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Is an Infrastructure Deal Close? What Democrats Want and How They (Don’t) Plan to Pay for it.

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2021
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by AMAC, Alex Ayers
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Right now, Congressional leaders are debating two legislative paths for the two marquee proposals of the Biden agenda, the America Jobs Plan (infrastructure) and the American Families Plan (healthcare, energy, climate change), as the issues make their way through Congress. Option A involves Democrats passing one massive bill with both proposals without Republican input nor support. Option B involves splitting the legislation into two pieces: the first, which is currently being considered, is a roughly $1 trillion bill that currently has bipartisan support, and the second is a partisan tax hike bill that is currently formulating and will likely drag into fall.

In order to skirt the Senate’s filibuster rules, Democrats can pass partisan legislation using a process called ‘budget reconciliation, which requires a simple majority vote. They used reconciliation to pass the $1.9 trillion COVID spending bill back in March, which also wasn’t paid for and added to the debt. According to the White House, Biden’s Jobs Plan and Family Plan have a price tag of $2.2 trillion and $1.8 trillion, respectively, although a study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business found that the American Families plan will actually cost $900 billion more than what the White House figures.

Truth be told, a lot of the fighting has to do with the definition of infrastructure, which most people would agree means fixing our roads, bridges, railways, highways, seaports, and airports, which in Biden’s American Jobs plan accounts for only $157 billion, or 7%, of the White House’s estimated cost out of $2.2 trillion. Some might argue that infrastructure also means upgrading sewage lines, drinking water systems, and treatment plants, expanding high-speed broadband Internet and electric vehicle charging stations, upgrading the power grid, power plants, and related energy and water infrastructure. If you tally up all that in Biden’s proposal, you get $518 billion, or 24% of the total cost. Democrats would argue that infrastructure is more than that, about a couple trillion more.

The news is minute by minute, but it appears that Option B is being pursued and that a group of bipartisan lawmakers have reached a deal on infrastructure. The timeline going according to Nancy Pelosi, is to pass their bill (or bills) by early July before Congress breaks for the summer and returns in September with two major deadlines left on the agenda. But first, a budget must be passed through both chambers, which could end up proving more difficult than the media is admitting. Then the Congressional scorekeepers must produce an official estimate of the legislation, which many economists feel will not end up covering the cost of the package.

In the coming months, we will see if President Biden is willing to do the right thing and forget about the second part of Option B, which would involve raises taxes on small businesses and individuals to fund unneeded spending on partisan priorities. Senior Republicans believe that making this deal on infrastructure takes the wind out of the Democrat’s sails for a partisan tax hike bill, with moderate Democrats nervous about 2022 already. Stay tuned to AMAC Action for more details as the debate continues to advance on infrastructure and tax hikes.

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PaulE
PaulE
3 years ago

If the five RINOs that participated in the farce known as the Infrastructure Deal were smart, they would immediately walk away from it. I’ve read what is in the bill and there is more bad than good. Biden already tipped the Democrats’ hand and is only using them so he can say both bills will have had bi-partisan support and thus the resulting damage to the country was “bi-partisan”. A free pass for the Democrat destruction to come.

Once again, the RINOs prove the Republican party is the stupid party for not realizing, once again, that they were being played all along. What kind of pathetic fools couldn’t have seen this bait and switch by the Democrats coming a 100 miles away? I listened to some of these RINOs over the weekend and they are desperate to salvage this thing, no matter what. So again, my best advice is we walk away from the bad deal on the table rather than help facilitate the Democrat smear of the Republican party in 2022 and 2024 and the destruction of the country. Think people!

While I understand we have a lot of folks on our side that still believe in bi-partisanship, but the Democrat party of today is not the party of our parents or grandparents. Today the Democrat party is the Socialist party in all things but name. Socialism and capitalism are not compatible governing ideologies. Capitalism builds people up over time and socialism tears people down over time. There is no middle ground of common values.

Mike
Mike
3 years ago

I couldn’t of said it better PaulE . There’s a handful of Republicans that have the smarts to know what this cluster x x x x of an infrastructure bill is about . The Republican Party has to stand up, and like PaulE said, walk away . Why can’t they stick together like these so called Democrats? Start doing your job! You work for us ! We pay your salary ! America better wake up, and vote in 22 , or we’re doomed. OK, some of you believe that the last election was rigged. I’ve heard people say, “ why vote, it won’t count ”. That’s exactly what they want you to think! Wake up Republicans, conservatives, tea party, whatever you call yourselves. VOTE 2022 !????????

Warren
Warren
3 years ago

Well, I hate to say anything here online but, I can’t help myself! Let me just say that I am a conservative and so line up with most of your ideals here at AMAC. I also believe that most of the Liberal Left should be looped together with some Lawyers, Hollywood stars, and the like! That all being said; the older I get the more disillusioned I become with Politics in general. I backed(with a small donation) Pres Trump in 2020. But, the Republican base absolutely threw him under the bus! He got run over, & everyone just stood back and watched! Then, i get all kinds of snail mail asking for more support & donation to help the Big fight coming up next time!!! not happening! I think i’m getting ready to head for the Wilderness! & wait for God Himself to sort all this evil out!!! I hate being so negative, but this is how i really feel! But, keep up the good work anyway! ttfn

Gray
Gray
3 years ago

The best deal would be to have no deal. No green New Deal.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
3 years ago

FIX the Grid, hwys,bridges, airports, harbors, sewar lines, Telecomm, Digital Divide, energy

Darwin Benedict
Darwin Benedict
3 years ago

This infrastructure bill is a complete SHAM for the Democratic Party to further promote racism in this country so they can attempt to solve the problem. The Dems want to continue to bring/let people cross the southern border so that they can appropriate money to support them so that they can get more illegal votes and destroy our voting system.

Barb
Barb
3 years ago

All I care about is getting another stimulus check. It’s too bad the ‘know-it-alls’ in DC don’t care about anyone but themselves. They’re like children fighting on the playground!

porterv
porterv
3 years ago

The Democrat Plan is to have the white Christian middle-class pay for it. That is always their plan, their only plan. The Steal as You Go Plan.

aluminum head
aluminum head
3 years ago

By 2026, if not sooner, this nation will collapse into civil war. Geo. Soros demands it. Hope he will not live to see it.

aluminum head
aluminum head
3 years ago

And G.D. why can’t the states pay for their own repairs ?

Hal
Hal
3 years ago

Democrats know the citizens won’t favor raising taxes, so they breed inflation while trying to buy vote favoritism from what they believe is a fooled bunch of citizens. And if that doesn’t work, going to war is their next tool in the toolkit to deceive the public. Look how long FDR Democrats got away with it .. all the time blaming the Republicans.

Silly Sue
Silly Sue
3 years ago

The left needs to back away from the BONG!!

Karen
Karen
3 years ago

More Tomfoolery…….time for a coop

Dr. Joseph Voglund
Dr. Joseph Voglund
3 years ago

President Biden has one distinction that no other president has had. He has a doppleganger that is a real dummy. He looks just like Jeff Dunham’s puppet, Walter!!! Check it out.

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