Democrats seek to turn stand on issues into votes
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Congressional Democrats held a retreat this week seeking inspiration. But they left as befuddled as ever by an America that arguably likes their issues but not always the party.
This fall’s elections seem likely to leave Democrats in the House minority, and may rob them of their Senate majority. Republicans hope to gain six net seats to control the Senate.
At a three- day retreat by the Chesapeake Bay, House Democrats struggled to explain this political landscape while also insisting the public supports their agenda on immigration, income, women’s rights and other priorities. Friday pep talks by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden did little to solve the riddle.
Obama said Congress should act on issues “where the American people are on our side.” He said those include a higher federal minimum wage and “smart immigration policy” that would bring people “out of the shadows.”
Biden, who spoke ahead of the president, went further. “On every major issue,” he said, “the American people agree with the Democratic Party.”
Biden cited Democratic positions on the minimum wage, debt ceiling, same- sex marriage, early childhood education, infrastructure spending and “pay equity” for women. He said 90 percent of Americans support stricter background checks on gun buyers, an issue that went nowhere in the Democraticcontrolled Senate, let alone the GOP- run House.
“I can’t think of a time when