Read the message from Heather Cox Richardson to understand why the budget battle in Congress is crucial to all of us, today and for years to come. Read this message to make sense of what the House of Representatives did and didn't do on February 25, and to be encouraged.
Generally, I don't like military metaphors for politics. In this situation, however, it's important to see how any one battle is part of a longer war against fascism in this country. Small victories add up. Even narrow defeats can make eventual victory more likely.
Where do we stand today? I would point out:
1. The bill passed in the House of Representatives is not a U.S. government budget, not even a draft budget, but a "framework," the general picture of what a budget should look like. (Call it the concept of a budget!)
2. Even on that general level, yesterday "The vote was 217-215, with a single Republican and all Democrats opposed, and the outcome was in jeopardy until the gavel." One member of each party was absent. (Source: AP article by Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking and Matt Brown).
3. That means the Republicans cannot afford to lose even a couple of votes in the House throughout the rest of the long, drawn-out budget process if they are going to pass an actual bill. And when it comes to cuts that affect their own districts, some Representatives are going to balk. Some of the more ideologically populist reps may vote against massive giveaways to the rich.
4. Bottom line: Democrats in Congress are in a good starting position to delay or halt destructive cuts and giveaways entirely AND to demand concessions that will serve the rest of us--if they stay united and strategic.
So, please call your Congressperson and urge them to do just that!
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