@LMartin Just because 2 things happen at the same time, does not mean that one caused the other.
What specific policies or legislation, rather than talking points, would you like to see reversed?
7
@LMartin It wasn’t a Democrat that got us into Afghanistan.
6
@Bob Seneca , so true. And it took a brave democratic president to boldly challenge his critics and
Supporters alike: How many more years than the 20 already wasted would you like the USA to continue an unsuccessful war?
9
History has shown that the economy does best during a Washington political stalemate. So, stop the Democrats.
12
Is that sorta like history showing that the Big Energy does it’s best when the Democrats are in office ?
1
I remember when Democrats won control of Congress. They held America hostage over the debt ceiling, while Nancy vacationed at the Four Seasons in Hawaii. And they obstructed Trump's agenda and engaged in years of investigations.
Republicans can do no worse.
Poor Joe, he'll just have to realize he isn't king. Maybe if he had tried to unite us, instead of dividing us, he could find more goodwill. He does have an ace in the hole with his good bud Mitch McConnell though.
15
@TL It's hard to unite us when 30% believe in "alternative facts" as the former administration called them.
11
TL, it was Christmas break, most of congress— both parties— vacationed.
5
Lacking a veto-level majority and faced with a filibuster in the Senate any Republican House or Congress will be powerless. Sure they can investigate as they did with Benghazi but trump set the precedent for Biden to resist every step of the way in the courts. On a day-to-day citizen level, things will simply simmer at a higher and higher level with more unpleasant flare-ups. The left will resist, protest, etc and the right will bring out their bully boys.
5
This article is the perfect summary of minority-majority rule.
Democrats support environmental protections. They back higher taxes on the wealthy and corporate tax dodgers. They support immigration reform, the prohibition of automatic weapons, more police funding, prison and incarceration reform. Democrats desire Comstitutional reform of the Electoral College and a commitment to free and fair elections free from bullying and reckless efforts to overturn election results.
On some issues, Dems and Republicans each have mixed views, such as loan forgiveness. But on the whole, the divisions separating the two parties are enormous and entrenched.
So, after only two years, voters seem prepared to throw out Democrats over, what, had prices? Infation, which generally impacts Democrats more than the GOP? Or is it the siren call of overt racism, anti-Semitism, vulgarity and violence, the descrecration of law and justice? The corrupt, venal, immoral former President?
This rather bland article suggests to me a scene in the coroner's office, with an unrecognizable, bloodied corpse on the exam table. The coroner, perhaps a former journalist, looks at the remains and says, “I'd say suicide.”
11
@PaulB67 “Or is it the siren call of overt racism, anti-Semitism, vulgarity and violence, the descrecration of law and justice? The corrupt, venal, immoral former President?”
Yup and yup.
8
Why does the disputing working class that is at the core of the “Trump Base” support tax cuts for the mega wealthy?
7
Now have the authors of the article write an article on how it might be possible for Biden to stop the Republican agenda.
7
Stymie his agenda? Seriously? McConnell literally said his own agenda was making sure Obama was a one term president. They have no agenda, they have no policies. They complain about everything but have a plan for nothing. They want power for the sake of power, not for the good of the country. I'm not worried about Biden's agenda. I'm worried about my Jewish friends, my friends of color, my gay friends, my nieces & nephews who have armed security guards at their elementary school and watch men and women walk into their local restaurant with guns strapped to them like that's normal. Yes, save social security and medicare. Education, healthcare, foreign affairs. Lots to do, lots of problems to fix. But my god when is the media going to wake up? We want to win an election. They want to kill us. Literally. That is Republican members of Congress literally Democrats deserve. That's their "agenda". I don't know if you somehow still don't believe it or if you are too busy both siding to listen. A free press is in the Constitution for a reason--we need your to do your job!
9
There is an unfortunate atmosphere in this country that is fueled primarily by a revived and rabid Confederacy and an immature media.
The constant need to perpetuate the idea that President Biden is unpopular, based on "polling averages" which include polls skewed to extreme right politics mischaracterizes the fundamental environment that exists.
The people like President Biden and his policies, but are also unhappy with the current inflation and fears of crime.
Confederate forces led by Donald Trump perpetuate violence and lies and then claim "all sides do it" as if that is either true or relevant.
All sides do not perpetuate lies and violence.
This is exclusively a pattern of the right.
But the media allow this notion of "what-aboutism" to go unchallenged and the media thrives in this sort of chaos as it is easy news to report. It requires no difficult research or understanding of complex issues, and is as compelling as a massive car accident with bodies strewn along the highway.
America is not what it appears in the national press.
Eighty to ninety percent of Americans are neither politically vitriolic, nor do they want civil war. They want our political leaders to get things accomplished and make government work.
That maybe boring news to cover, but it is the truth.
22
If the Republicans Party takes over Congress all normal government operations will stop. Grievance and revenge politics will be the order of the day. Listen to what Kevin McCarthy, Marjorie Greene and their pals are saying they will do. With Donald Trump pulling the puppet strings from behind the curtain. And if folks like Mitch McConnell and his group start telling the extreme individuals in their party that one should not govern like this do you think they would listen? No, because they now have the power. The upcoming midterms are incredibly important on many levels. This is just one example of the hate that will more engulf our Capitol. Voters, think very hard on your choices. It is one thing to have policy and issue differences. It is another thing to not care about these and be completely derelict in governing duties.
10
That would certainly show that the voters don’t want Biden’s agenda.
17
Could you guys maybe work a little on your prob with crowd sizes, maybe even learn the basics of how to advance an actual argument?
4
If the electorate votes to put Republicans in control of both houses, they will have voted for total gridlock. Nothing will get done.
8
@Whole Grains To me, better that nothing is done than advance the Biden administrations goals in several areas. Vote R!
8
Well, yeah we kind of want to dismantle bidenflation, and turn back the energy idiocy.
14
@Jaco
It’s trumpflation we have now, the product of utter failure to timely deal with COVID in a way that kept supply chains intact, and of course tax cuts for the wealthy that certainly pumped more inflationary money into the economy. But you knew that. Tell me what you will do when McCarthy is completely incapable of ending inflation?
10
Republicans could stymie Biden’s agenda?
They have pretty much said they will be stymying the US with their revenge investigations. Pick an agenda, any agenda. It will not be addressed. Except for their policy of economic destruction.
10
Growing up with depression era parents who revered FDR he holds a special place to me. However, Joe trying to reach that stature by enabling men to play on women’s sports teams sort of feels like my parents are being mocked.
16
@Ivermarkt
That’s it? You’ve bought into the lie that Biden’s entire agenda is about something that he has said and done nothing to promote? Good luck.
6
I love how the articles fail to mention the obvious. The GOP already controls the house, so most of biden's agenda is Dead on arrival already. Having replica Republicans control the Senate would change a little, except for appointments and confirmations, which granted are significant
It really isn't "If" the Republicans regain Congress. Just gaining the House OR the Senate will be enough. The Republicans have shown, repeatedly, that they are willing to completely bring everything to a standstill to get what they want.
The likelihood is quite strong they will regain both the House and Senate. And they will start investigations into Biden. And, frankly, I think there might be something there to uncover.
As for Biden's agenda. I realize it's distasteful to admit, but the Biden administration has very few successes to point to. Afghanistan was a fiasco. (When was the last time the NYTimes covered how 95% of the Afghans are starving to death because the West -- i.e., 'Murica -- has frozen all their assets? Starving civilians is not a re-election plank.) Worst of all, it was an unforced error. Biden had leeway to discard the agreement after the Taliban violated it first. The right time to evacuate would have been a few months later, during the winter months.
The IRA Biden's supporters keep waving frantically? It was hacked to a stub by one senator from his own party (not a good look when your own party cuts you off at the knees), it's accomplishments wildly overemphasized (the drug price reductiongs won't kick in until a couple of years, and then only for 10 drugs, etc.). The student loan forgiveness program? $10K off isn't going to help the worst affected people, the ones deeply in six-figure debt (millions of Americans).
