Tipsheet

Uh, Congresswoman, I'm Not Sure That Option to Pass Build Back Better Is Legal

For all the talk about institutional integrity, protecting our constitutional republic, and a return to norms, the far-left sure likes to disregard that when they lose. You all know this. The institutional rot never came from Trump. It was always the left-winger in the Democratic Party. The call was coming from inside the house—and the latest blow to Build Back Better is the latest example. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) killed the trillion-dollar-plus spending bill that Biden and the Democrats desperately want to pass.

The Biden administration needs to clinch a signature legislative win. And the Democrats need something to run on in 2022 that isn’t grounded in Joe Biden’s astonishing aloofness as our chief executive. The man pooped himself in front of the Pope. Need I say more. So, as this legislation enters Hospice care, Biden insists that he and Manchin will get something done. The other side of that remark is that whatever these come to an agreement on will probably not pass the smell test for the far left. So, what does Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) think Joe should do because of this setback? Oh, he should just pass it via executive decree (via Axios):

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called on President Biden on Sunday to "use executive action" to deliver his signature climate and social policy legislation that's stalling in the Senate, after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) rejected the plan.

What they're saying: "Taking executive action will also make clear to those who hinder Build Back Better that the White House and Democrats will deliver for Americans," wrote Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, in a Washington Post op-ed.

Jayapal said the caucus would "continue to work toward legislation for Build Back Better, focused on keeping it as close to the agreed-upon framework as possible" in an effort to pass Biden's $1.75 trillion spending plan.

She added the group would soon release its own plan for actions "including lowering costs, protecting the health of every family, and showing the world" that the U.S. "is serious about our leadership on climate action."

Yeah, I’m not so sure that’s legal, Jayapal. The president can’t bypass Congress to pass trillion-plus dollar spending bills by executive decree. That’s a violation of the separation of powers. That is an impeachable offense. It’s akin to when Obama created new immigration law from the executive which came in the form of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. I wouldn’t expect much on this front since Biden will try to keep at least a couple of the items in a bill that Manchin said was too nuts for him to appease the Squad contingent on the Hill.

This bill is DOA. As year one of the Biden presidency approaches, all we have from Joe Biden is a mangled response to COVID, high inflation, shoddy job numbers, a border crisis still raging, and rapidly sinking approval ratings.

Let’s Go, Brandon.