President Biden has seemingly pledged to be a one-term president. So, that means thinking about your historical legacy from Day One. You want to get the most bang for the buck during those four years to make your nation a better place and to lend a helping hand to Americans to the greatest extent possible. Amen to that.
Now, let's get back to who Joe Biden is and could be: Biden served in the Senate for 36 years. Now that's experience at feeling people out and mastering the art of personally cutting deals in your country's best interest. That's Biden.
Biden has publicly said that today, he only knows reasonably well about one-third of Senators now serving. My response: so what. Put another way, in a manner that would probably make Biden smile, while Trump was repeatedly making the art of the deal in NYC -- deals that always only benefitted Trump -- Biden was serially striking deals with Republicans that were, at the very least win-win, for both sides. Again, that's Biden.
With all of that in mind, one wonders why Biden is already getting it wrong: sure, The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 just cleared the House on a too close for comfort vote of 219-212, given the level of serious division in the United States. You need more coalition building than that, most especially in the Senate and only President Biden can accomplish that. No one else, and I mean, no one else. That means Biden has to be intimately involved on a one-to-one basis if necessary for all bills that are the cornerstone of his Administration and its future legacy. Biden has to get down in the dirt and wrestle to get the widest possible consensus in the Senate on the most major legislative initiatives backed by his Administration. He's got to pick his battles but also win one for the Gipper. And listen to Jill.
In the ARPA's case, Biden is already blowing it: he has the Republican leadership and other lawmakers over to the White House and then doesn't trust himself, even after all those years of making things happen! The guy defers to the heads in the back that are shaking No, rather than putting it all out on the line using both the power of his office and his own personal capital to get that deal through the Senate with at least a respectable level of Republican support. I mean up to now, the results certainly haven't been a big fucking deal...
Will I dare to presume to give political advice to the President of the United States? Damned right I will: so listen Joe, do what your instinct, intelligence and gut tell you to do: pick your cornerstones and most fundamental pieces of legislation, then roll up your sleeves and fight like Hell. Make it happen, on the phone whenever possible and in person when necessary, both collectively and one-on-on. Forget about those nodding heads. I don't care who they are. When Biden feels it, that there's room for a deal, then just have at it.
That's how this President wins and more importantly, how his legacy immediately starts to take shape for the betterment of America and its people. And may God be with him.
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