Tuesday will be a bloodbath.
8
The insulin price reductions start Jan. 1, Alex, as do the no-price vaccines for seniors.
These are not your inly, ah, unforced errors.
And could we please cut it out with language like, “bloodbath,” even if it is Halloween?
5
So the solution is we should have stayed in Afghanistan? Holy cow. We were there for 17 years and nothing changed.
4
@Floyd No, Floyd. Read the OP. Shift the departure time to the winter, a few months. We shouldn't have forced a puppet government in, but, having done so, we could have at least given it the best debut possible.
1
Let's all pray they stop his radical agenda...or America will be down the toilet before he finishes his term. This election is that serious. If the democrats prevail we are finished as a country. And for those that say democrat policies take a number of years to have an impact...they are wrong. The impact is damaging and immediate and only gets WORSE as time goes on. Look at the ACA...healthcare in America is in the toilet...more expensive and less coverage than ever. At no time has it been worse than what it is right now and every year it gets worse. My employer has already let us know our coverage will be decreasing AGAIN for the coming year. Less coverage costing a lot more money...thank you democrats.
17
@Tom
I'm not sure where you get your information regarding healthcare coverage. I was not a supporter of the ACA when it was 1st proposed, but when it was enacted I saw an immediate and substantial benefit in how I could provide care for my patients. While Insurers continue to cut back coverage in certain areas to preserve their profits as they are prevented from charging whatever they want, what makes you think that these coverage cuts and rate increases wouldn't have occurred (or be worse) if there were no ACA to guarantee a level of coverage and reign in costs?
12
@Tom None of that has any foundation in fact. There is no policy that has caused any issues. Inflation is global. Oil prices are controlled by OPEC +. The US has enabled a formidable coalition against Russia. The recent bills invest in US industry, jobs and recovering industries we created but foolishly allowed to be offshored. The ACA for its issues has led to more direct access to healthcare, more insured and reduced costs for preventative medicine. Your employer is cutting back your insurance because it can and it does not care a whit about the impact.
10
Hmm. The ACA has been great for both me and my partner. We are both on it - aka Obamacare - and have been for several years.
8
It seems pretty obvious, but if the Republicans gain control of the House,
Con-gress will be the opposite of Pro-gress.
The Republicans have no plan for the future. All they want to do is undo anything Biden and Obama have moved forward, in other words Progress.
Electing a party that is full of negatives (Republicans) rather than supporting a party that wants to move forward and sustain OUR Earth (social, environmental, physical) - Democratic - is to abdicate your responsibility to maintain a planet where your children can not only survive, but thrive.
Please don't be swindled by Republican charlatans like trump, walker, oz and the rest of the empty souls and liars.
12
Inflation is at a 40 year high. Gas prices are very high. The stock market has fallen. Crime is soaring. The Democrats have done a bad job. Who needs more Democratic failures?
29
@bc None of which have any correlation to the Democrats save for in the outlets of the right. Which rarely present anything an educated person cannot quickly disassemble.
11
It is more like our freedoms that hang in the balance. The Republicans seem to want a government so small it fits in a woman’s uterus and in your bedroom.
9
Sorry, but Americans are not going to suddenly stop worrying about the economy, crime, education, etc., just because the NYT wants to hold a little victory rally for Biden.
The entire idea behind voting in this midterm is to introduce some sanity into the Democrats' plans. Democrats will just have to deal with the harsh reality, like every other American.
26
Feel free to explain how pretending that little things like climate change ain’t happening, and ignoring the actual crime numbers, works out to sanity.
6
@Robert This is one of several posters that when you ask them for facts, data, real policy analysis etc you get sound bites.
5
You missed a big one: if the Republicans take back the House they will impeach Biden for . . . Something. Doesn’t matter what. They will not be able to convict him in the Senate, but beyond doubt they will impeach him.
3
like the Democrats did to President Trump.
7
No, the Democrats impeached Trump the first time for extorting Ukraine (threatening to withhold $400million of military aid) to get dirt on his potential 2020 opponents. The Democrats impeached Trump the second time for inciting an attempted coup in order to remain in power.
So, extorting a foreign adversary for individual political gain and an attempted coup… clearly good reasons for any president to be removed from office.
8
You are wasting your time. Reason and facts do not compute with the right-wing. They make their own facts to suit what they want.
5
“ A republic if you can keep it “. Sorry, the end stage of Republic is at sight. Domestic Tranquility is threatened. Democrats have failed to feel the pulse of American voters. Can Democrats keep the White House in 2024?
3
You can forget, “in the balance”. Biden’s agenda will simply hang and twist in the wind. The next two years will devolve into shutting down investigations of Trump and, at the same time, rolling out the red carpet for the coronation in 2024.
5
He has done more in two years then almost any recent President. Now let’s watch the GOP dismantle America, hunt down Hunter Biden, execute false impeachments, and elevate Marjorie Taylor Greene to Speaker of the House.
11
Biden’s Agenda??? Really?
Abortion? The civil rights of women have already been decimated—health care providers in red states from pharmacists to oncologists are refusing to treat women. Women with dangerous pregnancies are being forced to wait until they are closer to dying before doctors will evacuate their wombs. Women with incomplete miscarriages are being sent home to develop dangerous infections.
Republicans are sending election deniers to officiate elections. Should these people be voted into office, the ability to vote for you representatives in these states will be over. Should enough of them be elected, we can expect multiple states to send undemocratically selected electors in 2024, potentially changing the result.
Should Republicans win the House and Senate both, they will impeach Biden, Harris, Garland and every other obstacle between them and total power, or if they fail, simply gum up the works until 2024.
This election isn’t about Biden’s agenda. It’s about surviving as a country. Because if Republicans win, this will be a very different, very darker country than we have ever known.
13
Better headline?
How a GOP win could stymie our nation.
9
Seems to me Biden's agenda was already stymied by two Democrats named Sinema and Manchin.
8
The Democrats have failed. It's that simple.
28
Totally agree. Republicans don’t win elections. Instead, Democrats lose them. When our democracy is gone in 2024, it will be because of the incompetent Democratic candidates who fail to get voters excited enough to come and vote.
The only thing more pathetic than incompetent Democratic politicians is voters gullible enough to vote for any Republican. Yet here we are.
8
Why because he hasn’t been able to reverse the 4 disastrous years of trump in 2 years. Trump was handed a prosperous economy. Trump made a debacle of COViD and couldn’t protect the economy from its ramifications. Biden’s policies are trying to stabilize the economy move it forward and never with any republican support. Is it fair to say that in 2 years this should have all been corrected? I am hopeful and happy that Biden is in charge. It’s too bad that the Americans are going to put more obstructionists in Congress who have no ideas/plans /policies of their own. Nothing to help immigration, the environment, the infrastructure, healthcare, or education. What are they proposing again- tax breaks for the wealthy, - oh right- that doesn’t add to the deficit?!?
5
The neo-Confederate party has no intention of governing.
They will tear the republic apart with spite to feed the rich better.
And they call themselves‘Republicans’.
George Orwell couldn’t have scripted a better Up Is Down political party name.
46
You know what, this article could have been written
"How a Democratic Surge in Congress would Enhance Biden's Agenda"
I'm tired of all the 'warnings' it is gaslighting, frankly.
6
How about a bulleted list of accomplishments under the headline of what would be rolled back?
9
Progressives are the cancer. “Of the people by the people for the people” is a great idea except the people have no sense. Republicans Voting for celebrity Herschel Walker is as ignorant as voting for celebrity Trump — and Progressives canonizing a career criminal and dedicating schools streets babies libraries to George Floyd. At the children’s bookstore, sandwiched between Einstein and Fulton is the Progressive role model Floyd. Herschel is Progressive racist identity politics — so you are in no position to complain. Without Progressives, Democrats can again be the party of Wilson FDR Truman.
