According to the Washington Post, President Biden's new infrastructure bill looks something like this:
Unless I'm miscounting, this amounts to $950 billion for things that are traditionally thought of as infrastructure (red bars) and $1,280 billion for other things.¹ This is all paid for by tax increases on corporations.
My guess is that Biden knows perfectly well that Republicans will never support anything that includes tax increases, so he figures he might as well add lots of non-infrastructure stuff to his infrastructure bill. After all, why not? One way or another, it's going to live or die based on votes from Democrats, and the non-infrastructure stuff isn't going to bother them a bit.
¹This depends on the details of what's in all the stuff in the blue bars, so take it as tentative for now.
Bargaining chips to cut, in an effort to grab Republican senators, too?
Bargaining chips for all the tough customers, I should think. Including tuff Democratic customers, wink wink.
I can’t see Biden getting any Republicans. There’s no incentive to go along with him. The Republicans are now totally a party of culture war and there’s no way that GOP senators can afford to deviate from the party line.
I concur. The Collinses and Romneys of the world will say they're "open to discussion" on some items but have "concern" about others, they'll dither endlessly and painfully in public, and then -- with much well-practiced furrowing of brows -- "reluctantly" vote against, because something something productivity something jobs something something deficit something.
And I think we can be fairly confident that the Biden people know this perfectly well and will play the opposite game -- "willing to reach across the aisle" and "open to compromise" -- but in the end will proceed under the (safe) assumption that there's no way in fundamentalist hell they're going to get 10 Republican votes for any package, with or without tax increases.
The real negotiations will be with the Manchins and Sinemas. They will get pretty much everything they want, and the whole thing will be passed with the 2021 reconciliation package.
Exactly. Even though much of what they want will be passed under the guise of what the Republicans, thereby preserving their local cred with the local yokels.
Y'all know who I'm talking about 🙂
Contrary to the general consensus, getting rid of the filibuster (or restricting it) would create an environment in which more Republicans would likely be more willing to cross the aisle to get bipartisan legislation passed. (Greg Sargent has argued this very persuasively.)
I don’t think this would actually come to pass. The Republicans are increasingly fixated on culture war issues, pretty much to the exclusion of everything else. Bringing home the bacon is no longer the ticket to political longevity in the GOP base and it’s the base who calls the shots since no matter how popular a politician is generally, he has to win the GOP primary as the prerequisite to running in the general election.
I see no realistic possibility that Republican intransigence will moderate, even if the filibuster is eliminated.
How many Republicans will want to stick in earmarks, yet vote against the bill?
This will be an important test of party discipline and of Biden’s seriousness. On thing that going to be essential going forward is that goodies in a bill designed to attract specific Republicans get removed if that Republican doesn’t publicly commit to voting for the bill.
Good strategerizing there. I would go further and have this point hammered and tonged in all the media. Point out on the nodding head shows that the last time we made concessions to win Republican votes they reneged on the implicit deal ("Too High!", each and every one of them said with a smirk after the roll call.) Then every time one of these wights commits in exchange for a concession proclaim loudly and long that's one more in the bag. Put it on them when the 'official' public talley shows a filibuster-proof majority. Get those same Republicans to self-immolate, live and on air.[1] Use this as an opportunity to show -- not tell -- voters why the filibuster as it is currently implemented cannot be allowed to stand.
[1] Nobody in this administration will ever say out loud that you can't trust Republicans, of course. Their media team's job will be to give a simple, factual accounting of events (such as the current status of the ARP) that makes the subtext obvious as chrome-plated fart but otherwise left unsaid. Let someone else put that out there.
Your misreading. Add in U.S. Manufacturing and research development. You basically have the American reinvestment act. Some of this stuff is already dead.
Also, it's paid for by a tax on corporations is very wrong. Try harder in the future.
Well, not wrong. They're proposing an increase in the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, a minimum rate of 21%, and a tax on some part of global corporate income (10%? not sure).
However they are also proposing an increase in some taxes on individuals, including an increase to 39.6% on income over $400K and taxing capital gains as ordinary income above some income level (not sure what).
So, both. How much exactly comes from which source I dunno, but I'd guess from these that more will come from corporations than individuals.
So in fact, mostly right.
Try harder in the future.
Nope, you need too. The article didn't even mention that 60% of the revenue was from other sources. You try harder.
[Buzzzz] I'm sorry, that's not the correct answer! [Audience: awwww]
Spending and revenue measures in the Biden infrastructure plan (over 10 years):
Spending
Transportation infrastructure and electric vehicles: $621bn
Green housing, schools, power and water upgrades: $561bn
Manufacturing subsidies, R&D: $480bn
Elder and disability care: $400bn
Broadband and job training: $200bn
Revenue
Corporate tax increase: $695bn
Global minimum tax increase: $495bn
Repeal tax loophole for intangible income: $217bn
End fossil fuel tax breaks and anti-inversion measures: $54bn
Source: White House/Cornerstone Macro analysis
Via:https://www.ft.com/content/9793903a-e29f-42dc-9b8d-55f960b0ede5
Dumb trolls can't even do homework with Google. Can you imagine what they would do if they had to walk into an actual library?
Well, since we didn't have trolls then, back when actual libraries were your only option ... I can imagine 😉
It worked just fine in the 50s and 60s. It was over 50% for several years during that period.
You know the Sun is over the yardarm when Shootie starts mangling short and common words. And when they are capitalized ...
Drinks are one Shootie! Bottom's up!
It's infrastructure week!
Joe Biden & the Democrats are launching Infrastructure Week. Here's why Donald Trump deserves the credit.
Followed by the Upshot upgrading El Jefe's 2024 general election odds to favored.
Calling @DougJBalloon
The greatest Twitter feed in America.
Airlines?? Shirley that would be airports?
Anything for trains? Not necessarily HSR. We are supposed to be cutting-back on air travel. And I trust “highways” does not include additional lane miles, just maintenance and repair of existing.
Also, how does “water systems” (part of one line item in the chart) compare to “clean drinking water” ( a separate line item)?
Sewage & waste management is likely what water systems means.
Can't chance another cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, if we want to keep Wisconsin blue.
Joe Biden's personal gift to Kevin: $45 billion to eliminate lead pipes for drinking water.
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