President-elect Joe Biden is adjusting the scope of his agenda to meet the challenges of governing with a narrowly divided Congress and the complications of legislating during a raging Pandemic.

Biden adjusting agenda to reflect narrow divide in Congress WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is adjusting the scope of his agenda to meet the challenges of governing with a narrowly divided Congress and the complications of legislating during a raging Pandemic. (1 of 3) President-elect Joe Biden arrives at The Queen theater, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (2 of 3) President-elect Joe Biden departs after holding a news conference to introduce his nominees and appointees to economic policy posts at The Queen theater, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (3 of 3) President-elect Joe Biden departs a news conference after introducing his nominees and appointees to economic policy posts at The Queen theater, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. Rather than immediately pursue ambitious legislation to combat climate change, the incoming administration may try to wrap provisions into a coronavirus aid bill. Biden's team is also considering smaller-scale changes to the Affordable Care Act while tabling the more contentious fight over creating a public option to compete with private insurers. Biden is already working on an array of executive actions to achieve some of his bolder priorities on climate change and immigration without having to navigate congressional gridlock. The maneuvering reflects a disappointing political reality for Biden, who campaigned on a pledge to address the nation's problems with measures that would rival the scope of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal legislation. But Democrats acknowledge that big legislative accomplishments are unlikely, even in the best-case scenario in which the party gains a slim majority in the Senate. “Let’s assume my dream comes true,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said, referring to a tight majority for his party. “I think we have to carefully construct any change in the Affordable Care Act, or any other issue, like climate change, based on the reality of the 50-50 Senate.” “There’s so many areas, which we value so much that Republicans do not, that it will be tough to guide through the Senate under the circumstances,” the Illinois Democrat added. Biden's agenda hinges on the fate of two Senate runoff races in Georgia, which will be decided on Jan. 5. If Democrats win both seats, the chamber will be evenly divided, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. In that event, Biden's agenda items stand a better chance of at least getting a vote. If Republicans maintain control, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell might not bring the new president's priorities to the floor. Biden's initial focus on Capitol Hill will be a multibillion-dollar coronavirus aid bill, which is certain to require significant political capital after lawmakers have been deadlocked over negotiations on Capitol Hill for months. The president-elect said Thursday on CNN that while he supports a $900 billion compromise bill introduced this week by a bipartisan group of negotiators, the bill is “a good start" but it's “not enough” and he plans to ask for more when he's in office. His team is already working on his own coronavirus relief package. People close to Biden's transition team say they're looking at that stimulus as a potential avenue for enacting some climate reforms — like aid for green jobs or moving the nation toward a carbon-free energy system — that might be tougher to get on their own. Durbin mentioned President Barack Obama’s first term as a precedent for what Biden will encounter when he takes office. Then, Obama was forced to focus much of his early energy on a stimulus package to deal with the financial crisis, and he spent months wrangling with his own party on his health care overhaul. Obama also enacted financial regulatory reform, but other progressive priorities, like cap and trade legislation and immigration reform, ultimately lost steam. And he had a significant House and Senate majority at the time. Still, some Republicans argue that if Biden approaches negotiations in good faith, there are some common areas of agreement. Rohit Kumar, the co-leader of PwC's Washington National Tax Services and a former top aide to McConnell, said it's possible to find a compromise on some smaller-scale priorities, like an infrastructure bill, addressing the opioid crisis and even a police reform bill. “There is stuff in the middle, if Biden is willing to do deals in the middle — and that means being willing to strike agreements that progressive members don’t love, and maybe have them vote no, and be at peace with that,” he said. Indeed, speaking on CNN Thursday, Biden expressed optimism about cutting deals with Republicans. He said when it comes to national security and the “economic necessity” of keeping people employed and reinvigorating the economy, “there's plenty of room we can work.” Still, he acknowledged, "I’m not suggesting it’s going to be easy. It’s going to be hard." But here, progressives, not Republicans, could be the roadblock. Waleed Shahid, spokesperson for the liberal Justice Democrats, said progressives are “worried and anxious” about Biden's history of making what he called “toxic compromises with McConnell." “I think progressives will probably play a key role in trying to push Democrats to have a spine in any negotiations with Mitch McConnell,” he said. “People will hold him accountable for what he ran on.” Shaheed said he believes progressives could play a role in pushing the Biden administration to embrace a more “aggressive approach” and pursue executive actions to address some Democratic priorities. And indeed, Biden’s transition team has already been at work crafting a list of potential