7
@ABC Walker is an empty suit being put up to be a robotic vote for the Rs. Progressives stand for all of the things that Wilson, FDR and Truman did. Same policies and approaches. That is the real case not the output of right wing propaganda arms.
5
@ABC A vote for Walker is in the expectation of a Senate vote that will help stop the Biden administration. That's all.
4
Poor, misled, Fox-guided GOP voters are voting to cut the social services that keep them alive, and cut the taxes of the ultra rich who exploit them….if that’s what it takes to “own the libs.”
13
@Legendary ....while the Greenwich Republicans and Robber Barons assist in destroying all else.
3
Why do you keep saying “Biden’s agenda”?
It’s the Democrats’ agenda. Biden should never have been nominated—he is semi-coherent, can hardly speak, and belongs in a rest home.
20
Biden is the best, most capable person to lead the Democrats???? Biden is the Democrat best and brightest? This tells you everything you need to know about Democrats.
9
Republicans - the party of "No and Disinformation." Crude, rude, and just downright liars. Will never vote for one again.
10
Rather than treat this as sport, I wish NYT would tell us how we’d be affected if Rs are in power.
7
First thought upon reading the headline:
“How wouldn’t they stymie Biden’s agenda?”
We all know the playbook here, folks…
7
I see GOP is not thet much into Ukraine war so I am voting from all GOP slate.
5
What if we had actual borders like other countries??? When can America be for Americans? Ever? Do other countries support an eternal flow of illegals? No. Anchor babies? No.
15
Can't wait to legitimately vote in person with my ID.
Election Day cannot come soon enough.
Impeach Biden and Make America Great Again!
11
Sorry....Joe Manchin and Kryten Sinema already killed Biden's agenda.....the Republicans didn't even need to lift a finger.
And because the Dems didn't force votes on popular issues (like family leave, for example, or the minimum wage), they can't attack the GOP on these issues.
5
This article needs to lead each day and go a bit deeper to spell out the plans of each party. I just don’t understand how anyone other than a rich white dude can vote Republican.
8
Not a horse race. If you respect women, the rule of law and the quaint idea of equality under the law, vote for Democratic candidates.
Otherwise, enjoy lots of dumb hearings, tax cut proposals and the further rise of a hostile theocratic patriarchy. The DisUnited States of Alito.
8
America: land of the willfully ignorant and deliberately cruel.
Still voting GOP in 2022?
After four years of trump’s incompetence and corruption?
After Jan 6th?
Why? Cause the Taliban can’t run for office here?!?
10
Biden ran as a moderate. Got shoved left by progressives. And now voters are shoving him back.
24
@AACNY
and trump ran as a wannabe autocrat who cared nothing for the Constitution and Americans said "no way"! What makes you think the GOP will offer up anyone better in 2024 given the slate of election deniers and trump acolytes running on their ticket currently?
5
@ExDoc
How to blow an election in 3 easy steps: Trump, Trump, Trump.
7
It’s pathetic that the gqp will automatically deny any part of Biden’s agenda just because he’s a democrat. Vote BLUE and help this country move forward and not backwards into fascism.
7
And lest we wonder how the NYT feels, it can be summed up as follows: “go republicans, down with democrats (and democracy).”
4
Finally, some good news
9
Forget Biden’s agenda; the real damage is already done, the 6/3 Koch bought Supreme Court will finally kill what’s left of American democracy when it rules in favor of North Carolina state legislators:
https://www.npr.org/2022/06/30/1106866830/supreme-court-to-take-on-controversial-election-law-case
Thanks to all the holier than thou tools who sat out 2016; voted third party or actually voted for Putin’s useful idiot in 2016.
9
The New York Times needs to tell all the readers the one of our two major parties has abandoned the rules of liberal democracy and nonviolent political conflict. This party is just using our open, democratic, society to turn it into a dictatorship.
7
This is putting a pretty rhetorical face on what will be
a non ending sequence of out of control lunacies by trumpicans in control of committees. The legislative branch will essentially grind to a halt as overlord trump and his cronies in positions of power maneuver endlessly to establish narrative dominance over the consequences of congressional inaction with pointless displays of grievance porn to keep their base stoked.
Nothing will get done and fingers will wag and point in both directions to the endless delight of those who funded the winners in November's announced debacle. If nothing gets done, then they don't have to pay up or sacrifice in the slightest, letting all the chaos just increase and diffuse still faster throughout society.
Think of what happens re abortion, gun control, climate change, health care, etc etc etc....it'll all be
directed towards making TN, GA, SC, FL, TX, KY, the models for the rest of the country.
And the "arguments" to support such legislation will all be so pathetically asinine that the natural reflex will be to ask whether one is supposed to weep or giggle incessantly.
But this is what pouting, sulking non voters, incapable of
seeing past their current difficulties surely deserve.
They can't believe that trumpicans have interest in helping them out, or have a realistic clue how to do so. Where exactly were they from 2017-20?
E.g., when does the latest installment of a new health insurance plan come out?
5
Getting rid of the Biden agenda will be the equivalent of curing cancer
16
No woman ever plans on having an abortion, until they need one. All women, and their allies, should vote on this. Women might think their partner will stand by them, they can't imagine a pregnancy going wrong. It's something that happens to other people, until it happens to you. Please vote.
20
If the GOP retakes Congress, paving the way for Trump's return, it will represent a disaster of epic proportions. It will mean the end of democracy in America.
11
Stymie? It seems Biden and Democrats will just game the process with executive orders once they lose budget reconciliation.
13
Considering how many Republican officials and members of their electorate still are election deniers they shouldn’t AND can’t be surprised that if Democrats loose any elections they’ll use the same playbook.
And should Trump run and win if Democrats have their own “free speech” rallies on Jan 6 2025 can Republicans as a party really and honestly - object!
5
Please. Urge everyone you know to vote especially young people. In2020 only 50% of young adults under 25 voted. Imagine if they showed up?
Ask your young people if they’ve voted and get them to commit to taking a friend. Even local school board elections matter.
11
It seems that our most prosperous times come when we have a stalemate in Washington DC. It is hard to argue that Americans have flourished financially over the past two years. I for one would welcome a split in political power and all of the proper checks and balances that come along with it.
12
@Jeff
Those of us who are voting a straight Republican ticket are doing so in order to end Biden's agenda.
Whether you like or loathe Trump, it's hard to argue that we are better off financially when the Democrats are in full control.
Hopefully, now the free-for-all spending will end.
9
@Ian Do you realize there was a pandemic.
2
@Ian
"One of President Donald Trump’s lesser known but profoundly damaging legacies will be the explosive rise in the national debt that occurred on his watch. The financial burden that he’s inflicted on our government will wreak havoc for decades, saddling our kids and grandkids with debt.
The national debt has risen by almost $7.8 trillion during Trump’s time in office. That’s nearly twice as much as what Americans owe on student loans, car loans, credit cards and every other type of debt other than mortgages, combined, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It amounts to about $23,500 in new federal debt for every person in the country.
The growth in the annual deficit under Trump ranks as the third-biggest increase, relative to the size of the economy, of any U.S. presidential administration, according to a calculation by a leading Washington budget maven, Eugene Steuerle, co-founder of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. And unlike George W. Bush and Abraham Lincoln, who oversaw the larger relative increases in deficits, Trump did not launch two foreign conflicts or have to pay for a civil war."
Facts are funny things.
5
If Biden and Schumer do not take this opportunity to fill EVERY open Federal Judgeship, then the Dems deserve whatever unwanted court decision and subsequent criticism from affected Americans. How McConnell will respond is no secret. He outmaneuvered Sen Reid to remove the filibuster on Federal Judges to provide the rationale for removal of it for Supreme Court Judges, and he set the precedent that a SCOTUS seat could remain open indefinitely if a Dem sat in the WH. What makes anyone think he would not let Federal and Supreme Court seats remain open until after the 2024 elections on the hope that a trumplican won the WH? While filling Federal judgeships may not be high on most Americans' wish list, failure to do so will have a huge impact on how our laws and Constitution are interpreted affecting every American for decades. Schumer needs to get Manchin and Sinema on board then start bringing up nominees to fill all of these seats, and Biden needs to explain why filling judgeships is important for this election and for the future.
