DEMOCRATS in the news

[Legion]

Last month, the DEMOCRAT-controlled Senate failed to advance Biden’s roughly $2 trillion economic plan.

This week, the party’s push to overhaul election practices nationwide is set to fizzle out as well.

These twin setbacks have cast a harsher spotlight on the leadership of Chuck Schumer, the lawmaker responsible for navigating Biden’s agenda through the 50-50 Senate.

With the signature issues for the DEMOCRAT Party stalled, neither Schumer nor other party leaders have outlined a path to legislative wins they might deliver in the short time left before campaign season begins for the midterms.

As Schumer prepares to bring elections legislation and related rules changes to the Senate floor starting Tuesday, he retains broad support in his caucus and from Biden, according to interviews across the DEMOCRAT Party.

But some current and former DEMOCRAT aides and activists also aired frustration, particularly related to his management over the past several months of Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.

All members of the Senate DEMOCRAT caucus support the elections legislation.

But it needs 60 votes to advance.

Under Schumer’s plan, once Republicans block it, as they have said they would, DEMOCRATS would then seek to change Senate rules to ensure passage with 50 votes and a tie-breaking vote by Shamala Harris.

Standing in the way are Manchin and Sinema, who have rejected changing the 60-vote threshold known as the legislative filibuster.

At the start of the year, Schumer set a goal of trying to pass the voting bill by Jan. 17, and then pivoting to changing the filibuster.

That deadline later slipped.

“The only path forward on this important issue is to change the rules to bypass the filibuster,” Schumer said Monday. “Right now there are two DEMOCRATS who don’t want to make that change. But that doesn’t mean the fight is over. Far from it.”

While she didn’t mention Schumer by name, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized top DEMOCRATS after their social-policy and climate package stalled.

The prominent progressive declined to rule out a run against Schumer, but she hasn’t made any public moves. A spokeswoman didn’t respond to a request for comment, and Schumer’s office declined to comment on the prospect of a challenge.



https://www.wsj.com/articles/schumer-hits-trouble-after-earlier-wins-in-50-50-senate-11642500001

[Legion]

FAT FEMOCRAT HURRIES TO HOG DOWN HER SWILL

A New York restaurant owner expressed his frustration after he caught DEMOCRAT Kirsten Gillibrand refusing to comply with the state mask mandate.

Since December 10, masks have been required in all indoor public places in New York state.

John La Posta, the owner of Innovo Kitchen, said that during a visit to the restaurant, Gillibrand hurried past a large sign that read "masks required to enter." His staff didn't have the chance to ask her to wear a mask as she moved swiftly past them.

"Gillibrand is part of the party that put the mask mandate in place. She thinks she's above the law."

The incident was recorded by a surveillance camera and has gone viral.




https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-restaurant-owner-slams-senator-kirsten-gillibrand-mask-mandate-2022-1