The budgetary process in Congress is complicated, but compromise can be easy, especially if directed by a President who is actually committed to unity and bipartisanship.
If President Biden wanted to be a leader, it would be extremely easy – all it would require is demanding that everyone join in compromise. Here, I even wrote it for him. He could copy/paste this on his little web site at WhiteHouse.gov and it would be done:
- Whereas an appropriation bill providing monetary relief shall necessarily be passed with particular urgency due to exigent circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Whereas the Democratic and Republican parties are once again squarely divided over crucial budgetary legislation;
- Whereas the Democratic and Republican parties are once again clearly unwilling to compromise within Congress;
- Whereas ones support of a purely partisan bill with 50 Democrat votes and Zero from Republicans would be clearly partisan and divisive;
- Whereas we shall all welcome compromise from both Democratic and Republican representatives;
- Whereas the Democratic members of the House of Representatives have proposed a bill appropriating $1900 Billion in funds for COVID relief and other priorities;
- Whereas the Republican members of the House of Representatives have proposed a bill appropriating $600 Billion in funds for COVID relief;
I, President Joe Biden, in service of my dedication to unifying political divides, and thus striving for a bipartisan solution, provide the following direction for all members of Congress:
We don’t have time to waste, but we still must compromise.
Split the difference between the two bills exactly –
Send me a bill for $1250 Billion ($1.25 Trillion) and I will sign it immediately.
I, President Joe Biden, commit to signing such a bill immediately upon passage by both chambers of Congress.
That’s it – that’s literally all he would have to do.
But he won’t.
