The Wonk is not necessarily a sports aficionado–unless we’re talking about baseball. Nevertheless, as I write this week’s Wednesday Wonk, I am reminded of some junior high school basketball game where everybody–including half the players–knows the game is over. Yet, they insist that they can still win.

Let’s take a look at some attempts to restart a scaled-back version of Build Back Better.

Monday’s edition of Politico suggests that the Democrats are considering passing a smaller package. “We still have a chance to get something not just significant, but unprecedented, done. And I think we should use every possible ounce of energy we have to do that,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). “April and May is a good window within which to do it. If it went a little later than that, fine. I don’t think this should be dragged out over four to five months.”

One of the central questions is, where does Senator Joe Manchin stand on this legislative effort? The article further states, “Manchin (D-W.Va.) is open to a smaller bill focused on raising taxes on the rich and big corporations married with prescription drug reform and climate spending, which would be a significant accomplishment if it actually gets to Biden’s desk.” Nevertheless, in an interview, the Senator reported that although there’s plenty of chatter, “After next week, we’ll see, after the judge and all that, maybe things will pick up.”

Another article in Politico suggests “A letter being circulated by Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and obtained by Politico will call on President Biden to push a reconciliation bill “that lowers the cost of child care for families, expands access to pre-K, and invests in the early childhood workforce and infrastructure.”

Make no mistake: everything considered by Democrats these days has an eye toward the upcoming midterm elections. As yet another article in Politico states, Joe Biden is poised to fight the midterms the same way his two immediate Democratic predecessors did: trumpeting moderation and a centre-left agenda.” This article goes on to say, “House Democrats’ own internal polling shows the party is vulnerable to Republican attacks on crime and police funding as well as high inflation. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, meanwhile, has compelled the White House to reinforce their desire to achieve global security through the strong national defense.”

Finally, for those fellow wonks out there (and you know who you are), there’s this little ditty from The Hill on economists’ predictions on inflation. “Last September, as the Build Back Better legislation was being considered in Congress, many members worried about the inflationary pressure of injecting an additional $2.4 trillion into the economy on top of the $4.1 trillion committed to the American Rescue Plan and the Cares Act. The article continues, “Nobel Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz rounded up another 16 of the 36 living American Nobel Prize economists to declare, in an open letter, that whatever upward pressure on prices all this new money might bring, there was no threat of inflation.”

The only thing the Wonk can think of to say is, “whoops!”

So, does the Wednesday Wonk think that the Democrats will pass something? Yes, I do. It’s going to be nip and tuck. Stay tuned!

That’s it for this week. Enjoy the early spring. Pray for peace.

Happy Reading!