Biden's big infrastructure plan hits McConnell, GOP blockade

[TexasTowelie]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans in Congress are making the politically brazen bet that it’s more advantageous to oppose President Joe Biden’s ambitious rebuild America agenda than to lend support for the costly $2.3 trillion undertaking for roads, bridges and other infrastructure investments.

Much the way Republicans provided no votes for the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, they plan to sit on the sidelines for this next big lift by the White House, forcing Democrats to take full ownership of the massive package of spending and corporate tax hikes that Biden wants approved over the summer. The tension could mount this week as Biden shows no signs adjusting to satisfy Republican leaders, instead appealing directly to their constituents for support.

“I think the Republicans’ voters are going to have a lot to say about whether we get a lot of this done,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

That leaves Biden and congressional Republicans on a collision course, the outcome of which could define the parties and his presidency. The GOP strategy is reminiscent of the Obama-era blockade that helped sour voters on the Democratic president more than a decade ago. Then and now Republicans are intent on saddling Democrats with responsibility for all the taxes and spending to come, much as they did the 2009 rescue after the economic crisis, framing it as government overreach that piles on debt.

Read more: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/04/bidens-big-infrastructure-plan-hits-mcconnell-gop-blockade.html

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Let the Republicans OPPOSE progress.

Voters will see who is looking out for them and NOT playing politics. Joe knows his infrastructure plan is popular with voters, period.

The message from Democrats should be..."Piss, or get off the pot " . Govern for the betterment of the people and country, or get out of the way.

[JohnSJ]

2. Provided the Democrats push back on it, and get the message out aggressively. After starting

to watch the HBO documentary on QAanon, no one will ever convince these people. They are batshit crazy, and that is what the republicans are counting on

[Deb]

3. All potholes are local.

And that makes me smile.

[The Magistrate]

4. Oh, The Horror, Sir!

Force Democrats to take full ownership of a program supported by some three quarters of the population?

Whatever shall become of us if we must do that?

[rgbecker]

5. $2.3 T over 8 years is $300 Billion/yr.

Compare to "defense" spending: 686 Billion in 2019.

Biden's infrastructure bill spends less than half per year than a typical year of Military spending.

I'll leave it to you to decide which program will benefit the America people the most.

[George II]

6. Biden will blast through that blockade. McConnell will be blocking hundreds of millions that would..

...go to HIS constituents.

Biden's smart, go to the voters with the facts.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

9. That is why Joe has 5 Cabibet Secretaries doing just that.

To give people the FACTS.

From Transportation, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, etc. Infrastructure covers many areas.

[Texin]

10. Problem is, the VOTERS can't pass this legislation. The legislators have to do that.

They're going to have to obliterate the filibuster. They should have done it during Obama's administration.

[George II]

17. The voters are going to contact their Representatives and Senators.

[Lonestarblue]

7. Biden's infrastructure is very little more than Republican' 2017 tax giveaway to the rich.

The message needs to be that the tax giveaway will be reclaimed and help pay for infrastructure, which will create the jobs that were promised but never materialized with the 2017 tax cut.

[KS Toronado]

8. Someone in congress needs to back Moscow Mitch & R's

into a corner to explain to voters how "trickle down economics" has worked out for them.

[RainCaster]

15. No one in Congress is that poor, the message from elites won't resonate

Bernie and Elizabeth Warren have been saying this for years, but the MAGAts just don't understand.

[Firestorm49]

11. So what else is new?

[Auggie]

12. Government spending on infrastructure also obstructs repuke privatization plans

Infrastructure is a (mostly) untapped source of new revenue for hedge funds, private equity, Wall Street, corporate entities, etc.

[ancianita]

13. When the checks are cut they'll be the first to want to "distribute" them so they

can get all the local credit and 2022 votes per the playbook.

[iluvtennis]

14. Exactly. nt

[dugog55]

16. I am not sure that you can count on rank and file Republicans

to either think their Representatives are screwing them, or if they will vote them out. The Congressional Republicans have been opposing progress and actually dragging it backwards for over forty years. It has not hurt them one bit in elections. Hell, 90% of their voters think Reagan was the best ever President and that Obama is a Muslim.

They have been stupid sheep for decades, and most of them will continue to be so. I do not think they can be counted on for anything. Graham, McConnell, Gaetz, Cruz, Cotton, Greene, Boebert, Collins, Scott, etc... got elected, or keep getting re-elected, their voters don't care, don't know, or are just too stupid to see the truth.

[Duppers]

21. Zactly! 👍

[diverdownjt]

18. Never has it clearer what they stand for...

Let them keep trying this crap....document it and use it in the next campaign.
Right now they are so far out of their depth we can (figurativley speaking) pick them off one at time.
They just can't be quiet about any more....use it....use it all against them.
We have them on the ropes...keep swinging...."Swing away Merril....swing away". (signs movie ref.)

[LAS14]

19. So everyone making over $400,000/year is upset about new taxes. How many is that??????

"Then and now Republicans are intent on saddling Democrats with responsibility for all the taxes and spending to come, much as they did the 2009 rescue after the economic crisis, framing it as government overreach that piles on debt."

[BobTheSubgenius]

20. OK, show of hands.

Who did not see this coming?

The Moscow Mitch Agenda is to let America go to rack and ruin in the hopes of scoring some political points for...the fraction of the country he already has in his pocket? He could tell them that he has a better plan, Albania is going to pay for it, and they'd believe it.

[modrepub]

22. How About You Vote No

You get a reduction in available funding for your district and state.

IMO there's going to be a lot of grift in this bill so money should be available on a state match basis. Free handouts are not going to make this bill palatable to Republicans. Like the stimulus bill, they'll gladly take credit for it while voting against it so make their vote have consequences.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

23. News today of Parliamentarian approving 3 more budget reconciliations.

Infrastructure Bill Will Pass!