Colwell: Congressional Dems finally do the math

Congressional Democrats have at last figured out a simple math problem. Finally getting the right answer improves their midterm election chances, though likely not nearly enough to retain control of the House. It will improve President Biden’s dismal approval ratings.

Here’s the type of political arithmetic they failed to understand for so long.

Question: There are two 12-ounce glasses. The first glass has 6 ounces of water. The second glass was full, but water was spilled three times, losing 4 ounces each time. If Johnny is thirsty, which glass should he choose?

Democrats in Congress kept selecting the second glass.

They couldn’t buy that half a glass − or half a loaf − is better than none. Or that any progress, even if slow, is better than none. They kept insisting that a full glass is needed and compromise on lesser content is weak and unprincipled.

They wouldn’t compromise to pass some of the most popular provisions in Biden’s Build Back Better proposal − until now.

Finally, they got together to pass in the Senate a package to lower prescription drug costs, expand health insurance, respond to climate change, improve energy efficiency, cut the deficit and try to lower inflation. They’re set to pass it in the House and send it to Biden for his signature.

But it doesn’t include all that progressive Democrats in their hearts desire, not all the spending, not all the social programs, not the $300 monthly child tax credits that helped to reduce child poverty, not a family leave program, not some education goals.

Never was there a possibility of getting it all. Not when Democrats have such a precarious hold on control in the Senate, where there actually is a tie, and in the House, where they can afford to lose only a few members on any vote.

Another New Deal? Impossible. They lack the huge congressional majorities that Franklin D. Roosevelt had for passing his monumental New Deal. But they could get something half-monumental.

However, for so many months, Democrats formed a circular firing squad, shooting at each other over what wasn’t getting support rather than focusing on what could get support.

As Biden’s Build Back Better glass remained empty, his approval ratings plummeted. So did chances of congressional Democrats escaping disaster in the midterms.

Democrats also couldn’t solve this subtraction problem.

Question: What is 50 minus 1?

Too many Democrats couldn’t calculate that minus 1 in their Senate 50-50 tie leaves them with zero. No Senate leadership. No committee chairmanships. No control over passing a budget, confirming judges or taking action on anything passed in the House.

Some actually were wishing they could subtract a member, get rid of Sen. Joe Manchin, the only Democrat who could be elected to the Senate in West Virginia. His votes enabled approval of many Biden initiatives and nominees. But he wouldn’t support all the liberal proposals, all the spending. He finally helped to put together a compromise for half a glass.

Now, it appears that Manchin was right in holding up some massive spending that would have poured fuel on the fires of inflation.

Another math problem.

Question: Which has more value, $1.2 trillion or zero?

Progressive House Democrats thought it was of greater value to insist on nothing rather than approve the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill unless it was accompanied by all of their dreams in a reconciliation bill.

They held up passage of popular improvements in roads, bridges, airports and rails.

After months of that circular firing squad, they relented, but with moaning about what wasn’t included instead of boasting about what was.

They better boast long and loud about all that’s in the reconciliation bill and stop complaining about what isn’t in it. Otherwise, the math in the elections this fall could cost them the Senate as well as the House.

Jack Colwell is a columnist for The Tribune. Write to him in care of The Tribune or by email at jcolwell@comcast.net.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Congressional Democrats finally face reality on passing legislation.