President Joe Biden started to hear a little Democratic rumbling beneath his feet last week, as he surprised many Dem supporters by saying he wouldn’t veto congressional action that rejected proposed changes in Washington, DC law — including reduced sentences for crimes like carjacking.
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez strongly criticized what she saw as Biden’s capitulation, saying “This ain’t it.”
Worse, perhaps, from the Democratic coalition’s perspective was that many supporters of the DC changes were caught off guard by Biden’s announcement, and had to cover their flanks without sufficient preparatory communication from the administration.
Those rumblings got loud again this week as Biden proposed moves on immigration that sounded to many Democrats a lot like they were ripped from the GOP playbook. Again, communication was a major issue. Axios reported that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said Biden’s “lack of communication on immigration-related policy decisions is an insult.”
Menendez is reacting to the surprise leak captured in the following headline at Reuters: “White House may restart detention of migrant families – sources.”
Menendez and other top Democrats reportedly learned of Biden’s alleged reconsideration of the controversial migrant family detention policy at nearly the same time the public heard about it. The immigration detention facilities where the policy is executed have been described as a “living hell.”
Reuters reports: “The White House is considering restarting the detention of migrant families caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, four current and former U.S. officials told Reuters, which would reverse a move to end the practice.”
What that opening statement doesn’t say, but which irate Democrats know, is that the migrant family detention under consideration now would be essentially a revival of a Trump-era policy, which justified the necessity of detention by labelling it a national security issue.
Insulting top Democratic senators is no way to strengthen a Democratic coalition, Biden knows. But the President has made a calculation to weigh rocking the progressive boat against the increasingly vitriolic political pressure aimed at the administration by GOP lawmakers concerning the border issue. Winning (and humane) positions on immigration are hard to find.
Menendez may be complaining about poor White House communications on this issue, but he recently boasted that the administration had made possible the most productive congress he’s ever been a part of — see below. So it’s not likely that Biden’s coalition is torn apart, only under pressure.
In my 30 years in Federal Government, I don’t recall a more productive Congress. During the Biden Presidency, I voted for:
— Menendez for NJ (@BobMenendezNJ) March 1, 2023
American Rescue Plan
Bilateral Infrastructure Law
Inflation Reduction Act
Respect for Marriage Act
Reform the Electoral Count Act
Chips & Science Act (1/2)
.jpg){kind=link}