Come together, right now ...
As negotiations in Washington grind on over two massive pieces of legislation — the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and the $3.5 trillion so-called human infrastructure proposal — as Democrats argue mostly with other Democrats about what to leave in and what to take out and how to make the numbers work, observers of all stripes wonder what it will take to get the bills to the finish line and through a divided Congress. The excruciating drama unspools to a familiar soundtrack about coming together (with apologies to John, Paul and their fellow Beatles). Sing along:
* * * * *
Here come old Manchin
He want no more child care
He want health care limits
He make big coal money
He say "one and one and one is three"
But he want only one and he’s not easy to please
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come old Bernie
He got bigly figures
He got lots of zeros
He want ton of moolah
He say "one and one and one is three"
But he wanted six and now he's getting angry
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come old Kyrsten
She want something don’t she
She won’t say what that is
She just smiles and leaves town
She plays hard to get, responds ambiguously
Got to be a joker cuz she’s so hard to see
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come progressives
They got all their causes
They want all that money
They see big change coming
They say we know you, you know we
We need all that funding or we’ll never be free
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come the moderates
They just want their bridges
They want all roads and tunnels
They want building projects
They say we know you, you know we
We defend our seats or lose the majority
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come McConnell
Ol’ Mitch has his mantra
He want all the power
He won’t lift a finger
He say I know you, you know me,
I’ll obstruct and block to make sure you don’t succeed
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come old Schumer
He and Nancy working
In the backroom talking
Riding White House shuttle
They say "we’ll reach the end eventually"
Are they living in some other reality
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come Joe Biden
Want to thread the needle
Want to make the big deal
Get them all on same page
He say "one and one and one can agree"
Got to be a joker because this is D.C.
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Here come the people
They be tired of waiting
Want some kind of action
Want some resolution
They say "you work for us and we’re not pleased"
Sitting in their armchairs they can feel your disease
Come together, right now, that's our plea
* * * * *
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
Come together, yeah
* * * * *
Come together, right now, appease me
* * * * *
Columnist Michael Dobie's opinions are his own.
Michael Dobie is a retired member of the Newsday editorial board.
