The settings for their annual retreats couldn’t have been more similar: House Democrats and House Republicans decamped to separate private golf resorts in Virginia that provided ample privacy for days of reflection and planning ahead. But the mood and outlook couldn’t be more different.
Democrats, who met this week at the tony Lansdowne Resort outside Leesburg, emerged from their meetings convinced that even though they have the least political leverage of any political group in Washington, they see the national conversation shifting in their direction. On economic issues, gun- control and immigration, they see growing national support and agreement with the nation’s most popular elected official, President Obama, who told them Thursday that they will be “joined at the hip” as they work to achieve his legislative goals.
“This is very upbeat,” said Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), describing the mood at the Democrat retreat. “The election results very much energized us.”
Democrats note that Republicans have given way on taxes — long the GOP’s north star — reluctantly going along with a proposal to conclude the “fiscal cliff” drama that allowed taxes to increase on couples making more than $450,000 a year. An immigration overhaul, once thought virtually impossible in the face of an implacable Republican House majority, now seems like a clear possibility. (GOP lawmakers emerged from their retreat two weeks ago at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg eager to move on the issue.) And, in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, a long-dormant discussion of gun control has dominated national news for weeks.
“To the degree that the Democratic caucus is included and some of our views are addressed in legislation, it’s good for the nation,” said Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.).
The other reason for House Democrats’ high spirits? An understanding that the Republican majority needs them. House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has time and again relied on the votes of Democrats to help move must-pass legislation when a bloc of 50 or more of his own conservative members have refused to go along.
Without Democrats, the fiscal cliff bill would not have been adopted. Nor would a bill to provide billions in aide to victims of Hurricane Sandy, which threatened to blow into a massive public relations problem for the national Republican party. When Democrats refused to go along with Boehner’s solution to the fiscal cliff in December — which would have involved allowing taxes to increase only on those making more than $1 million a year — the plan collapsed in embarrassing failure because of Boehner’s inability to get a majority of 218 votes from his own members.
Even a measure adopted last month to suspend the nation’s debt ceiling for three months — an idea advanced by Republican leaders which enjoyed broad support within their party — still drew 33 Republican “no” votes and would have fallen short without Democratic support.
“There’s broadening recognition that without us, nothing’s going to get passed,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). “That flies in the face of conventional wisdom about minorities in the House.”
House Democrats see political winds shifting in their direction
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House Democrats see political winds shifting in their direction
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House Democrats see political winds shifting in their direction
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