In 1974, Democrats made one of the greatest legislative blunders of the 20th century when they decided to reject Richard Nixon’s surprise offer to pass a universal health insurance plan. Liberals had convinced themselves they could get a better deal after the next election, where they were favored to romp. Instead, health reform stalled for decades.
Today, history is in danger of rhyming. Congress is considering a bipartisan permitting reform bill that would finally clear away the legal hurdles that cripple America’s ability to build new energy infrastructure, like power plants and transmission lines. It’s a potentially landmark piece of legislation that would help combat climate change by speeding the rollout of renewables while also tamping down on electricity prices.
Yet many environmental groups are pressuring Democrats to scrap the bill and start from scratch next year, when they will likely have more control over Congress. That way, they say, the party won’t have to make as many compromises with Republicans to get a deal done.
