Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said this week that passing President Joe Biden’s massive $1.75 trillion spending package would be worth it even if Democrats lose the House during the 2022 midterms as a result.
When asked whether the passage of Build Back Better, which is not at all popular among voters, would help the GOP take back a congressional majority next year, Jayapal acknowledged that it might indeed have that effect.
“Of course, it’s worth it if we are making people’s lives better,” she insisted, according to The Hill.
“What’s the alternative? To do nothing. I mean, that’s not going to get us anywhere,” she said. “Part of what we have to do is really understand the economic frustration that people have right now. And I think that is really important for us.”
Democratic leadership hoped to vote on the spending package sooner rather than later, but ongoing disagreements between moderates and progressives have made that unlikely.
Several moderates have said they will not vote on the bill until the Congressional Budget Office analyzes the bill and explains how it would affect the economy. Those scores won’t be available until some time after Thanksgiving.
It is possible Jayapal is so cavalier about the possibility of losing power because she herself is not at risk of being ousted. She represents the Seattle area, which is heavily liberal.
She might also hope that passage of the bill will shift the Democratic Party even further to the Left and make massive spending packages that include leftist priorities the new norm.
She has insisted that Democrats include certain policies that moderate members have already rejected, such as paid family and medical leave.
Congress just rubber stamped a $760+ billion annual defense budget, but now we can’t find money to cover paid family leave?
Working people deserve this and we’re going to deliver.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) November 5, 2021
