Biden is trying to redefine the definition of “bipartisan” as he tries to push for bills without the support and votes of Republican lawmakers.
Biden previously pledged to bridge the political divide between Republicans and Democrats. However, the Democratic president appears to be redefining “bipartisan” after the party experienced struggles in gaining Republican support for the impending $2.2 Trillion “infrastructure” bill that Biden is trying to push.
“If you looked up ‘bipartisan’ in the dictionary, I think it would say support from Republicans and Democrats,” Anita Dunn tells me. “It doesn’t say the Republicans have to be in Congress.”https://t.co/xEm9CBdhfz
— Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) April 12, 2021
The first move to redefine “bipartisan” is when Biden’s $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 relief package was passed even without a single vote coming from Republican lawmakers.
Now that the massive infrastructure project is again facing a strong opposition from the Republican party. It seems as if Biden, pointing to Republican voters and officials outside the Beltway.
“If you looked up ‘bipartisan’ in the dictionary, I think it would say support from Republicans and Democrats. It doesn’t say the Republicans have to be in Congress,”
senior Biden adviser Anita Dunn told the Washington Post.
Mike Donilo, Biden’s senior adviser also referred to the president’s new found definition of the word “bipartisan” rather as an “an agenda that unifies the country and appeals across the political spectrum.”
“I think it’s a pretty good definition to say you’re pursuing an agenda that will unite the country, that will bring Democrats and Republicans together across the country,” Donilon told the Post.
He added, “Presumably, if you have an agenda that is broadly popular with Democrats and Republicans across the country, then you should have elected representatives reflecting that.”
On the other hand, Rahm Emanuel, former Obama Chief of staff made a remark about the shift and told the Washington Post that what has become crystal clear is that Biden has “redefined bipartisan. ”
Emanuel went on to explain and said, “it isn’t how many Republicans I’ve got,” but “about how many Republican voters or mayors and governors can I get to support my stuff.” He continued, “And Washington is slow to catch up to the Biden definition.”
At the end of March, Biden has also acknolwedged the shift toward the public and away from Republican officials when he talked about the “American Jobs Plan.”
“When I wrote it, everybody said I had no bipartisan support. We’re overwhelming bipartisan support with Republican – registered Republican voters,” Biden said. He continued, “And ask around. If you live in a town with a Republican mayor, a Republican county executive, or a Republican governor, ask them how many would rather get rid of the plan. Ask them if it helped them at all.”
The president added, “I hope Republicans in Congress will join this effort.”
The changing definition of “bipartisan” reach a time when Democrats have been maintaining the substance of the infrastructure bill by redefining the definition of “infrastructure.”
First, "infrastructure" doesn't include roads and bridges. Now, "bipartisan" doesn't include Republican lawmakers.@POTUS is literally manipulating the English language instead of working across the aisle.https://t.co/jUnrRPAczB
— Rep. Chris Stewart (@RepChrisStewart) April 12, 2021
Olbermann said, “[W]hen you drain a word of its meaning, you damage its impact, your cause, and the value of language.”
Previously, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told NBC that the Biden administration would like to have the support of both Republican and Democrat lawmakers for the infrastructure bill.
However, Buttigieg emphasized that lack of Republican support would not stop them from pushing the massive $2.2 Trillion “Infrastructure Plan”
“We can’t let politics slow this down to where it doesn’t actually happen,” he said.
