麻豆影视

World

    • Biden's alliance with the left has worked, but will it last?

    Share
    WASHINGTON -
    Joe Biden wasn't progressives' first choice for the White House in 2020. And he wasn't their second or third, either.
     
    But defying expectations, liberal Democrats have emerged as the president's most loyal allies in Congress during his first two years in office, helping to pass a massive COVID-19 relief package, a historic investment in American infrastructure and billions of dollars to combat climate change.
     
    Their alliance was as fruitful as it was unlikely. And it could soon be put to the test.
     
    Democrats are bracing for losses in Tuesday's elections that could cost them their majorities in the House and Senate, an outcome certain to fuel questions about the party's direction as Biden considers another run for the White House. Republicans, bullish on their chances of winning back power, are preparing an onslaught of investigations into Biden's administration and are certain to try and unravel his legislative achievements.
     
    The dynamic between Biden and the liberal flank of his party is one that lawmakers insist will end up uniting Democrats behind Biden, even as some openly say they don't want him to run for reelection and others complain the president is too prone to compromise.
     
    "The White House is going to need allies to defend the president against the bogus investigations that Republicans may try to launch," California Rep. Ro Khanna, a former co-chair of Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, said in an interview. "The White House is going to need Dems to be defending the White House's economic record."
     
    The movement of progressives into the Biden camp came against long odds.
     
    They are separated by generations and ideologies, with the 79-year-old Biden -- a creature of the consensus-driven Senate who has reminisced fondly about how he was able to work even with segregationists -- hailing from a party establishment often scornful of younger lawmakers of color who want bold stands on climate change, racial justice and other issues.
     
    But once Biden emerged triumphant from the Democratic primaries and the general election in 2020, he sought party unity, forming a joint task force with the Sanders campaign to craft an agenda.
     
    The result was a Biden wish list that looked much like the left's: sweeping COVID-19 aid, tax credits for families, free community college, universal child care, public works spending, policies to address climate change.
     
    The White House also took care to nurture relationships with the Democrats who could have been their noisiest critics.
     
    In the past year, either Biden or senior White House aides met with members of the progressive caucus at least a half-dozen times, most notably when the president called directly into a gathering of the group just before the infrastructure vote last November. Biden has appeared alongside House progressives on at least seven trips to their districts in September and October.
     
    The caucus gets plenty of attention from elsewhere in the administration, with at least 10 Cabinet members or agency heads meeting with the progressives in the past year, according to a White House official.
     
    Its legislative affairs office assigned Alicia Molt-West, a former aide to Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., to be its primary liaison to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and she checks in almost every day. The leader of that caucus, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, has had a direct line to the senior-most levels of the White House, notably chief of staff Ron Klain, and that empowered her and expanded her influence among other lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
     
    "She's been a great partner of mine and worked really closely with me," Biden said of Jayapal at an April event in Auburn, Washington.
     
    "One of the things that the president has said to me -- and that I really feel -- is that we've had his back," Jayapal, told The Associated Press. "We were the loudest and the best champions of the president's agenda and we really worked hard to make the case to the country for that agenda."
     
    Despite some glaring exceptions, much of the progressives' wish list become law, a testament to the willingness of Democratic lawmakers to accept what was politically possible.
     
    "Two years ago, few would have expected that we'd be able to pass the biggest climate bill in history, issue direct checks for millions of Americans, pass the first major gun safety bill in a generation and cancel up to $20,000 of student debt," said Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the caucus leadership.
     
    Those efforts weren't without pain.
     
    Much to their chagrin, progressives had to relent on their initial insistence that a bipartisan infrastructure bill move in tandem with a separate package on social spending that would represent the party's most ambitious priorities. Then came the spectacular collapse of Biden's negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., just before Christmas, triggering the precise scenario progressives had long feared.
     
    Tensions seemed to be flaring again last week, when a letter from the caucus signed by 30 lawmakers and urging Biden to engage in direct diplomatic talks with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine generated intense blowback.
     
    As talk swirled that liberal support for arming Ukraine was now in doubt, several of the Democrats on the letter disavowed it, saying it had been signed months ago at a different time in the war. The caucus ultimately retracted the letter, all while insisting that there was no daylight between the group's position and Biden's.
     
    Even afterward, senior White House officials were trying to tamp down anger within the party.
     
    Klain, Biden's top aide, told at least one frustrated House Democrat who wanted to say something publicly about the letter that Democrats needed to direct their energy toward Republicans before the election rather than at each other, according to two officials who were not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity.
     
    But rifts with the left have been the exception, not the rule, during Biden's term. Progressives, nearly certain to be reelected from deep-blue districts, are making plans for how they can use their platform in the next Congress to again push the party in a progressive direction.
     
    "If Democrats lose some power this election, the White House and the entire party will benefit from very clear distinctions on popular issues like Social Security, and progressives are the ones who innately are more equipped to be full-throated in making the case for these popular economic priorities," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and a former adviser to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat who ran for president in 2020.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    Canada

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday鈥檚 Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • Watch Live

      Watch Live

      Barrie residents will gather on Monday to honour Canada鈥檚 veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视