Republicans pulled a bait-and-switch on voting rights. Democrats can’t let them do it on infrastructure.

Then there are the political benefits. The 17 months until the midterms may feel like a long time, but it’s shorter than you think. Midterms tend to follow voters’ perceptions of the president. The more successful Biden is in passing these broadly popular proposals — including the corporate tax increase, child-care assistance and so on — the better the election fundamentals will look for these Democratic senators, especially the vulnerable moderates backing the compromise. But the longer this drags on into Biden’s presidency, the less momentum there is for big legislation like this. And, of course, a 50-50 Senate means just one defection, resignation or other unexpected event could suddenly make Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Senate majority leader again, killing the Biden agenda for months or years to come.