The Democrats have to acknowledge that the war Trump unleashed on democracy is also going on inside the Congress. Not only will the Republicans in the Senate refuse to convict Trump of leading an insurrection (only five voted to proceed to trial on the impeachment), the majority of Republicans in the House (197) denied Biden won the election immediately after the insurrection. These elected representatives have become combatants in the Trump war on democracy. They will do whatever they can to obstruct the Biden agenda and presidency. The Democrats have to respond accordingly or risk losing the war.
The war, of course, is for power. Power, in this case, means enough votes to control the Congress in 2022 and occupy the White House in 2024. The reality that this is indeed a war is best exemplified, Game of Thrones style, by Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, "bending the knee" to Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He went from saying: Trump "bears responsibility" for the violence at the Capitol a week after the insurrection to, after taking the temperature of the Republican base, "kneeling" to Trump, sending a signal to fight for Trumpism to his House caucus.
While President Biden's attempt at securing bipartisan support is laudable, it cannot languish. If Republicans refuse to support his $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus, the Democrats should pass it by reconciliation. The pandemic has decimated both our economy and our populace. Americans need relief. There will plenty of time for fiscal austerity once the virus is defeated.