5
We who lived and worked in China could have told Bill Clinton that sponsoring China into the WTO would pay for the greatest military expansion and spy network in history. After spending trillions on its spies and military, will China just let the assets sit idle? Since China joined WTO we have seen the greatest transfer of wealth since 1492. What technology Chinese didn’t steal, your CEOs, and politicians gave away to China — knowing they’d bail out with a golden parachute (before anyone was wiser).
8
Democrats can criticize the Republicans all they want, but if Republicans regain control of Congress, they should be able to maintain the 40 year tax and public policies that have resulted in the bottom 50% of Americans owning just 2% of the wealth, while the top 1% own 32.3 percent, and the GOP should be able to blame immigrants, people who would have been held as slaves prior to 1865, and gender neutral bathrooms for this economic devastation.
5
There is only one issue that matters. Climate change. It represents the one true existential threat to our country and to the human race as a whole. If we don’t continue to work to reduce emissions as quickly as possible we are, as my son is found of saying…”toast”.
5
@Jesse Barket
Sorry, but if climate change were truly that important, people wouldn't have handed over the issue to zealots. Their unreasonable demands and attacks on any who questions them have led to increased skepticism.
At this point, I trust Exxon or GM to cut emissions more than I do a zealot who has no connection to reality.
8
Of course, Biden still has the veto.
4
@M. Mellem We know that, but would he remember such a thing exists?
1
At least the Democrats had 2 years to successfully pass a number of bills. Now, we are going to have to sit through the oncoming circus as we did from 2010-2018 ala Benghazi, Benghazi.....
My greatest fear which is likely is that they will weaponize the debt ceiling limits and make unacceptable demands.
They, along with many of their supporters are in kamikazi mode and are fine with tanking our economy.
Understand that some Dems have proposed changing how the debt ceiling is raised. Unfortunately, also heard that Biden is against eliminating it.
I have written my congressman and senators to urge them to address this, I hope more voters do this.
4
it's all just another dog and pony show to sell ads and to keep the rich richer and in power... to quote Mark Twain if voting mattered they wouldn't let us do it
4
Biden failed on energy, failed on the economy spiralling it into inflation just like Nixon with the war on Vietnam and fiscal spending to win votes and manipulating Arthur Burns. What is worse is taking us to the brink of all out war with Russia and China. At a time we can least afford it.
12
Uh, could you maybe explain how we’re energy-independent and exporting record amounts of oil&gas, how come the deficit dropped by half this year, and how Joe Biden made Putin invade Ukraine?
For extra credit, maybe you could detail how Trump got everything straightened out with Xi and North Korea.,
Note: jumping up and down like Rumplestiltskin is not an answer.
9
Dear NYT:
The Times' Manichean view of President Biden's prospects when the GOP seizes control of one or other houses of Congress misstates the stakes for Biden and our country.
Biden can continue to pursue much of his agenda, but he will be forced to jettison the radical Left parts that are being rejected by the majority.
On the positive side, Biden will now have the ability to do what he promised to do to get elected -- find the pragmatic middle, and negotiate deals.
For example, what the NYT calls the Democrat plan to "codify abortion rights" is not really a codification at all; it actually abolishes the careful compromise of Roe and Casey, and institutes a radical abortion regime that forbids states from any regulation at all.
The fundamental question is, at what point does a state's duty to protect human life, however nascent, outweigh the right of every women to bodily autonomy? Casey drew the line at viability and "undue burden;" the Democrats would erase the line entirely.
I suspect that a sufficient number of Republicans might support a "codification" like Casey -- allowing states to ban abortion after 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and the health of mother.
Similarly, a bipartisan Congress could easily pass Sen. Scott's police reforms, expand college access by pushing down college costs, and expand child care credits for mothers who work.
So yes, maybe these reforms will be "more difficult," but even more impressive, popular and enduring.
8
I think Biden, a very flawed candidate, was a compromise on not being Trump and being a “moderate.” I don’t think he was elected to be FDR. The midterms will prove this true.
10
If the Republicans take Congress it would be nothing more than democracy in action, and people who claim to be worried about democracy ought to applaud the process wherein the voters have rejected Biden’s agenda.
15
No mention of cutting aid to Ukraine, which looks likely, and that Putin is probably counting on for a Ukrainian capitulation this winter.
5
@David Martin
Not sure where you are getting this "inside" information, or is it a conspiracy theory? Speaker-in-waiting McCarthy has not endorsed anything close to cutting off aid.
Are you perhaps thinking of the progressive's push to force Ukraine into negotiations? Rep. Jaypal withdrew that demand the day after it was delivered to Biden. Oops.
4
There was a time in my memory when a change of ownership of the House or Senate was not an invitation to a cage match. The fact that in general the House flips at the midterms is an unfortunate fact of our dysfunctional body politic. I am sure the Biden administration is doing everything possible to insure some continuity if this happens as usual. As it is he has done more for America then most Presidents do in eight years. Given the travesty of the SCOTUS abortion ruling and rulings to come I would think even the GOP would cooperate a bit in the future. Probably not but there seems to be a lot of wishful and magical thinking here in the comments.
4
All American voters need to know about the Republican Plans for the future, is that they have no plans and have been so focused on obstruction for many years, now, have no thoughtful ideas whatsoever, it's that simple.
When you look at the economy, in spite of inflation which was brought on by the pandemic and Russia attacking Ukraine, jobs, unemployment and growth has been great and the deficit is being reduced.
It's time Democrats get out spread the message and also make it crystal clear that Republicans would not only set the economy and growth back, try to give the wealthy another huge tax break setting the economy backwards; they have made it clear that they want to destroy Social Security and Medicare, with some undoable plan of privatization.
Voters who say they are independent and Democrats who are blaming Joe Biden and the Democrats for the inflation which has been slowly coming down too, are misguided and buying a bill of snake oil from liars like Kevin McCarthy and the rest of the Republicans who wreck the progress made and also throw support to Putin and Russia in their war of aggression against Ukraine; the Republicans would have destroyed NATO and our strong world bonds with our allies, if it had not been for Joe Biden.
A vote for Republicans is a vote backwards in support of the traitors of January 6th, and a Trump agenda.
9
Republicans are hankering for the days when some people knew their place and stayed there.
The cruelty is the point and if they win they are going to show us how cruel they can be.
9
The DNC needs to put the GDP and Dow Jones news on full blast media buys. if they don't tout this in every possible market where Dems are vulnerable then they're blowing a great opportunity.
3
Biden has enormous accomplishments in the last 2 years! He was able to do so with razor thin majorities in both houses, while not receiving a lot of credit for.
It’s time to relax, get the veto pen out and ready, take credit for the accomplishments as the benefits of the new legislations start taking effect and see the crazies trying to bring down the houses (literally and figuratively).
6
@VR Sure. Huge numbers of illegal immigrants. Some accomplishment.
6
"if the GOP takes control of either chamber"--I don't even want to think about it!
5
If the Luddites win the house, they can change nothing.
Say goodbye to democracy and a
Clean Environment
Social Security
Medicare
LGBT rights
Infrastructure
Sensible gun safety….and much more.
It’s heartbreaking. VOTE!!!
14
The Democrats are poor messengers. Goodbye to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
2
@emb
Democrats always claim this when Republicans are about to win... and it's never happened.
11
@Ian "Democrats always claim this..." because it's true. Republicans are and have been hostile to the creation of the kind of "socialist" welfare state that works very well in Europe, and indeed makes that continent's various populations overall happier than those in the US.
