As they struggle to arrive at a budget bill they can all agree on, Republicans in Congress might want to familiarize themselves with the story of Marjorie Margolies (then Margolies-Mezvinsky), who three decades ago briefly became the most famous first-term member of the House of Representatives. Her unfortunate fate was sealed when she cast the deciding vote for Bill Clinton's 1993 budget, a bill that was good policy in many ways, but unquestionably bad politics. A year after that vote, Margolies was turned out of office, never to return. The budget Republicans are now working to pass is terrible politics, and even worse as a matter of policy. If Democrats can get their act together, they can make its depredations a centerpiece of their 2026 campaign and punish every Republican who votes for it. Do that, and the upcoming midterms could become a repeat of 1994, the most sweeping midterm loss a president's party has experienced in modern times. This is a preview of Paul Waldman's latest column. Read the full column here. |
