There's no 'fall' to take. It's as simple as that. And frankly, there are really no legislative tricks that should be necessary. This is not a matter of the House Democrats need to stick their chin out and worry that the Senate won't back them up.
Who cares? They don't need the Senate to back them up. This isn't a matter of saying legislators need to be brave and suck it up and do the right thing regardless of the consequences. This is something -- just holding the vote -- they should want to do for the most mercenary of reasons -- because it helps them politically and hurts their Republican opponents. The fact that it's good for the economy, good for the people struggling most in the recession, and good for the longterm health of the economy is just gravy on top.
Strictly in political terms, even if nothing else happens, the Democrats (should) want to have that vote in the House. If the Senate acts and it becomes law, great. But still good for the Democrats even if that doesn't happen. That's because -- and it's worrisome that people don't get this -- this isn't like the climate bill. Get real. The climate bill wasn't popular. Should have been popular. Was popular when you explained it to people in polls in highly structured questions. But lots of members of Congress weren't willing to vote for it because they knew they'd pay a price politically. This bill is popular. [. . .]In this case, in political terms, as opposed to policy terms, it's largely irrelevant whether the Senate gets to or passes the bill.
I think this is right, but I also think that is precisely why the Obama Middle Class Tax Cuts would pass, in both the House and the Senate. The politics of this is clear. But the reality is there is no more inept operation in politics than the Democratic Party.
President Obama has to be pulling his hair out knowing the Dems in Congress are the worse political operation in recent memory.
Speaking for me only