"It's never happened" because the public gets wind of very real ambitions by Republicans to roll back the safety net.
And one can only thank Sen. Rick Scott for telling us about his plan to "sunset" SS, Medicare, and Medicaid. It probably won't do Democrats much good in this election, but it will at least set the stage for opposition thereafter.
4
However incomplete, Biden's actions are accomplishing something republicans can only dream of, true service, and goods, for the people. Republicans, fully obstructionists and worse, trying to dismantle Biden's accomplishments, ought to be ashamed of themselves...by undermining something only a democracy can accomplish, justice...and the freedom it confers. And some peace in society. Why do republicans seek power, just for power sake...and self-service? It makes no sense wnatsoever!
7
Well, Mr. Biden will have some veto powers still, right? If the Republicans Make America Garbage Again, then would that not be Great! for the 2024 elections?
3
Left out the mess about border security, refugees, and immigration. What are the partymurky differences?
6
Typical Democratic Party electoral spin. Suffice it to say that "Dreaming-of-FDR" is not "Acting-like-FDR."
9
Republicans need to know that Democrats are just as able as they were on January 6th to radicalize and storm the Capitol. We are also smarter and have better lawyers. They will not fare well if they continue to push the destruction of our nation, and yes, many of us own guns too. They will rue the day….
3
I just received my Mexican permanent residency and driver's license. Buena suerte.
3
Yes, of course.
The opposite party rarely supports the agenda of a president.
5
Biden’s Agenda Hangs in the Balance if Republicans Take Congress
No kidding! As if an educated voter doesn't know.
9
TLDR: The Republicans are determined to take this country to the 1920's. Vote, and make sure everyone you know votes.
5
Republicans will not be taking Congress. Vote.
4
Unfortunately the policies passed by Democrats take a number of years to have an impact. The law allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices was just passed, and we won't see the impact for a few years. The Republicans whipped up deficit fear and resentment about the Affordable Care Act, which then cost Democrats both the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014.
12
@Debra
The delayed Medicare drug negotiation is very weak.
A Maximum of ten drugs may be negotiated in 2026. There are strict criteria drugs must meet for negotiation.
Ten drugs is a ceiling not a floor. If only 2-3 drugs meet the criteria that's all that may be negotiated.
As per usual this is Biden false advertising. Medicare is the only third party payer that does *not* negotiate drug costs. Why limit it to ten and not until 2026?
Biden and the Dems put the devil in the details. They feared not extending ACA subsidies including the enhanced pandemic subsidies, hence this so called drug negotiation.
Biden likes to chose the winner and losers. The rest of us don't matter to him. This may come back to bite him.
7
I sense a degree of fear in the comments. In 2016, a Trump administration was seen as a sort of end of times. In reality, it was a time of prosperity and, while COVID happened, we lead the world in developing effective vaccines that helped tame the pandemic. There is no reason to fear GOP control which will, in meaningful ways to many, be an improvement over the status quo.
66
Trump was handed the reigns to a prosperous economy built back by an Obama administration following 8 disastrous years of W. After four years of Trump and his “trade wars”, graft, and general mismanagement, Biden inherited a mess. A mess made worse by GOP obstruction like not supporting the inflation reduction act.
It’s like an alternate reality.
67
@Michael IMHO much of the prosperity was the result of many years of Democratic policies already in place. The vaccines came from research developed to combat AIDS, something the GOP would not have funded. Trump made things worse by failing to recognize the seriousness of the pandemic and ignoring the pandemic playbook left by both Democrat and Republican former administrations. The GOP, under the total dominance of Trump, has become incompetent and corrupt. I would not expect more prosperity from Republicans, only attempts to retain their power at the expense of American democracy, and the graft that will follow.
41
Trump spent like a drunken sailor. Had we had a responsible government during those years, we’d be much better off today. As it is, because of Biden’s policies, we are doing better than almost every country in the world. Inflation and gas prices are an issue everywhere. Thank God we have serious people in the White House trying to help the American people, not just their rich friends.
38
Social security will have financial problems if nothing is done. Republicans are being responsible in pointing out that changes have to be made.
According to Forbes article this week, Republican Study Committee (RSC), which represents about 150 House Republicans, proposed reducing initial benefits for high-income earners. According to surveys, most Republican and Democrat voters agree with reducing initial benefits for higher income earners.
Again, the Republicans proposals on Social Security are forcing a much needed conversation on Social Security. That is a good thing.
42
If it is possible to have a conversation, great. Holding the country hostage by threatening the full faith and credit of the US is not a conversation.
I have no confidence Republicans are capable of acting in good faith.
26
@Daniel ….don’t reduce benefits, merely raise the income ceiling on SS taxes so that the rich making over $147,000 will pay their fair share.
18
@Daniel Republicans have been saying Social Security is going broke for 40 years. It was supposed to have been insolvent in 2017, if I remember correctly.
Any argument will do to cut benefits or let their wealthy owners get their hands on that sweet, sweet cash!
11
It actually doesn't matter which party "controls" the House any longer; the money has already been spent--over $8 Trillion, starting with the Trump administration. When you release (or print) that amount of currency, you have effectively shut down one government, and created another, and that new government isn't one defined or administered by traditional political parties.
1
Why are we still paying attention to polls? Polling has become seriously unreliable. Many households have eliminated their land lines, and many people do not respond to calls or texts on their mobile phones if the caller is not in their contacts list. Those people who are reachable by phone and likely to respond to pollsters are surely not representative of the voting population. We don't know what will happen in November 2022 or 2024, just as Trump's 2020 victory surprised many pollsters. Polling organizations don't want us to think about this because polling, however imperfect, is their bread and butter. So if you lean Democrat or progressive, don't despair prematurely.
3
Biden's agenda is the reason the Democrats look likely to lose.
Independent voters are always the most crucial. They appear exhausted with this hard swing to the left which was never a part of Mr. Biden's campaign (such as it was).
The voters repudiated Trump, the person.
Not law and order, borders, capitalism, freedom of speech, energy independence, a strong economy, growth, equal opportunity versus "equity".
On and on.
34
Speaking of on and on and on, this stuff about Joe Biden being Mao-Tse Tung is completely ridiculous.
And to note another ridiculous, we started becoming “energy independent,” about 2006–fracking drove it—got there about 2013, and are currently exporting record amounts of gas&oil.
Look it up, not that you will.
5
Michael's comment below is great. I just want to add a few more thoughts.
Americans have become addicted to the idea that we need government to succeed.
We don't.
From COVID to climate it's hard to see the government money doing anything beneficial. If anything I think government enriched the usual suspects and didn't help the true innovators. The one exception I'd note is the President's Warp Speed initiative which helped drug manufacturers develop COVID vaccines rapidly by guaranteeing their purchase.
The Supreme Court's Dobbs decision which is one of the focal points of Democratic policy actually highlights the best of what Republicans have to offer: power back to the people.
We need government to stop imposing its views on us Americans like we are all the same. We are not. And that's what makes our country special.
So like Michael says below, think critically and don't blindly fear the Republican party because of what Democrats say.
Do you really think the identity politics of the Democratic party has made race relations better in the US? I can hardly think of a time in my lifetime they've been worse.
Do you think our massive spending has helped small businesses and workers succeed? Well look at my 401k and wages relative to inflation.
And please, let's select judges that uphold the law, not judges that invent new laws.
The Republican party is now the working class party. I encourage Democrats to reconsider their party affiliation.
16
Slavery and Jim Crow and redlining were defiantly worse
1
@J Hagen
Yeah! Who needs government. Let’s just be like Somalia, amiright?
3
@J Hagen
"The Supreme Court's Dobbs decision which is one of the focal points of Democratic policy actually highlights the best of what Republicans have to offer: power back to the people."
Whenever I hear that somehow returning abortion to the states to decide, I wonder why on earth those who support it think this is somehow a virtuous thing?
