Biden infrastructure/tax increase megathread

[Sir Mohamed]

This is a very bold proposal and something absolutely needed. We urgently need to invest into our crumbling infrastructure, renewables and jobs creation. Banning right to work laws would also be amazing.

But what are the chances this actually passes? I'm kind of skeptical. Perhaps there will be a smaller package. Better than nothing for sure, but I hope Biden and Schumer stay firm and don't give up much.

[Sir Mohamed]

But what are the chances this actually passes? I'm kind of skeptical. Perhaps there will be a smaller package. Better than nothing for sure, but I hope Biden and Schumer stay firm and don't give up much.

Very high, but if it goes through reconciliation, I doubt the parliamentarian allows things like the RTW ban.

Even without, it would be a huge success for America and a major archievement in Biden's legacy as POTUS. Concerns about him being the status-quo candidate didn't come true at all. Think we can almost all agree on that, despite sometimes wanting to go further. As a common quote goes, politics is the art of the possible after all. Particulary with close congressional majorities and an obstructionist GOP.

[Sir Mohamed]

GOPers are making a fool of themselves by opposing it. They claim to support new infrastructure, but neither want deficit spending (which they didn't care for under Trump) nor a modest tax increase & close loopholes. Yet another proof this isn't a serious political force but just an obscure Trump cult that more cares about promoting crap conspiracies Fox "News" Sunday shows than actually delivering for the American people, including their own voters.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/Politics_Polls/status/1382023333672316932

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1393174776781361154

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1400512611742097411
At least, Angus King is not delusional like Manchin & Sinema.

This is why I’m pretty sure that the filibuster is only a thing because of Manchin and Sinema’s arrogance. I believe fully well that there is a fairly large minority who likes Manchin taking the heat for killing things, but I don’t think any of them are particularly sympathetic to the random rule that says Mitch McConnell gets to kill anything, at least not in the face of a concerted effort from state level republicans to ensure that their voters can’t vote.

I mean when Angus freaking King is openly ready to go, I can’t imagine anyone else is holding out.

Angus King is easily more liberal then Sinema, and more sensible

King is for sure more grounded in reality. Manchin and Sinema have the mindset of 90s or even 70s politician when there was more cooperation in congress, thinking the GOP is still open for business when they're clearly not negotiating in good faith. King appears to more realistic about the fact the GOP today isn't a serious politicial party than you can argue with on issues and reach some reasonable compromises.

It really bothers me we risk to throw this 2 year window because of Manchin's and Sinema's arrgogance away. In the end, Biden and Harris will be blamed for that despite doing all the best they can with this congressional makeup.

[Sir Mohamed]

I doubt Biden would have ended the talks if there was no chance to pass this either without Capito agreement and or by reconciliation. I actually trust Biden and Schumer on this; they have decades of experience and clearly learned the lessons from Obama's 1st term.

I hope they pass a big package with Dem votes only; the GOP is not worth engaging with. Go bold and take the credit in 2022 and 2024 and show voters why the party of No should not be in power.

[Sir Mohamed]

I dunno, I have a feeling nothing gets passed here because Manchin and Sinema just aren't reading to wake up and acknowledge that their holy cow of bipartisanship is in fact a dead horse.

[Sir Mohamed]

Excellent strategy by Biden. Turns out that having an experienced prez really matters and that Biden has learned the lessons from 2009.

If the GOPers pull out because Mr. Turtleman tells them to or because they don't like the 2nd bill, Dems should just pack everything in a big bill and get it done with 50 votes. Manchin then has to realize his colleagues from the other side of the aisle weren't negotiating in good faith. Offer him extra funds for WV if that's what it takes to get his vote. This things needs to be get done.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/politico/status/1409168421720313856

Biden slayed! Although who knows if enough republicans will vote for the bipartisan deal?

I'm sure Biden and Schumer won't put this on the floor without having secured the votes. Both of these are in DC for decades and know how it works.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1409825219632668676

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1410215211383013378

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1412395909267132416

A bold take. All the GOP needs is continuing with voter suppression laws and higher turnout than Dems. As of today, we haven't seen much evidence high voter turnout among Dems and Dem-leaning independents during the Trump era stays up; though we haven't seen evidence to the contrary either. It looks unlikely 2022 will be something close to a 2010 style debacle, though that's not needed for the House to flip. That said, Dems have obviously far less vulnerable seats than they had going into 2010 with a 256 seat majority.

