Rachel Maddow Lays Out Pres. Biden's Infrastructure Plan, Listens to AOC's Case For Building Bigger

[ancianita]

The contrast between the tawdry shabbiness of post-pendejo45's politics, and President Biden's vision for investment for the people, is like night and day.

Interview with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez begins at 22:00

[riversedge]

1. All the while AOC was talking, I was thinking that I wished Biden had gone bigger.....

People are saying. take what we can get for now. and I was almost convinced--until I listened to her.

One trillion for each of 10 years seems reasonable to me.

[George II]

3. This is the biggest single proposal since FDR. Biden has detailed where the money is coming from....

....and where it's going.

Surely we can give him and his staff credit for working out the details. I sure wish I knew where the "$10T" number came from, with specifics.

[riversedge]

10. You are right. And I hope she will give us some details about

the funding of her proposal.

[George II]

11. Even more important than the funding is on what t will be spent. $8T more than....

...Biden's proposal, most likely prepared by some of the most accomplished economists and budget experts in the country, is a lot of money, like 5X Biden's number.

Biden presented details prior to presenting this to the country. He didn't come up with a number and go on a talk show and present it. At least we know what's behind Biden's proposal.

[ancianita]

8. Me, too.

Because, when we realize that Americans pay $7.8 TRILLION in taxes every year, this is even doable in five years when even more tax money comes in from those who make $400,000 or more.

To expand the skilled labor of all our unions, expand and pay them their wages and benefits -- building housing, plumbing, 20,000 miles of roads, 10,000 bridges, clean energy grids, green transportation, broadband and its affordability -- rebuilds the middle class, too.

Of course, the timeline comparison of covid relief and construction isn't fair, since rebuilding infrastructure is a huge undertaking that takes way more time than electronically distributing money. But 40-hour work weeks can produce nation building faster than we think.

In the next budget bill, the momentum of accomplishment after accomplishment will drive the next two trillion that will pass, too.

This is Biden's Works Progress Administration.

[al bupp]

4. Like any negotiation, start high and bargain lower, if need be

However, I happen to think that the politics of the moment actually support going really big. Let's prove that government can improve people's lives.

[ancianita]

7. Truth.

[niyad]

5. Off to greatest with you.

[global1]

6. Corporations Have No Problem When It Comes To Spending Money Sponsoring Stadium's & Arena's.....

Perhaps there is some way that they can get credit some way for contributing more tax monies for the infrastructure of this country. (This bridge or road brought to you by the fine corporation X). Airlines would benefit immensely by the upgrading of airports around the country.

Isn't there some way of bringing in the corporations into the infrastructure rebuild?

We'd be giving a lot of people jobs. They'd have money to spend and the economy would boom. The Corps would benefit from this.

I'm amazed when I travel to other countries (Europe, ME & Asia) of the world and am exposed to their infrastructure (i.e., roads, bridges, airports, transport systems, etc).

People here have this perception that we are so far advanced and modern yet we here in the U.S. seem so far behind the curve with respect to infrastructure.

I really believe that there is a way of bringing everyone along on this quest to upgrade our infrastructure. The American People, the Dems and the Repugs, the Corps.

[ancianita]

9. I agree with 80% of what you say.

I wouldn't want to give corporations the kind of involvement you envision without their giving in to climate change driven, and zero tolerance level regulations about
-- their actual spending of public funds,
-- diversifying their work forces,
-- lowering the work-to-CEO income ratios,
-- pollution cleanup plans in advance of all operations
-- no environment destruction and
-- giving a set percentage of their profits into a national escrow for reparations.

Then maybe they can be allowed to compete with state public's suggestions for naming rights. Just my opinion.

I've traveled, like you, and have seen the superior infrastructure abroad -- all because foreign leaders might tax higher, but distribute spending for building beautiful public spaces while damping down unnecessary consumption and waste.

Their scale is much smaller, so they solve their problems faster; while our international military commitments are unaffordable to them, so an important source of their security. But we can do this.