Many progressives have started lining up behind an emerging social and environment bill that’s neither as big nor bold as they wanted, constrained by an outnumbered but potent band of party moderates who’ve commanded disproportionate clout and curbed the measure’s ambition.
Democrats rolled past unanimous Republican opposition in August and pushed a 10-year, $3.5 trillion fiscal blueprint of the plan through Congress. With talks continuing, the final package — reflecting President Joe Biden’s hopes for bolstering health care, family services and climate change efforts — seems likely to be around half that size. Prized initiatives like free community college and fines against utilities using carbon-spewing fuels are being jettisoned, and others are being curtailed.
