Biden infrastructure/tax increase megathread

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

I'm assuming they will prudently pair the medicare benefit expansions with an increase in medicare taxes on wages and employers, right? That was how the program, which is already facing bad shortfalls, was designed. Pay in over the years to get benefits later on.

No the expansion is being paid for out of the savings (estimated to be on the order of 700 Billion) from the drug price negotiations.

[Matty]

I'm assuming they will prudently pair the medicare benefit expansions with an increase in medicare taxes on wages and employers, right? That was how the program, which is already facing bad shortfalls, was designed. Pay in over the years to get benefits later on.

No the expansion is being paid for out of the savings (estimated to be on the order of 700 Billion) from the drug price negotiations.

but menedez and the arizona witch.....

[Progressive Pessimist]

I'm going to coin a new term to exemplify everything Manchin has been doing: "Manchismo."

Used in a sentence: The Senator from West Virginia, by declaring his intent to rehabilitate coal's image as a positive Christmas gift for children instead of a punishment, exuded Manchismo.

[Person Man]

To correct some out-of-context mischaracterizations about the results of negotiations:

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1450568957052719108

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1450578317715836931

This would be a W.

[Matty]

https://mobile.twitter.com/sarahnferris/status/1450625801825751041


Multiple northeastern congressman have said they will oppose any deal that doesn’t restore SALT

[Pres Mike]

All of the things nixed, I am fined with community colleges. They are already free for most Americans

[Roblox]

Can't help but prefer the idea of doing fewer programs but ensuring they are well funded and well executed over a longer period of time vs. just half assing various things that will expire in a hypothetical Biden/dem second term, likely without congressional control.

[lfromnj]

https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/10-19-2021/no-salt-added/

Jared Golden returning to his #populist  district and opposes reviving SALT deduction.

[NOVA Green]

https://mobile.twitter.com/sarahnferris/status/1450625801825751041


Multiple northeastern congressman have said they will oppose any deal that doesn’t restore SALT

Schrader (D-OR) is likely to potentially be on the table as well.

OR Taxpayers got screwed on the "Trump Tax Cuts" and even Working-Class and Middle-Class families such as mine got screwed over.

Not a big fan of Schrader and more than wanting to primary him in '22 when we shift into his CD, but SALT was a crap PUB play to continue subsidizing heavily PUB States and penalize States where a higher % of State REV comes from Income Taxes vs more regressive forms of taxation policy.

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/10-19-2021/no-salt-added/

Jared Golden returning to his #populist  district and opposes reviving SALT deduction.

Jared Golden continues to utterly confuse me.

[Crumpets]

There will never be a time when I see SALT in all caps and don't read it as "Strategic Arms Limitation Talks," and then get freaked out about someone trying to mess with those agreements.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why are Biden and the progressives negotiating with themselves when we still don't have Manchin and Sinema even agreeing to a topline?

[wbrocks67]

Why are Biden and the progressives negotiating with themselves when we still don't have Manchin and Sinema even agreeing to a topline?

Because Biden is probably seeing what the Progressives will agree to cutting and then present it to Manchin/Sinema. I.e., they've done this rework that brings it down to $1.9-2.2, and now they just need to see if M/S will agree to it or not. Which at this point, given how much has been cut, I don't see why/how they couldn't.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why are Biden and the progressives negotiating with themselves when we still don't have Manchin and Sinema even agreeing to a topline?

Because Biden is probably seeing what the Progressives will agree to cutting and then present it to Manchin/Sinema. I.e., they've done this rework that brings it down to $1.9-2.2, and now they just need to see if M/S will agree to it or not. Which at this point, given how much has been cut, I don't see why/how they couldn't.

I can see why they couldn't, because they're f**king Manchin and Sinema and they have no loyalty or shame.

I really hope you're right, though.

[Pres Mike]

Apprently, Democrats are really close to a deal
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/20/dems-edge-closer-ditching-disarray-516312

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/10/20/breaking-down-bidens-latest-build-back-better-plan-494779?cid=hptb_primary_0

Obamacare subsidies, Medicaid expansion, universal pre-k, paid leave, Medicare benefits and child care are staying but trimmed down in the hope future governments will continue to fund them

Paid leave has been trimmed from 12 weeks to 4 weeks. Medicare benefits for vision, dental, hearing will start for the oldest and work there way down over the years. Childcare tax credit will only be funded for another year, with the assumption this is the most important for republicans to fund.

Free community college is out, but maybe double Pell? This is better since community college is already free for most Americans but double Pell grants would slash the amount of student loans needed. Had I had double my Pell grant, my tuition, housing, food, and books would have been covered. I graduated from a 4 year university last year.

SALT is probably out. Unknown about any climate or immigration provisions or the PRO act

[wbrocks67]

Why are Biden and the progressives negotiating with themselves when we still don't have Manchin and Sinema even agreeing to a topline?

Because Biden is probably seeing what the Progressives will agree to cutting and then present it to Manchin/Sinema. I.e., they've done this rework that brings it down to $1.9-2.2, and now they just need to see if M/S will agree to it or not. Which at this point, given how much has been cut, I don't see why/how they couldn't.

I can see why they couldn't, because they're f**king Manchin and Sinema and they have no loyalty or shame.

I really hope you're right, though.

I hope I'm right too. I've tried to give M/S the benefit of the doubt but if they try and derail this compromise then I have no hope whatsoever.

I have to give it to progressives - they've been much more reasonable/common sense than some of the "moderates" here.

