While Biden, who understands the nature of the modern Republican Party, appears intent on moving forward by relying on the support of his own party, he still faces very serious challenges. Keeping Democrats together is not easy when moderates like Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema command immense power. Then there’s the reality of a highly partisan Senate, where the opposition wields the power of the filibuster. Obtaining a supermajority in an era when a radicalized Republican Party is hellbent on obstruction is a quixotic task. This doesn’t bode well for more contentious legislation dealing with immigration or climate change.
So far, the President we’ve seen hasn’t been your grandparents’ Joe Biden, whose career took root at a time when bipartisanship remained an important norm. Although many critics (myself included) have questioned his promise to work with the GOP, Biden appears to have a clear-sighted understanding of Washington. It’s likely that his experience as vice president taught him that there is in fact a red and blue America, and that trying to blend them could easily lead to political paralysis.
The President doesn’t seem to be holding out much hope for Republicans to change in the short term. Instead, Biden is making his own decisions, shaping his own agenda, and counting on his own party to move policies forward rather than waiting for Republicans to help him along.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/06/opinions/biden-gop-relief-bill-zelizer/index.html
