Terrell Anderson

The article discusses how the Democratic Party in the United States often deceives its supporters by claiming to support progressive policies like a public health insurance option, but then backtracks when there's a chance of actually passing such measures. The author, Glenn Greenwald, gives examples of politicians like Senator Jay Rockefeller who championed the public option when it had no chance of passing but opposed it when there was a possibility of enactment through reconciliation. Greenwald argues that Democrats play a deceptive game of pretending to support popular policies while finding excuses to avoid implementing them when they have the opportunity. The article highlights a pattern of behavior where Democratic lawmakers take turns being the "villain" who blocks progressive measures, ultimately leading to disillusionment among the party's supporters.

Here are a few notable instances where Democratic members of Congress have publicly supported a piece of legislation but ultimately voted against it.

1. **SCHIP Expansion (2007):**
- The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expansion in 2007 saw significant Democratic support. However, when President George W. Bush vetoed the bill, some moderate Democrats were hesitant to support an override even though the voted to pass it already. They knew the president would veto the bill and they also knew they had the power to override his veto, but didn't.

2. **Public Option in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (2009-2010):**
- During the debate over the ACA, many Democratic Senators publicly supported the inclusion of a public health insurance option. However, when it became clear that the public option could pass through reconciliation, moderates like Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who caucused with the Democrats, signaled they would not support it, even though he supported it through the normal process.

3. **Bush Tax Cuts Extension (2010):**
- In late 2010, many Democrats publicly opposed extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. However, when it came to a vote, a significant number of Democrats, including some who had initially opposed the extensions, voted for a compromise bill that extended all the tax cuts.

4. **Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010):**
- Certain Democratic Senators and Representatives voiced support for financial reform but voted against the final Dodd-Frank Act.

5. **Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) (2015):**
- Some Democrats expressed early support for giving the President TPA to negotiate trade deals but voted against it.

6. **Minimum Wage Increase to $15 (2021):**
- While there was significant public support among Democrats for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, when it came to including this provision in the American Rescue Plan Act through reconciliation, Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) opposed it. Their opposition meant that the provision could not be included in the final reconciliation package.

This has become a very dangerous pattern within the Democratic part an is why so many young people have lost faith.

The Democratic Party's deceitful game They are willing to bravely support any progressive bill as long as there's no chance it can pass

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