A politician is a politician be it state , local , or federal- none of them have the right to dictate what a woman does with her body.
By your logic, may as well let each county board of supervisors decide- aren't they even "closer" to the people?
2
As Peter Baker sees it, "...Republican control of either house would result in a flurry of subpoenas and investigations of the administration...".
Must Republican control have that effect? Can't principled party leaders prevent this outcome -- and wouldn't they benefit by showing that they both behave better and think better than the recent opposition leadership?
2
@fred herriman
There are no principled party leaders among Republicans. Liz and Adam, conservative to the core, are principled, and they have been thrown out of the party. What is left will most certainly fail to govern.
3
If the GOP takes back even the house, Republican voters will deserve the chaos and American decline that will follow.
The rest of us don't deserve it, of course, but they definitely will.
3
What I'm most concerned about is not 2023, but 2025. 2024 is a very GOP friendly Senate map. If Republicans do well in 2022, they put themselves within striking distance of getting to 60 seats in 2024.
With 60 seats, plus the white house, they do a lot of damage, including a complete repeal of the Clean Air Act, a ban on solar panels that compete with coal, a ban on abortion, a moratorium on all legal immigration, and who knows what else.
Oh, and the long term Senate bias towards Republicans means, once Tester, Brown, and Manchin get voted out (all up for reelection in 2024), you will never see another Democratic judge confirmed to any federal court, ever. You think 6-3 is bad. In 2060, it might be 9-0.
3
if the Democrats lose it will be because they are beholden to their donors. if we really look at what was accomplished it's sad. A one time stimulus. A infrastructure deal which is mostly corporate handouts only 150 billion over 10 years for physical infrastructure. A chip bill, handouts to corporations, and industrial stimulus, more corporate handouts, student loans which doesn't change the structure or cost of education and might not materialize, that's it. No healthcare, maternity, childcare, drug prices, minimum wage. Most importantly no efforts on corruption or getting money out of politics. If you don't tackle the corruption in our system you are corrupt. but 40 years in politics will stop you from seeing it
8
It's a big mistake to think that if the Republicans re-take congress, they are going to do anything that will help solve or improve the current problems they spew out in their speeches and advertising during these mid-term elections. Their agenda is not to fix problems such as the economy or crime or global challenges. Their agenda is to make this country more religious (forget separation of church and state), more white, more conservative and restrict people's rights. Voters have to take a long view and stop listening and focusing on the short term problems that have faced this country through many, many administrations. Vote for the country's democratic principles, not just how much your food or energy bill costs. Yes, these are all important issues, but more important is our long term future. Go out and vote in large numbers next month.
5
The best thing anyone can do now is to ignore all polls. Hillary thought, in part based on polls, that she would win. The only thing that matters in these highly contested elections is vote count, not polls or pundits.
Trump left his legacy by appointing the worst Supreme Court we've ever had and every judge in every district he could. Biden should get busy and appoint more judges before the elections. If the Dems retain control then it's time to turn serious attention to restructuring SCOTUS, using the filibuster, restoring voter rights and putting the "he stole the election" crowd in the dustbin of history.
This news article pretty much summarizes the other agendas.
2
Moderate, lean left.
My priority issues are economy (complex and worldwide issues), crime, and strong durable support for Ukraine and NATO.
The Trump Republicans control the party, and have indicated that they will withdraw support for Ukraine. Now the Progressives will also push to withdraw support for Ukraine. This will increase worldwide instability.
3
I am looking forward to divided government. Divided government always works well for the markets and for the population in general as not one party can run over the other as has been the case for the last 18 months. Democrats are panicking and as usual think that if they lose our constitutional republic is in peril. Don’t worry, the Republicans will overreach as they usually do and everything will be just fine. On Social Security and Medicare, the third rails of politics, please do not believe the lies. There is not one single politician that will cut benefits to any senior. Not one penny and that is guaranteed because no one wants to touch the third rail.
12
it astounds me that despite the Dems win in 2020, and despite the existential threat the GOP poses and the insanely radical policies they now openly espouse, that this is even a contest. How is it possible that a party that has done so much to alienate such a broad swathe of society is potentially poised to assume political power? How? How are the millions who out-voted Trump not holding steady now - and even more so? How could anyone be apathetic? How could anyone not want to vote to stop this? No matter the obstacles they put in the way, no matter the people they enlist to stand guard at polling places, no matter anything - you have the power. Do not cede it. It's game over if you do.
6
Time again for blaming on republicans the failure of populism. Same for republicans to blame on democrats the fragmentation of the society and their ascension to control of congress. Of course Biden has to be fearful since he’s pushed for the weakness of the congress. Let’s see.
1
There aren't enough elected Democrats to follow through the programs that most people want and most people benefit.
4
President Biden has lost the country.
Democratic strategists have protected him as best they could, not allowing him to hold any unscripted events with the press, but the jig is up.
His administration denied that inflation was a problem until the bitter end, and nobody is buying his claims that the terribly excessive $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan had nothing to do with it.
The recent enduring image of him eating an ice cream cone while casually claiming that the economy is great, even in the face of historically high inflation and an imminent recession, tells you everything you need to know about the trajectory of his presidency.
25
@Brody ,The Orange Id denied reality to assert "Everything is mine."..... including his base, they are merely tools to him for his own chasmic ( as in a huge chasm)need for attention and power.
4
As usual the only republican plans are to dismantle not create. Basically trump's only agenda as president.
By the way, if republicans take the House they will doubtlessly hold an investigation of Hunter Biden.
3
They are exceptional at spending millions and wasting untold hours at investigations that yield nothing except damage to their opponents.
2
Biden’s agenda was to transform the US into a welfare state where a large majority of people would be even more dependent on the government for income and benefits. He also demonized large corporations that gainfully employ millions of people. This brief experiment in socialism exacerbated the worst inflation in over 40 years. Our long term economic well being is not consistent with this agenda.
13
What accomplishments? Highest inflation in 40 years, out of control southern border, and a completely avoidable proxy war with Russia which has led to the greatest threat of nuclear war since the Cuban missile crisis. I'm thinking if the GOP can put the brakes on any of this, they need to take control of Congress.
19
@Scottsdale Jack
You are short-sighted.
Everything you list is temporary.
The loss of democracy, the end of social security will be permanent.
You represent all that is wrong with voter intelligence. Voters that cannot think beyond the current election cycle.
Sad!
6
If we lose Congress the blame lies squarely on Biden and the left wing progressives. Maybe it's best to lose now, learn our lesson, and be ready for a moderate platform to win in 2024.
16
@Bob , funny, I thought that Trump Mags and silence from Republicans, and the lies of the echo chamber of wackos would bear the blame.
2
I don’t believe a Republican agenda even exits. Their only focus seems to be stopping any progress we’ve made since the circus left town.
3
I must admit that I can not understand why the media, including the Times, continues to write how "unpopular" President Biden is. One of my favorite presidents is Barack Obama. But you know, Biden was able to accomplish more in his two years in office than any recent president, Democrat or certainly and emphatically Republican. Biden, too, was and is working with not only a slim Democratic majority in Congress but also with the most polarized in recent if not the entire history of our democratic republic. Yes, there is more to do; but Biden needs Congress. For me, it is the issue of pro-choice, and the fear that Republicans will instead codify anti-abortion legislation. Inflation is worrisome for all Americans except for our own oligarchs who still continue to profit from our personal economic struggles. Yet, I fully understand that this is a world-wide paradigm and that there is only so much we can do to mitigate and assuage it. Give President Biden a break and please let us stop being distracted by the relentless noise and vitriol by the MAGA family, its politicians, and FOX Inc.