unilateral moves he could take early on. He plans to reverse Trump’s rollback of a number of public health and environmental protections the Obama administration put in place. He’ll rejoin the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accord and rescind the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries. He could also unilaterally reestablish protections for “Dreamers” who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children. But some of his biggest campaign pledges require congressional action and are certain to face GOP opposition. Biden has promised to take major legislative action on immigration reform and gun control, but prior legislative efforts on both of those issues — with bipartisan support — have failed multiple times. He’s also pledged to roll back the Trump tax cuts for the wealthy, forgive some student loan debt and make some public college free — all heavy lifts in a closely divided or Republican-controlled Senate. “It’s easy to be skeptical and pessimistic in this Senate,” Durbin said. “I hope that they give us a chance to break through and be constructive and put an end to some of the obstruction.”     Subjects         Government and politics, United States government transition, Political parties, Political organizations People         Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Kamala Harris Locations         District of Columbia, United States, North America Organisations         United States Congress, United States government, United States Senate, U.S. Republican Party -------------------- The US tough Surveillance & All Issues Monitoring,which resulted in Trump's non realizable US Electoral Ambition & coupled with Putin 's inability to Act or Perform as before,is fast beclouding or has beclouded Trump expected electoral Result or non feasible Trump electoral Win. These have made Trump's & Putin's Agents/Supporters,in conjunction with her Imperial Majesty Networks/Agencies to maneuver overtly or covertly the Media,to lobby, to  propagate gullible Public with some fabricated misinformation or to mislead  through unwarranted Racial Tension with its  infused Crisis. All US Stakeholders and all concerned,should be aware or Be warned of More Coming Trump/Putin booboo Racial Traps/Crisis with some futuristic Economic Protests,as to engage US or Preoccupy US and divert US Political intention for expectant US Electoral Change. Ironically,People should exercise Calm,Patience with Deserved Intelligence when dealing or handling Racial issues or Resolving Economic Issues ............................................................................... Russia Vladimir Putin, as a groomed voodoo political/economic crisis Expert and as a KGB trained Con Artist Expert/KGB insecurity crisis Expert.Huge Migrant Crisis,Trump induced Trade Tariff Economic Conflict/Crisis and Far Right/White Extremist Political Instability confronting West & US with its Allies nowadays,have testified Russia Vladimir Putin, as a groomed voodoo political/economic Crisis Expert and as a KGB trained Con Artist Expert/KGB insecurity Crisis Expert. Analysts were of opinion that Putin Russia KGB Elements/NGOs secretly organized, sponsored & tel-guided Stranded Mediterranean sea Migrants and Stranded US-Mexico border Migrants, as technical analysis or careful studies of some years back Migrants,could show that past migrants were resourceful, matured & well knowledgeable than present youthful migrants,as many present migrant do not have the required Resources or Maturity & traveling know-how,as to leave their various Countries,in order to be able to reach either Mediterranean sea or US-Mexico Border. Putin migrant problematic Designs were created to inflate the US or West with large Refugee Complex Problems and to create a migrant unsolvable situation where the US or West is portrayed in bad Media light as inhuman or not caring. Western Securities/Agents should be on the field, as to counter and checkmate this Putin Russia Migrant Crisis program as quickly as possible.  Putin led Russia Kremlin/KGB Hardliners accused US with its Western Allies for the collapse of former Soviet Union Republics,whereby  Putin with his Cohorts strategically nurtured & sponsored European Far Right Chauvinists/White Extremists and US White Extremist Conservatives,as to create Racial Divide Crisis, inflate Racial Inequalities, Economic Disharmony & to  segregate US various Races/Classes from US flourishing Economy. Trump led Extremist Republicans after saying that Obama 8 years were disastrous,but upon Trump Office assumption,they asserted that Jobs were created and the US Economy has turned Around & is now performing,while the smallest Economy takes 2years,to be able to turn it Around............................... Astonishingly,the US President Trump recently goofed on Harris Citizenship & Shocked the World by his Non Strategic Ignorance,Displayed Parochialism and lack of Technical Think Tank Reserve on Universal Basis,US Ethnic/Racial Divide Sentiment and wiping up Parochial Racial Sentimentalism. US Stakeholders and all concerned,should be aware or be warned of more coming Trump/Putin booboo Racial Traps/Crisis with some futuristic Economic Protests,as to engage US or Preoccupy US and divert US Political intention for expectant US Electoral Change.Ironically,US People should exercise Calm,Patience with Deserved Intelligence when dealing or handling Racial issues or Resolving Economic Issues. Visit these published Articles' websites. http://maziliteralworks.wordpress.com http://maziliteralworks.blogspot.com https://medium.com/me/stories/public http://disqus.com/home/channel/mazipatrick/ https://maziliteralworks.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/Maziliteraworks Regards, Mazi Patrick  O., email: akwaba2000@gmail.com Thinker, Writer, Political Strategist, Historian & Psychoanalyst.... As to publish our literal work,pls you/your company can assist us with anything..