Weiner says divided Washington can still pass a bipartisan agenda

Robert Weiner and policy analyst Emmbrooke Flather argue in a Nov. 3 USA Today opinion piece that Congress and the White House can still strike deals if both parties share credit. The article outlines 12 possible policy areas, from avoiding shutdowns and extending ACA subsidies to AI guardrails and Social Security.

Why it matters: - A divided Congress and White House still could move legislation if leaders accept shared credit and compromise. - The list of potential deal areas spans must-pass budget fights, health care, immigration, taxes, technology and retirement security. - The argument is aimed at shaping what a post-election governing agenda could look like.

What happened: - Robert Weiner and policy analyst Emmbrooke Flather published a feature opinion article in USA Today on Nov. 3. - The piece argues that a divided Congress and the White House can pass a productive agenda if all sides are willing to share credit. - Weiner said the article lays out 12 areas Congress could address. - The article says those areas include no shutdowns, ICE with strings, ACA subsidies, minimized tariffs, Iran war funding and negotiations, the child tax credit, drug policy, the southern border, vaccines, AI guardrails, Social Security and ethics reforms. - The article excludes Trump impeachment reform from the list of priorities. - The full article is available here.

The details: - Weiner has served as a spokesman in the Clinton and Bush White Houses. - Weiner also worked as a committee chief of staff, communications director, spokesman and staffer for officials including Rep. Claude Pepper, Ed Koch, John Conyers, Charles Rangel, Sen. Ted Kennedy and former 4-Star Gen. and Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey. - Weiner said his team’s articles have been ranked H1, H2 and H3 by OpEd News. - A Nov. 1 OpEd News article by Weiner and Khel Gordhan argued that the answer to the 2024 Chicago Democratic National Convention delegates’ question about when “Trump fatigue” would arrive is now. - A Oct. 31 OpEd News article by Weiner and Brenna Sculthorpe urged Chief Justice John Roberts to defend midterm elections from meddling and said that would strengthen the court’s legacy. - Another Oct. 31 OpEd News article by Weiner and Jaylen Hill argued that Trump’s effort to build structures honoring himself conflicts with biblical and American religious values. - Weiner and Flather also co-authored a Sept. 23 USA Today opinion piece on the U.S.-China summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. - The Weiner team also produced a non-partisan issue TV message on topics heading into the November midterms, later published as an OpEd News article.

Between the lines: - The USA Today piece is less about a specific bill than about a governing strategy for a split Washington. - The central political message is that results are more likely when both parties can claim some ownership of the outcome. - The issue list shows an effort to place fiscal, foreign policy and social policy fights in one negotiation frame rather than in separate partisan battles.

What's next: - Weiner’s team said it plans more commentary on elections, Trump, the Supreme Court, U.S.-China policy and midterm-related issues. - Weiner said interviews and more information are available through Robert Weiner Associates at +1 202-306-1200 or weinerpublic@comcast.net. - More information is available at Weiner Public. - The OpEd News archive of Weiner articles is available here.

The bottom line: - Weiner’s message is simple: divided government can still produce deals, but only if lawmakers and the White House stop treating every win as partisan property.