9
The way you frame his accomplishments, "On a wide array of issues like abortion, taxes, race and judges," shines a neon light on things a lot of voters have been disappointed by. They voted for a moderate and got someone who wanted to install BLM friendly judges and who talks about white terrorism at the drop of a hat. However you feel about a woman's right not carry an unwanted baby to term you may not want that right talked about out loud as freedom. For many it is a problematic right. We're willing to see given but sure don't want turned into a political virtue. Abortion is abortion not freedom. Ironically the one part of his agenda that I was sorely miss when the GOP takes over Congress are Biden's efforts to stop climate change. In hindsight that will be seen as his greatest work (that and Russia, and soon to be greatest failure. Because climate change is slowly stalking us and it's going to catch us soon and history books will reflect that in the future. But abortion, taxes, race and judges. Good luck with agenda.
8
I worked in a town bakery, starting in 1964. I paid into Social Security from then on, working as a healthcare employee - taking care of Republicans, Democrats, youth, elderly, able bodied, and disabled. And now my Social Security will be taken away?
Nice country, right?
3
@MIMA The only people saying that is a serious consideration are people trying to scare voters into voting for Democrat candidates. Do you seriously think that would not be laughed out of committee in Congress?
1
The Republicans will try to eliminate social security but they will learn the power of the veto. They will try to force their way by having a government shutdown. Just wait till some of those red and other partisan voter’s are not getting their money. Biden call the insanity don’t give in.
1
Biden's agenda has wrecked America. He's taken us from broad prosperity to a 12% decline in real wages, $3,000 for the average worker, in just the past year. Increased interest costs means the average homebuyer is paying $10,000 more in house payments and all workers are seeing $1,200 more spending on other interest payments. With Biden it's no peace and no prosperity.
11
The biggest threat to the American economy and life as we know it on planet Earth is Climate change.
If Republicans take over Congress and try to dismantle even small pieces of Biden's already too meager agenda to mitigate this crisis, what happens to 'life' in the next 15 years, at home and abroad, will be on their heads.
This is not a partisan issue. Unless only wealthy Republican lives and 'winning' matters.
3
If Republicans win more seats, you can look forward to no work ever getting done. No legislation will ever pass. No progress will ever get made.
3
I don't know why we cannot give two more years of majority in Congress to an administration that has a very reasonable agenda. People are blaming Biden's administration for inflation that is happening everywhere in the world and it's considerably worse in Europe. Actually, I think this government is sailing through the storm quite well.
Have women forgotten they lost an important human right, their reproductive rights, thanks to Republicans? What do they think it's going to happen if they put those same people in Congress again? I wish people could see Republicans will not try to fix anything related to inflation. They'll make it worse so they can have a new tyrant in 2024.
1
“Immigration” is not on this list.
Yet “immigration” remains an extremely divisive issue that has many Democrats voting the ‘other side’.
9
NYT, kindly report on Biden's accomplishments and goals and how they have improved our lives. Not only the social identity issues but the economic agendas which have already made things better and how much more could have been done had not Republicans fought every piece of legislation that benefited the working people. These are facts that need to be reported. Get a positive message out so people have something to vote FOR and not simply against. Please imagine and lay out what a better world would look like and how it is Democratic polices that can achieve a brighter world and future.
5
It’s just astounding that the insurrection caucus is paying virtually no price for attempts to steal the last presidential election. It’s hard to believe they and their supporters are really so gullible as to believe almost every fictional account of voting fraud. It seems more like willful ignorance. And it’s all too convenient when THEY are now seem determined to rig as many upcoming elections as possible.
And while it’s somewhat of a grassroots anti-democratic movement driven by right wing media, a good many big-money donors, who really do have to know better, are clearly backing efforts to squelch US democracy.
It’s partly racial antipathy as the ‘anti-wokeness’ campaign demonstrates. It’s partly a power grab. It’s partly about subjugating women. And I'm guessing it’s a lot about protecting the fortunes of those in top 0.1%. But it's worth remembering that the bloody French Revolution was a lot about grievances against a wealthy ruling class that ruled harshly and, by right, paid no taxes.
1
Can we please stop referring to basic human decency as "Biden's Agenda?"
As near as I can recall Biden has already fulfilled his stated agenda which was to "Beat Trump like a Drum."
Just because the other major party has become a personality cult apparently willing to jeapordize the health and well being of everyone not similary deceived does not mean that the rest of us view this election as a choice between madness or Biden.
Instead we ought be focused on stopping the madness and discussing the many positive things that are being done on our behalf by the diverse range of public servants who are indeed serving the public interests better than ever. It matters who the President is primarily because of who the appoint to fill approximately 3000 significant executive branch positions. Trump was an outright disaster in this most essential of Presidential responsibilities. Things are going better now despite so many lingering setbacks due to 4 years of Trump mendacity, laziness, bigotry, fear mongering and corruption. There is no need to worry about the comptence of the executive branch right now because the executive branch is not even on the ballot.
Biden's agenda was repeatedly stated by him to be one single thing: Beat Trump. He succeeded in that. Obviously the GOPers have lost touch with reality and by crafting a "Biden Agenda" that goes beyond this is both a distraction and dishonest; If I want propaganda I will watch FOX News. Stop it.
1
why don't you emphasize how extraordinary it is that Biden has accomplished so much right now with a fractious congress? help him by promoting what he has done....
4
For sure!
The gop will:
- Make gerrymandering the law of the land
- Enable federal law so that all states can overturn any/all elections
- Privatize Medicare and Social Security, essentially ending both
- Further criminalize woman’s reproductive rights
- Continue to ignore climate policy
- Side with russia on the war in Ukraine
- Start impeachment proceedings against President Biden
These are not my ideas.
They have said so publicly…
4
*Everything* hangs in the balance if Republicans take Congress.
Biden needs to make a speech to the Nation. Needs to reinforce all he has done and need to do, while all that some Republicans are doing is damage the country:
1. Republican refusal to adopt reasonable gun laws-like banning assault weapons: AR-15s killing children, if the shooters did not have an assault rifle more children would be alive today. 2. Emphasize Senator Scott's proposal to change Social Security, possibly eliminate it. 3. Medicare and that Republicans desire to destroy it. 4. Urging Trump supporters to take actions against Democrats.
1
@Tom J, that’s precisely the problem: the media and Democrats must stop calling Social Security an entitlement.
Every one of my paychecks for the past 45 years has had money taken out to put into the Social Security fund. I’ve worked in nonprofits all my life, so saving for retirement has been nearly impossible. In a decade, I won’t need to completely rely on my Social Security funds, but they’ll help me get through my elder years.
We can’t let Republicans take away our money saved through the federal system or let their PR hacks continue to call it an entitlement.
3
First, even if the GOP regains control of Congress, they'll be unable to reverse what's already been done. Biden has a veto pen, after all. and the filibuster still exists. Second, yes, future Dem initiatives will be all-but-stopped by a radical GOP-led Congress. McConnell and McCarthy will see to that. The real concern is, should the GOP regain control, will be 2025. If there's Republican President, no matter who, and the GOP is in full control, America will be in much deeper trouble than it is right now. That's a scary thought!
128
@Andrew what is the much deeper trouble than it is right now? Just wanted to make an informed decision when voting time comes.
3
@Andrew Actually, Andrew, the Congress can refuse to include items in the Appropriation Bill, the Bill that authorizes the withdrawal of money from the Treasury. I suspect a Republican Congress will refuse to spend money on 80,000 new IRS employees, e.g.
5
@Andrew Sure, we all like the 8% inflation, war in Europe and lack of confidence that Biden can handle any normal day, much less a crisis.
7
Agendas come and agendas go. What's at stake is Democracy.
Do we accept the results of elections, win or lose? Or do we welcome the chaos and violence that will follow if we don't?
This is a one-issue election. The first questions to every candidate must be, "Do you accept the results of the 2020 election? Will you accept the results of your own contest if you lose?" If the answer is "No," to either, that candidate must be rejected. If the answer to both is "Yes," we can concern ourselves with other issues.
111
@writeon1
We will accept election results when BOTH sides agree on election rules. Problem is that both side want establish rules that favor their side.
