A Big Win For Democrats (And the Planet)

Compromise can be difficult. 

Especially when you know you’re right. 
Especially when the stakes are high. 
Especially when you can see what is being lost. 

This is true in one’s personal life, one’s professional life, and in the workings of a nation. 

The reconciliation bill passed by the Senate today after a marathon debate and amendments process is dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, but it is so much more. It is the most ambitious climate change bill ever passed by Congress. It will also lower health care costs, alter the tax code, and reduce the deficit. 

All these issues are vital to the health and safety of the American people and the planet. And for all of these topics, especially the climate, we need a lot more. 

Such was the thrust of a speech given by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Saturday evening when he decried all that wasn’t in this bill, a lot of which many of his Democratic senators undoubtedly wish had been included as well. 

This bill was the byproduct of a resuscitation effort worthy of a TV medical drama like ER. A few weeks ago, the patient — in this case a wide-ranging health and climate bill — appeared dead. The ire of Democrats was focused on Senator Joe Manchin, who seemed to have killed it by declaring he could not support a bill like this even after months of painstaking negotiations and, yes, compromise. In a 50-50 Senate, every senator essentially has a veto, which has become painfully apparent to all of us. 

But thanks to the patience and persistence of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as a lot more compromise, Manchin eventually was brought around. A new bill emerged and after a few more compromises, especially removing a tax that would affect only the ultra-wealthy, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Manchin’s frequent comrade in reluctance, signed on as well.

At this point, one could look at the process and bemoan all that is not in the bill, as Senator Sanders did. It is right to note this, and to fight for what we need. The battle for the future of our planet continues and will be shaped by the next election and those that follow. 

We need to do more to protect the climate — a lot more. We need to address the areas this bill does not. We need more legislative action. We need more innovative policies. We need a great deal as a country and as a planet. 

The frustration is understandable.

But perhaps we would do well to put some of that dissatisfaction aside and consider all that this bill does accomplish. This is a landmark piece of legislation. It exceeds the expectations of many who have been engaged in the climate fight for decades. It will have a real effect on medical costs for millions of Americans, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck. It will begin to make our tax code fairer. 

This bill will change the course of our nation. 

History shows that major shifts in the direction of national policy are difficult. But once we have charted a new path, it becomes easier to build upon previous successes. Compromise is often required to get started, and it will exist along the way. New paradigms, however, have a way of creating their own momentum. 

For those who feel frustrated today, a good course is to focus that energy on the political battles ahead. This new bill is a major victory and one to savor. It caps an impressive stretch of legislative accomplishments for the Biden administration. 

Just because there is more to do doesn’t mean much hasn’t gotten done. A good way to score more victories in the political battles ahead is to recognize the victories you have achieved. And go from there. 

As the ancient Chinese proverb states: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

And as far as steps go, this is a big one.