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Some progressives tell Axios they believe the window to influence President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet selections is closed and that they are focusing on politics – hoping to shape Biden’s agenda even before he do not swear.
Why is this important: The party’s left wing often draws attention for its protests, petitions and tweets, but this deliberate move reflects a determination to move beyond some fights they won’t win to strategically engage with Biden and on the long term.
- Progressives don’t just push Biden on sweeping liberal policies like the Green New Deal or Medicare for All.
- They talk about economic policy, reforming the Federal Reserve, foreign policy, cutting defense spending, ending the war in Yemen and tackling immigration, systemic racism and public education.
In the wings: Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) And Jamaal Bowman (DN.Y.) are just a few of the progressives engaged in political discussions with those responsible for Biden’s transition. Among them is the new White House chief of staff Ron Klain, who, according to a congressional aide, enjoys the confidence of progressives “to navigate these things and always have their backs on both sides.”
What they say: Bowman had a 20-minute Zoom conversation on public education reform last Friday with Linda Darling-Hammond, who heads Biden’s education transition team. “It’s a huge victory for the progressives she leads,” Bowman, a former founder and principal of the school, told Axios.
- But he also said engaging progressives raised the stakes for the Biden / Harris administration.
- “I never felt silenced or left out by Biden’s team,” Bowman said. “But we will continue to push and organize. … He wants us to stay on him. “
Between the lines: Progressives want to be seen by Biden’s team as trusted negotiators, not just agitators.
- They want to continue the working relationship they had when party factions collaborated on important political issues like climate change through the so-called Unity task forces after Biden became the candidate.
- They’ve already asked Biden to either stop giving power to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or treat him like the president.
- They protested outside the DNC to pressure Biden to implement his $ 2 trillion climate plan.
Go back: Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote an op-ed after Biden won the election, imploring him to do a number of things through executive action – foreshadowing what will likely be the progressives’ next goal in their political pressure campaign against Biden.
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