Street Heat

The diverse coalition that was instrumental in electing Biden would serve its own interests to actively support the many positive measures – legislative and otherwise – of his administration. So far this coalition, with a few exceptions, has done too little to acquaint and even less to activate tens of millions in support of these measures.  Hopefully, this will change this fall as Biden, Pelosi, and Congressional Democrats attempt to strike a legislative blow against 30 years of neoliberalism and secure legislation – a new New Deal – that will make a difference in the lives of tens of millions.

While I can’t explain why the main organizations and leaders stretching from the center to the progressive to the left haven’t activated their constituencies, standing still shouldn’t any longer be an option. Too much is at stake – jobs, health and child care, climate mitigation, infrastructure renewal, voting rights, and the likely winners and losers in next year’s midterm elections.

On the left, we love to talk about “street heat,” sometimes to the exclusion of other forms of struggle. But at this moment, “street heat” in support of the many progressive and novel features in the $3.5 trillion budget moving through the Congressional reconciliation process is exactly what is missing and urgently needed.