Furthermore, the two nuclear votes have significantly different reasons for holding out—one is a former coal State Governor and one is a former Green Party activist—putting them at odds on some major policies. For Sinema, the biggest obstacle is prescription drug pricing reform—which would change how Medicare negotiates drug prices and potentially bring in $800 billion to help pay for the bill on the backs of the pharmaceutical industry. She is unlikely to even support a significantly trimmed down version of the proposal that generates $200 billion. Manchin has no problem with that proposal, but for his part opposes a number of Democratic ideas to price carbon pollution—proposals that Sinema supports.
In short, Schumer, Pelosi, and President Joe Biden have their work cut out for them. Already, the merits of the various programs in these bills—from expanding Medicaid and protecting the Affordable Care Act, expanding access to child care while also supporting childcare workers, and measures to combat climate change like a “polluter fee” and consumer rebates for home electrification and weatherization—continue to poll well individually but voters are only hearing about the bickering, divisions, and, frankly, scary top line numbers. Things are going so badly in Washington that Democrats across the country are facing headwinds—beginning in the bellwether state of Virginia.
It is also Strike-tober. As hundreds of workers at a Kellogg plant in Omaha, Nebraska hit the picket lines over the threat of work moving to Mexico, this photo of one of its strikers in a driving rainstorm has gone viral. The picture was captured by a fellow striker heading to her car at 3 a.m. “I thought it showed such dedication for him to be out there in a torrential downpour,” she said. “He was walking up and down the sidewalk with great purpose. I thought he was amazing for being out there.” Attorney General Letitia James continued her statewide tour announcing $1.5 billion in opioid settlement funds that will be dedicated regionally with visits to Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, and Ithaca outlining $75 million that will go to Western New York; $53 million that will go to the Finger Lakes; and over $25 million that will go to the Southern Tier.
Finally, farewell to Paddy Moloney, the leader and uilleann piper of The Chieftans who among their many accomplishments were named the group of the year by Melody Maker in 1975 beating out Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and Queen. A couple personal favorites here, here, and here.
-Jack O’Donnell
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