No less a liberal light (supposedly) than the NYT editorial board is advising Democrats to trim the sails of their agenda as a result of a Republican victory in the gubernatorial race in Virginia. The same pundits who opined Americans didn't support the Dems big social spending bill because they didn't know what was in it are now sure these same voters have scanned the Build Back Better Bill line by line and decided it is too liberal for their tastes.
If anything, this is a faint echo of the problems the supporters of Obamacare faced in 2009. Hardly anyone knew what was in the bill and Republicans found it easy to demagogue with sound bites like "death panels". The slow motion passage of the bill and the watering down of its most popular provisions like insurance subsidies for the middle class led to the backlash of the 2010 elections.
The BBB, when explained to voters is incredibly popular. There are no death panel provisions for Republicans to use as scare tactics. Even if progressives give up many items on their wish list, the reduced bill is still transformative. But unless it is passed, signed by the president and allows ordinary citizens to feel the benefits in their own lives before the 2022 midterms, there will be another electoral debacle next year.
The corporations and plutocrats are influencing editorial pages and will continue to shape public opinion to try and reject the increasingly moderate tone of Biden's signature legislation. Liberals must educate the public about the BS being shoveled at them right now.
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