WASHINGTON — In the haze of the budget “vote-a-rama” that lasted into the early hours of Friday morning, Democrats passed two progressive amendments through the Republican-led Senate, both of which may serve as valuable “wedge” issues for Hillary Clinton to exploit in the 2016 presidential election.
Both measures are popular with Americans and unite Democrats. Both were opposed by all four Republican senators considering a presidential run: Sens. Rand Paul (KY), Ted Cruz (TX), Marco Rubio (FL) and Lindsey Graham (SC).
The first, offered by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and called the Healthy Families Act, would let workers earn up to seven days of paid sick leave and mark the first expansion of such federal requirements in more than two decades.
It passed by a filibuster-proof majority of 61-39, winning over numerous blue or swing state Republicans facing reelection in 2016: Sens. Kelly Ayotte (NH), Richard Burr (NC), Mark Kirk (IL), Rob Portman (OH) and Pat Toomey (PA).
Paid sick leave is a kitchen-table issue that’s wildly popular with large majorities of Democratic, Republican and independent voters, according to a recent poll. In a revealing act, Toomey and Johnson each flipped their votes from “no” to “yes” — their staffs said they initially erred.
The second, offered by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), would ensure Social Security and veterans benefits for legally married same-sex couples even if they lived in a state that outlawed gay marriage. It passed by a vote of 57-43, winning 11 Republicans including Ayotte, Burr, Kirk and Portman. The vote reflected the surge in support for gay rights across the nation in recent years.
The budget resolution is nonbinding and won’t be signed into law. But the two votes are politically significant. For Clinton, the prohibitive favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination, both are easy wedge issues that faced no opposition from her party and divided Republicans, making them fodder to potentially paint her GOP rivals on the wrong side of a majority of Americans.
They won’t be the last slam-dunk issues, I’m sure.
Republicans are always willing to fuck up royally.
They’re slam-dunk wedge issues for any Democratic candidate, not just Clinton. They’re even better slam-dunk issues for - hypothetically - a sitting US Senator who voted for them.
Elections aren’t about issues and ideas. They’re about having a beer and email servers.
Regards,
Politico
The ACA will also be a wedge issue if Dems choose to use it smartly. Over 10 million Americans now have health insurance thru the ACA and the republicans are still talking about undoing the law root and branch. I just don’t see how this is a winning issue for republicans, taking away health insurance for 10 million people.
Way, way too much inside baseball for my tastes.