What can Hillary pass with speaker Ryan?

[RFayette]

Note:  let's assume Hillary wins, with the Senate narrowly Democratic but the House remaining in GOP hands.

Granted, some of these may be done via executive order (equal pay, gun control, and voter registration come to mind especially), but which of the following will Hillary be most likely to pass with Ryan as speaker?

It seems like Hillary, if elected, will begin office with one of the most hostile Congresses from a historical perspective.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

More war spending.

[President Johnson]

Maybe universal voter registration. A higher voter turnout is bad for the country. Actually, it shouldn't be a partisan issue.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Considering Obama and Congress passed the FAST Act last fall, infrastructure spending is in the cards. Hillary has proposed using $25 billion as seed money for an infrastructure bank to generate an additional $225 billion in long-term, low-interest loans.


The rest, I'm not so sure. I would think pieces of her New College Compact could be adopted, but again they would demand offsets in terms of spending cuts.

[RFayette]

Considering Obama and Congress passed the FAST Act last fall, infrastructure spending is in the cards. Hillary has proposed using $25 billion as seed money for an infrastructure bank to generate an additional $225 billion in long-term, low-interest loans.


The rest, I'm not so sure. I would think pieces of her New College Compact could be adopted, but again they would demand offsets in terms of spending cuts.

Seems fair.  I get the feeling a Clinton Presidency will be rather modest; it will be a lot more about "staying the course" than anything else.  As I've said before, other than my (significant) concern about Supreme Court picks, I think Clinton would be a competent executive and isn't too ideologically extreme either.

[Mike Thick]

Of those, infrastructure is the most likely. However, it'll be interesting to see if the GOP's policy tack is different under Hillary than Obama.

[This account no longer in use.]

Depends on whether Ryan is still the Speaker.

[Mehmentum]

Equal Pay: The problem with this is that women go into different careers than men and men on average work more hours per week, which explains most (but not all) of the difference. Its already illegal to discriminate against women, so I fail to see how passing another law will improve the situation. 

Maternity leave is the one policy related thing that could change this situation, but good luck getting the anti-union GOP to expand employee benefits. 

Paid/ Family Leave: See above.

Gun Control: If it didn't happen after Sandy Hook, it won't happen.

Immigration Reform: The Republicans would be idiots to go along with this after the carnage Trump has wrought over this issue.

Infrastructure: This is possible.

Universal Voter Registration: Yeah, I'm sure the Republicans are interested in committing electoral suicide.

Debt Free College:  I could see a bill being passed to alleviate debt burden, but 'debt free' is a pipe dream.

Remember, just because something doesn't get through congress, doesn't mean zero progress will be made.  Obama has done well enough with executive orders, after all.  Also, plenty of progress can be made at the state level.

[Virginiá]

Maybe universal voter registration. A higher voter turnout is bad for the country. Actually, it shouldn't be a partisan issue.

Is this worded correctly?

Either way, she would be lucky to get a neutered form of the Voting Rights Act Section 5 restored. As it stands now, Democrats stand to benefit nicely from any form of expanded voter registration, so that means the GOP will not only fight such proposals, but actively work to reduce the number of registered voters (just like they have been doing since 2008). Unless Republicans have a change in ethics, or the landscape shifts to a point where increased turnout benefits their party instead, then they will never assist with something like this.

Or another way of saying that anything that could possibly threaten their majorities is dead in the water.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Better question: Why would congressional Republicans be any more willing to work with a hypothetical President Clinton than with President Obama?

[Lyin' Steve]

Equal Pay isn't a real issue anyway because we already have the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay for Women Act.  It's just a political talking point for democrats to try to create the war on women narrative.  We already solved equal pay.  So that's done.

Paid Family/Medical leave:  Probably not, this is the kind of company-restricting dictation from the government that Ryan hates.

Expanded Gun Control:  Definitely not.

Immigration Reform:  I could definitely see this happening.  There's a lot more bipartisan crossover on this issue, and Ryan hasn't jumped on the Trump bandwagon.

Additional Infrastructure Spending:  This is so trivial and non-controversial that I don't see any reason for Ryan to make it a fight.  The democrats would easily win that fight anyway.  People don't like potholes.

Universal Voter Registration:  Is this even an issue?

Debt-Free College Compact:  Absolutely no chance.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Nothing. And neither can Bernie.

That's why the "I can get things done!" line she constantly hammers at him is ridiculous. The GOP doesn't care if you're a moderate or a radical leftist hippie, they will block anything that comes from someone with a D next to their name.

Retaking Congress should be the Democrat's top priority, not keeping the White House.

[This account no longer in use.]

Nothing. And neither can Bernie.

That's why the "I can get things done!" line she constantly hammers at him is ridiculous. The GOP doesn't care if you're a moderate or a radical leftist hippie, they will block anything that comes from someone with a D next to their name.