[Mr.Phips]

Apprently, Democrats are really close to a deal
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/20/dems-edge-closer-ditching-disarray-516312

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/10/20/breaking-down-bidens-latest-build-back-better-plan-494779?cid=hptb_primary_0

Obamacare subsidies, Medicaid expansion, universal pre-k, paid leave, Medicare benefits and child care are staying but trimmed down in the hope future governments will continue to fund them

Paid leave has been trimmed from 12 weeks to 4 weeks. Medicare benefits for vision, dental, hearing will start for the oldest and work there way down over the years. Childcare tax credit will only be funded for another year, with the assumption this is the most important for republicans to fund.

Free community college is out, but maybe double Pell? This is better since community college is already free for most Americans but double Pell grants would slash the amount of student loans needed. Had I had double my Pell grant, my tuition, housing, food, and books would have been covered. I graduated from a 4 year university last year.

SALT is probably out. Unknown about any climate or immigration provisions or the PRO act

If Sinema and Manchin can be brought on board, take it.  Immigration and significant climate change legislation isn’t passable with the current congressional lineup.

[wbrocks67]

Yeah at this point, rather would have a bunch of these things on the books, even if they're watered down. Once they're in place, it's harder to tear them down versus them not being a thing at all.

[Pres Mike]

Yeah at this point, rather would have a bunch of these things on the books, even if they're watered down. Once they're in place, it's harder to tear them down versus them not being a thing at all.

Exactly

What future president is going to get rid of paid leave? Or universal pre-k?

No matter how much they cut it, stuff like EBT, Medicaid, Pell Grants are not going away

[Sir Mohamed]

Yeah at this point, rather would have a bunch of these things on the books, even if they're watered down. Once they're in place, it's harder to tear them down versus them not being a thing at all.

Exactly

What future president is going to get rid of paid leave? Or universal pre-k?

No matter how much they cut it, stuff like EBT, Medicaid, Pell Grants are not going away

The GOP may do away or cut some these with a trifecta and an abolition of the filibuster. However, that would certainly cause a major backlash and cost them a big price in the next election.

[Person Man]

Yeah at this point, rather would have a bunch of these things on the books, even if they're watered down. Once they're in place, it's harder to tear them down versus them not being a thing at all.

Exactly

What future president is going to get rid of paid leave? Or universal pre-k?

No matter how much they cut it, stuff like EBT, Medicaid, Pell Grants are not going away

The GOP may do away or cut some these with a trifecta and an abolition of the filibuster. However, that would certainly cause a major backlash and cost them a big price in the next election.

They already tried to do that with Obamacare and that failed spectacularly.

[Pres Mike]

Yeah at this point, rather would have a bunch of these things on the books, even if they're watered down. Once they're in place, it's harder to tear them down versus them not being a thing at all.

Exactly

What future president is going to get rid of paid leave? Or universal pre-k?

No matter how much they cut it, stuff like EBT, Medicaid, Pell Grants are not going away

The GOP may do away or cut some these with a trifecta and an abolition of the filibuster. However, that would certainly cause a major backlash and cost them a big price in the next election.

They already tried to do that with Obamacare and that failed spectacularly.

Exactly. And Obamacare was far more hated and far more controvsal. Republicans (and Democrats Manchin) were campaigning against Obamacare before it was even passed

I have yet to hear a single word against paid leave or pre-k haha

[Antonio the Sixth]

lmao, I would NOT count of the GOP to be bound to any sense of political caution not to slash social programs next time they have the trifecta. The only reason they didn't slash Obamacare was because of two "moderates" and one quixotic weirdo who had a grudge with the president. The quixotic weirdo is dead and the "moderates" are on their way out, and besides Republicans have a much easier path to winning 52+ Senate seats than Democrats. We've been saved from true conservative rule for the past 20 years or so by the fact that Democrats have consistently punched above their weight in Senate races, but eventually we're going to run out of luck, and when we do, we're in for a rude awakening. Republicans don't care that their socioeconomic agenda is unpopular, because their strategy is all about diverting attention away from socioeconomic grievances with culture war bullsh*t, and this strategy has almost always worked for them. The fact that they're seen as the "party of the working class" after 4 years of further oligarchic entrenchment says everything you need to know.

[jojoju1998]

Medicare, Medicaid, Pre K, Childcare provide the most instant benefits for working class Americans so I am happy that it's staying.

[jojoju1998]

lmao, I would NOT count of the GOP to be bound to any sense of political caution not to slash social programs next time they have the trifecta. The only reason they didn't slash Obamacare was because of two "moderates" and one quixotic weirdo who had a grudge with the president. The quixotic weirdo is dead and the "moderates" are on their way out, and besides Republicans have a much easier path to winning 52+ Senate seats than Democrats. We've been saved from true conservative rule for the past 20 years or so by the fact that Democrats have consistently punched above their weight in Senate races, but eventually we're going to run out of luck, and when we do, we're in for a rude awakening. Republicans don't care that their socioeconomic agenda is unpopular, because their strategy is all about diverting attention away from socioeconomic grievances with culture war bullsh*t, and this strategy has almost always worked for them. The fact that they're seen as the "party of the working class" after 4 years of further oligarchic entrenchment says everything you need to know.

They won't cut the Medicare Expansion though. Along with Pre K/Childcare and Medicaid expansion.

Those items provide the most instant benefits to working class Americans and they are Universal programs. You don't cut Universal programs that all Americans benefit from ( including paid leave )