Former GOP Lawmaker Tells Democrats To ‘Play Hardball’ And Pass Legislation Without Republicans

Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 12:30 pm

Former GOP Rep. David Jolly has some advice for Democrats in Congress: Stop waiting for Republicans to come around on unity, because it isn’t going to happen.

“There is no pathway to getting 60 votes in the Senate for Joe Biden’s agenda,” the former lawmaker said. “Forget about the 60-vote majority, because you’re not getting there. So just play hardball.”

Jolly suggested that the clearest path forward for Democrats if they want to pass meaningful legislation is to either eliminate the filibuster or use the reconciliation process.

Video:

Jolly said:

Whether you’ve got to play cutthroat or not, the baseline to all of this we’re about to see play out in the Senate and with Joe Biden, Joy, is the only way Joe Biden’s agenda passes through the Congress is if Chuck Schumer does an end around the legislative filibuster by either eliminating the filibuster or by using the reconciliation process. There is no pathway to getting 60 votes in the Senate for Joe Biden’s agenda. So Schumer and the Democrats need to accept that and then make the political calculus that they think makes the most sense for them. … Is it worth it to move through Democratic priorities and then test those priorities at the ballot box the next time? You can look at the Affordable Care Act as an example of Democrats pushing through something that some would make the case ultimately lost them the Congress in 2010, but I think every Democrat would probably say, it was worth it. We got it done. Schumer needs to make the calculation, what agenda is worth the political calculus and then forget about the 60-vote majority, because you’re not getting there. So just play hardball.

There aren’t enough Republicans willing to put country first

The United States is in the midst of multiple crises, from a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 430,000 Americans to an economic downturn that has put millions out of work.

Even as the vast majority of the country supports bold action to meet these emergencies, the GOP appears to be hellbent on standing in the way of legislation.

Less than a week into Joe Biden’s presidency, it is already becoming increasingly clear that there simply aren’t enough Republicans willing to put country over party in order to help the American people.

If Democrats want to accomplish anything legislatively, they may need to go it alone.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.

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