Remember the days when China Joe talked about doing things in a bipartisan manner, about reaching across the aisle? It actually lasted a shorter time than when Obama pulled that schtick. The only reason they would need to push to use reconciliation is if the bill was vastly left wing
‘Open’ to using reconciliation process to pass infrastructure bill: Sen. Luján
The Biden administration is reportedly preparing to recommend up to $3 trillion in new spending, as part of a long-term economic recovery plan. The proposal would be split into two bills, according to the New York Times.
The plan is expected to include a large investment in the nation’s infrastructure, which President Biden has long said would be part of his recovery plan, after the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan was signed into law.
“There’s no greater return than investing in the American people and investment in infrastructure,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D., N.M.) in an interview with Yahoo Finance Live. “If the economy does not recover and rebound, we all know that the economic effects are devastating and will cost us more in the long run.”
The economy was recovering and rebounding under Trump. Best way to do this is to re-open the nation. It can be done safely. Instead, Dems want to piss away even more more. We thought Obama’s Stimulus was expensive and wasteful? You ain’t seen nothing yet.
Not a single Republican voted for Biden’s massive relief bill, and many are already raising concerns about how to pay for infrastructure projects. While Biden and Democratic leaders have said they’d prefer the infrastructure push to be bipartisan, Democratic lawmakers acknowledge they may move ahead without Republican support.
“I’m open to every tool that’s on the table, including budget reconciliation,” said Luján. “That’s only one option. There’s nothing preventing Democratic and Republican members of the House and the Senate to come together and work to make investments in the United States of America.”
By coming together, Lujan means “Republicans surrendering.”
Details of the infrastructure plan and how to pay for it are still in the works, but Biden has previously said he’d like to increase the corporate tax rate and make the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes. Republicans have generally opposed those plans.
I thought they were paying for healthcare? Climate change? This, that, and the other? The GOP opposition has little to do with the taxes, though they know that raising corporate taxes means lower wages for workers and higher costs for consumers.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) told reporters last week he expects the infrastructure bill to be a “Trojan horse” for tax increases.
“My suspicion is they’ll try and jam everything they can into that bill and call it an infrastructure bill,” said McConnell.
Democrats are pushing for a “landmark” infrastructure package that tackles traditional projects like roads and bridges, while also investing in efforts to fight climate change and expand broadband access.
Essentially, it’ll be yet another Democrat wish-list bill, one which expands the control of the federal government and makes people more beholden to them. But, still won’t do much for the economy, just like the Stimulus did little.