Retaking Congress should be the Democrat's top priority, not keeping the White House.

Exactly this. I'd argue that some Republicans hate Clinton more than Sanders. No matter which one of them were to win, they would have a tough time with Congress if they didn't make an attempt to take it back. The senate seems completely possible, but the House of Representatives would be much tougher.

[Frodo]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

[Antonio the Sixth]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

[Bojack Horseman]

Nada.

[Frodo]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

How long did it take before Republicans finally accepted the permanence of Social Security and Medicare after they were enacted?  

[Antonio the Sixth]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

How long did it take before Republicans finally accepted the permanence of Social Security and Medicare after they were enacted? 

For Social Security, probably 15 years. For Medicare, likely 20 years.

That was a time when there was a shed of sanity left to the GOP. I'm sure there will be people still ranting about the evils Obamacare 50 years from now.

[jimrtex]

Universal Voter Registration: Yeah, I'm sure the Republicans are interested in committing electoral suicide.

Issue internal passports. The federal government would automatically forward any address changes to state election officials.

Make it illegal to hire anyone, lease to anyone, or give government assistance to anyone without an internal passport, or a current visa that permits employment.

[Frodo]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

How long did it take before Republicans finally accepted the permanence of Social Security and Medicare after they were enacted? 

For Social Security, probably 15 years. For Medicare, likely 20 years.

That was a time when there was a shed of sanity left to the GOP. I'm sure there will be people still ranting about the evils Obamacare 50 years from now.

So what is your plan then?  Let the GOP take the White House in 2016 and repeal Obamacare with an all Republican government, with the oft chance that Democrats will capitalize on the resulting backlash in 2018, and take back control in 2020 and institute single-payer in its place?  Never mind the suffering and economic upheaval that would result from all this turmoil?  

[IceSpear]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

How long did it take before Republicans finally accepted the permanence of Social Security and Medicare after they were enacted? 

For Social Security, probably 15 years. For Medicare, likely 20 years.

That was a time when there was a shed of sanity left to the GOP. I'm sure there will be people still ranting about the evils Obamacare 50 years from now.

So what is your plan then?  Let the GOP take the White House in 2016 and repeal Obamacare with an all Republican government, with the oft chance that Democrats will capitalize on the resulting backlash in 2018, and take back control in 2020 and institute single-payer in its place?  Never mind the suffering and economic upheaval that would result from all this turmoil?

Not to mention the fact that it would be essentially impossible for Democrats to win back the Senate in 2018 regardless of how much backlash there was. Unless you plan on winning Wyoming, Mississippi, Texas, etc.

[Kingpoleon]

Maybe the last one to a small extent. Maybe a Lee-Manchin Criminal Justice reform bill could pass. I'd like to see the votes on that, particularly since it seems Feingold might oppose any conservatism in it and Cruz would vote against it.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The Dem controlled Senate will probably try to get rid of sequestration like it did in 2013, and force Speaker's Ryams hand. And whoever wins that battle win have an edge, at least going for immigration reform. And look for Dems to try to pass a budget to get Ryan to concede. They arent gonna repeat like past and not force a budget.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Increased infrastructure spending (as well as the creation of an infrastructure bank), as well as various free trade agreements.  Apart from those, her primary role (as I see it) is to safeguard President Obama's achievements, particularly ensuring the survival (and maybe even further improvements) of Obamacare until it becomes so entrenched that it becomes politically untenable for any future Republican president to repeal it.   

Are we going to keep playing defense for the next 3 decades then?

How long did it take before Republicans finally accepted the permanence of Social Security and Medicare after they were enacted? 

For Social Security, probably 15 years. For Medicare, likely 20 years.

That was a time when there was a shed of sanity left to the GOP. I'm sure there will be people still ranting about the evils Obamacare 50 years from now.

So what is your plan then?  Let the GOP take the White House in 2016 and repeal Obamacare with an all Republican government, with the oft chance that Democrats will capitalize on the resulting backlash in 2018, and take back control in 2020 and institute single-payer in its place?  Never mind the suffering and economic upheaval that would result from all this turmoil?

We need to get people to turn out and vote. Hillary will be perfectly content with winning among the 55% of voters who show up at presidential elections, and who will reelect a Republican House and a Republican Senate. Bernie speaks to the other 45%, and while it will be hard, he might draw a good number of them in.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Nothing. And neither can Bernie.

That's why the "I can get things done!" line she constantly hammers at him is ridiculous. The GOP doesn't care if you're a moderate or a radical leftist hippie, they will block anything that comes from someone with a D next to their name.

Retaking Congress should be the Democrat's top priority, not keeping the White House.

Not everything. Those bills naming post offices still get through.