7
@writeon1 How many Democrats that have lost elections in the last 20 years have not accepted their loss? Hillary and Stacey are still carrying on. Are only Democrats allowed to question elections? There was plenty of funny goings on in 2020 in overwhelmingly blue districts to investigate. Even Jimmy Carter condemned mass mail in voting as inherently ripe for fraud.
6
@writeon1 Well written
3
If the Republicans take over both chambers of congress Biden will get nothing done for two years. And the things he HAS accomplished will kick in just in time for the republicans to take credit for it.
73
@Oliver The Republicans didn't get anything done in the 4 years prior to Biden with the Senate and Executive Branch. They could take over both chambers, Disneyland and the DMV and they still wouldn't get anything done.
I'd rather vote for my lint trap than any republican. At least my lint trap serves a purpose and gets things done
5
@Oliver The things he has "accomplished" have kicked in. 8% inflation was not an accident nor was war in Europe.
9
@Oliver I guess that’s one of the many absurd “concerns” out there… who cares who take what credits? There are things to be done in so many aspects regardless.
1
Yep. Democracy, it was fun while it lasted.
40
Not if, but when. Not shrink, but disappear. You underestimate the impact of what is about to happen
8
There's something missing from this article: how the GOP could try to repeal pieces of Biden's agenda when he's still president and could veto any repeal. The answer of course is by holding the debt ceiling hostage. But there's an answer to that, which Paul Krugman proposed in the Times recently. If Republicans win the house, in the lame duck session the Dems need to pass an increase in the debt ceiling that will cover all debts likely to be incurred for many years into the future, or even (gasp) do away with the idiotic debt ceiling entirely.
35
@Chris
They should get rid of the debt ceiling, but probably won't. In particular, Manchin and Sinema seem like types that would block it. Plus, I think budget reconciliation is allowed only one per year, and they've already used it to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
2
@Chris
If you are correct that we should “do away with the idiotic the debt ceiling”. In that token, why don’t you ask the companies of the credit cards you carry, to do away with their credit limits. Please let us know what they say.
3
I’m not sure the point of this piece. Yes, if the party in power loses an election their ability to pursue their agenda will be impacted negatively. Isn’t get kind of obvious? If the point is to encourage the typical reader of the Times to buy a lot of Kleenex for election night okay.
57
The "agenda" referred to here is not Biden's agenda, rather that agenda is the agenda of the Democrats. Personally, I can be "on-board" with some of that agenda, but not all of it, a little balance in government is a good thing. I already voted early in Arizona and as always, I voted accordingly.
14
Democratic platforms, just like our base, are much more complex and diverse than those of the GOP, so the party is much more difficult to consolidate. Democrats come in every variety of skin tone, age, language, culture, and gender expression. Not so with Republicans, who tend to be older, whiter, maler, single language/religion/culture.
Democrats are for things, and that means contending with thorny new ideas and ways of implementing them. Republicans are against things, e.g. public education, environmental protection, gun control, immigration, reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights…the list goes on. It’s much easier to unite people to oppose something than to build something—you only need to scare them. One party is for change; the other is for resisting it.
The Democratic Party is a disparate bunch, but it embraces change. That’s strength. But until we eradicate gerrymandering and protect voting rights, Democrats will continue to cede offices to people they defeated.
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@Richard M exactly, which is why I vote Republican and not Democrat. I don't want a massive federal government dictating how I live. If I wanted to live that way I would move to China.
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@Zion
Good for you. Don't forget to support all those pro-choice Republicans.
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If Republicans take Congress, American democracy hangs in the balance.
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@Anita Well GOP control of Congress takes us a lot closer to thew bring of democracy. What will be crucial is for the Dems to keep the WH in 2024.
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@Anita Would you have the same categorization for Canada under Trudeau? Many of my Canadian friends have this feeling.
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@Anita
Sigh. The Democratic Party's majority is the only thing hanging in the balance right now.
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In several years, I'll begin drawing from my U.S. pension, a plan I've paid into for over 40 years. We call it Social Security. I don't know why the NYT calls it an "entitlement" because it's not welfare or a free handout, I paid money into this. I'll need this money -- unlike a lot of financially comfortable NYT readers who view this issue in the abstract -- good for you all that it's pocket change for you. It's also unimportant to many younger workers because they haven't paid into it for so long. When Rick Scott says it will "sunset" he means let it die. McConnell wants it to die too, he just knows that will scare voters. So they're going to kill it by slow death, by a thousand cuts. Millions of Americans will literally fall into poverty if Social Security and Medicare are killed, it's all they got. This is a BIG deal, a major economic issue, should be at the top, not bottom of your list. Democrats should be talking about this, but instead we are talking about other things. And soon voters will remind us again that it's the economic issues that matter.
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@Tom J I agree. This is literally the frog-in-the-saucepan scenario. The GOP will consistently chip away at it, until it's gone.
But to your point, Social Security and Medicare are not handouts. We all paid for them.
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Anyone who was thinking of postponing collecting social security in order to earn more per month needs to rethink the strategy. NOW. It may be harder for republicans to stomach taking away current benefits (however recently collection began). I did so last week. My tactic may not help me, but it’s better than having “if only” thoughts about the grand theft the republicans plan to inflict on us.
Like you, I expect to receive the benefits I paid into. Many people die young— they never collect a dime. That’s why social security is technically “insurance.” Those of us who live are “entitled” to receive the benefits we paid for.
Raise the collection ceiling, apply FICA deductions to ALL forms of income, limit benefits to passive beneficiaries. Just a few ideas. Democrats could seek the counsel of Al Gore— believe it or not, the last federal pol to express undying fealty to this essential program.
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They are, in fact, entitlements. And what we paid in does not cover the costs.
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My goodness. Who would ever have imagined that small-d democracy would have become such a threat to everything that's good and worthwhile in this country?
If only one party could control everything all the time. Then our country would become perfect in every way!
Of course, it wouldn't be a democracy any longer, but that's a small price to pay ....
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@Gerald Brecher
Progressives lost touch with democracy. Began to believe it was all about themselves.
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Best comment I have ever read in the NYT. You win the internet today.
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The GOP has no serious policy positions on any issue and this piece proves the point. They obstruct. That's it. If they win, they'll drive the government into a ditch and blame everyone else.
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@Jordan This is incorrect. The GOP policy is to recognize that fossil fuels are an integral part of our energy mix and that we need to be independent of countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and make use of our own energy reserves and resources. They are also against the inflationary spending policies of the current administration and GOP control of Congress will put a stop to that. I understand that many here don’t like these policies but that is why we have elections.
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@Jordan This is incorrect. The GOP policy is to recognize that fossil fuels are an integral part of our energy mix and that we need to be independent of countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and make use of our own energy reserves and resources. They are also against the inflationary spending policies of the current administration and GOP control of Congress will put a stop to that. I understand that many here don’t like these policies but that is why we have elections.
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@Jordan Obstruction of bad economic and foreign policies is indeed needed. It is time and voters will deliver the verdict. They always do.
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The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
This is our current electorate.
It's mind boggling to me that R's would be given the reigns of power yet again given their track record.
The statement that Republican politicians continuously complain that the government is ineffective, then then get elected and prove it, is so true.
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@Steve Sheldon thank you for saying this! Exactly! This is what 50 years of decline in civics education and education generally leads to!
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@Steve Sheldon Are you enjoying Portland? The voters will deliver the verdict on the state of Oregon. Let’s circle back after election for discussion.
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One could almost empathize - almost - for those of our citizens who want to see change in our system of governance, and thus vote in the opposition party. Unfortunately for them, as well as us liberals, the Republicans have long since given up the pretense of meaningful debate on governance, instead sinking into the far easier (and more viscerally appealing) politics of grievance. Those voting in R's in hopes of a meaningful change to their lives are mostly falling victim to resentment, greed, and a healthy dose of fear.
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