Biden and Schumer on top must make sure the reconciliation bill gets through, too.

[Sir Mohamed]

Great news! If Biden gets this done, he'll be the best prez since at least Johnson.

[Sir Mohamed]

According to the Associated Press, as many as 20 Republican senators could ultimately end up voting for this bipartisan package, creating an overwhelming majority of around 70 votes in favor:

Infrastructure on track as bipartisan Senate coalition grows

That's usually what happens when the threshold for passage is reached. Senators who were previously undecided or lean No come out in favor because they know the bill is actually popular and would help their states. Nobody wants to be on the No side if it passes anyway. Only when political reasons are in play.

[Sir Mohamed]

LOL

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1425451440722563086

[Sir Mohamed]

If Biden ends up pulling this off I believe the big lesson for both parties should be that experience really does matter. I understand that both sides want an outsider who has not been in Washington for too long, but just look at how that worked out for Trump when he tried to pass his health care bill and immigration reform or even Obama when he struggled to pass anything else after the ACA was signed into law in 2010.

The lesson that experience matters should have been learned after the Carter presidency.

I never really understood the general appeal of outsiders in politics. It's literally the only profession people, and more specifically voters, think that way. Nobody would want to be treated by a doctor with little or no experience and nobody would get on board an aircraft with a pilot who never landed a plane.

Sure, some perspectives from outside are interesting and even needed in govt. However, that's why any smart chief executive, whether POTUS, a gov or mayor, should have an able team around him that is consisted for different people with different backgrounds. It's never a one man or one woman show, even if the head of govt makes the big and final decisions.

[Sir Mohamed]

Nancy Pelosi can't pass Reconciliation without the nine D, Reconciliation is DONE, SHE ONLY HAS 3 SEAT MAJORITY

Manchin already said he wont pass 3 T dollars he only opened the Reconciliation budget he said nothing about voting on 3T final passage anyways

220 to 212 (with 3 vacancies) is 8 seats according to my calculation.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1428717212412661763

[Sir Mohamed]

Schumer needs to apply more pressure; 3.5 trillion is already a compromise as it should be 4 or 5 trillion. There's just too much to be done because the govt - and more specifically the GOP - have refused to do necessary investments in the last 10+ years. Instead they have wasted billions in endless wars and made massive tax gifts to millionaires and billionaires.

Sinema should 100% be primaried. She's horrible. For Manchin, there's at least some justification as he's from a very red state. Not the case in AZ; Mark Kelly also supports the package and is already up next year.

[Sir Mohamed]

The problem with the idea of Biden acting like LBJ against Sinema is that it'd cause a sexual harassment scandal (and arguably rightfully so)

Not necessarily. The actual issue I see here that Biden & Schumer don't have much leverage to use against Sinema. They need her in the caucus and otherwise would lose the senate majority instantly. And she's not up for reelection until 2024. If Johnson was prez today, he'd likely offer Sinema and Manchin some extra funding for infrastructure in their states or so. The difference is that Johnson had larger majorities in congress and several GOPers were open for business with his admin on issues the Southern Dems opposed his agenda. Divisions in congress are not comparable to the 1960s, not even to the Reagan era.

[Sir Mohamed]

The dude is just annoying.

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1435577680003584016

[Sir Mohamed]

I honestly doubt this number is remotely accurate. "No Labels" is a fraud that pushes the lame "both sides" narrative.

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1435951140781309953

[Sir Mohamed]

$2 to 2.5T is acceptable.

Also why is Pelosi trying to pass the bipartisan bill?? Once that happens the reconciliation bill will possibly be toast.

Nah, 3.5 trillion was already a compromise. Doesn't have to be 6 as proposed by Sanders initially, but just making it smaller and smaller isn't good policy. We already did that with 2009 stimulus package, which - everyone today agrees - was too small and prolonged the recession. Situation today is for sure somewhat different, but it's out of question we need big investments in "human infrastructure" and green energy.

[Sir Mohamed]

At this moment, Pelosi in all likelyhood delays the vote. I'd be really surprised otherwise.