But for the reconciliation strategy to succeed, Democrats have to remain united. At the moment, the feat may be impossible unless the package is paid for without borrowing new money and increasing the federal deficit.
“Everything should be paid for. How much more debt can y’all handle?” said Sen. Joe Manchin III the West Virginia Democrat who is often the key swing vote in the chamber. “I think we’ve incurred over $28.5 trillion of debt and I’d like to start paying for things.”
The easiest way to meet the goal — or at least come close — is to boost revenue by jettisoning the Trump-era tax cuts. Mr. Manchin himself suggested the idea last month, telling ABC’s “This Week” he was ready to “step forward” on the issue.