- Jun 6, 2007
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The problem with the bipartisan infrastructure bill negotiations is that you have Republicans Senators that represent that they are committed to a bi-partisan effort but in truth are not and this evaluation does not apply to all the Republican Senators in this negotiating group but it definitely applies to Senator Rob Portman. What a mistake for this group to select Senator Portman as the lead negotiator for the Republican members. He has no appreciation for what he has embarked on. To commit to a bi-partisan effort means that you are committed to make hard compromises, it means you leave the safety of your caucus, you are prepared to endure a ton of criticism from Republican voter bases, it means you are prepared to withstand being labeled a RINO and the traitorous connotations that implies. When you hear Rob Portman talk about the negotiations he says things like my caucus does not agree on that point; it is incredible he is in that role, you simpleton what your caucus believes is irrelevant what is relevant is whether agreeing to that point in consideration with the entirety of the whole bill is good for America - if what your caucus believed is the standard Senator Mitch McConnel the Republican leader would be pulling the strings in the negotiation and you wouldn't have this independent effort that the nation is depending on. It is not surprising that Senator Portman is fumbling the ball as chief negotiator for the ten years he has been a Senator he has largely operated in lock step with the Republican caucus, he has never exhibited the strength of character to diverge from his caucus on a major issue like this infrastructure bill calls for, the job parameters call for a person that doesn't mind confrontation and is comfortable charting his or her own course based on the merits of the issue, that doesn't need the safety of the caucus, Bob doesn't have that make-up!
Senator Portman owes the nation an apology for his false representation that he was prepared to act in a bi-partisan manner, his fraudulent representations wasted valuable legislative time. The Democrats have made large compromises in these negotiations they were originally seeking an infrastructure bill of one and a half trillion dollars and are now prepared to accept six hundred billion in new spending. I am not saying that Republican members of the bi-partisan group shouldn't be drawing some lines in the sand; there shouldn't be one penny of this new $600 billion spent on operating expenses for public transit at minimum major cities need to expand their public transit to increase job opportunities for young men in these cities so as to provide a path for them to get out of this gun violence path they are on, many knowledgeable people confirm this assessment and the gun violence epidemic now befalling these cities is beyond contestation. Polls show that the vast vast majority of Americans want an increase in infrastructure spending it is incomprehensible that Washington cannot get this done. Members of the bipartisan group that know how to conduct themselves in such negotiations like Senator Murkowski and Senator Collins need to stop deferring to Senator Portman who is over his head and come out publicly and support good compromises in the bill. Democrat leaders don't need ten Republicans to sign on to this infrastructure bill to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill, if they get three or four Republican Senators to sign on that is enough for a bi-partisan label; the way they do it is in the 2022 budget legislation they call for an infrastructure bill to be passed through the reconciliation process, the new budget year begins on October 1 which is right around the corner - the bipartisan infrastructure bill can be passed through the reconciliation process in the early days of October of this year the American people's interests would be well served by such an outcome!
Senator Portman owes the nation an apology for his false representation that he was prepared to act in a bi-partisan manner, his fraudulent representations wasted valuable legislative time. The Democrats have made large compromises in these negotiations they were originally seeking an infrastructure bill of one and a half trillion dollars and are now prepared to accept six hundred billion in new spending. I am not saying that Republican members of the bi-partisan group shouldn't be drawing some lines in the sand; there shouldn't be one penny of this new $600 billion spent on operating expenses for public transit at minimum major cities need to expand their public transit to increase job opportunities for young men in these cities so as to provide a path for them to get out of this gun violence path they are on, many knowledgeable people confirm this assessment and the gun violence epidemic now befalling these cities is beyond contestation. Polls show that the vast vast majority of Americans want an increase in infrastructure spending it is incomprehensible that Washington cannot get this done. Members of the bipartisan group that know how to conduct themselves in such negotiations like Senator Murkowski and Senator Collins need to stop deferring to Senator Portman who is over his head and come out publicly and support good compromises in the bill. Democrat leaders don't need ten Republicans to sign on to this infrastructure bill to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill, if they get three or four Republican Senators to sign on that is enough for a bi-partisan label; the way they do it is in the 2022 budget legislation they call for an infrastructure bill to be passed through the reconciliation process, the new budget year begins on October 1 which is right around the corner - the bipartisan infrastructure bill can be passed through the reconciliation process in the early days of October of this year the American people's interests would be well served by such an outcome!
