Much of the media coverage of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending bill has focused on storylines such as Biden vs. Republicans or Sinema vs. activists. The bill’s merits (or lack thereof) are rarely discussed. This is partly due to the bill’s gargantuan scope.

Instead of fostering debate and promoting quality legislation, this reconciliation bill has become a proxy for party affiliation. Republicans will vote against it to display party loyalty, and most Democrats will support it for the same reason. This process leaves us more polarized and further from compromise than before.