2 Senators standing in the way of progress

The current squabble taking place in Washington is over one of President Biden’s signature agenda items: The “Build Back Better Act” (BBB). It should be named the “What the American People Want Act.”

BBB creates universal pre-K, saving the average family an estimated $13,000 annually; lowers costs for child care; provides family/medical leave; Medicare negotiating drug prices, which pays for adding dental, eye and hearing coverage; lowers costs for Obamacare enrollees; longterm elder care; invests in climate-change measures — reducing carbon emissions, lowering energy bills, and creating thousands of conservation jobs.

These are programs the American people want: 67% support government intervention with climate change; 83% support Medicare negotiating the prices of prescription drugs; 75% support paid family/medical leave. Overall, 81% support this legislation.

In the last 10 years IRS enforcement roles has dropped 31%. No wonder 55 major corporations paid no taxes last year; the top 1% wage earners underpay $450 billion annually. Closing those loopholes alone will pay for the BBB ten-year program.

Needing 51 senate votes to pass, no Republicans support this bill. Currently two Democrat senators oppose it: Senator Manchin, who opposes the climate provisions in the bill, annually receives $500,000 in dividends from his son’s coal company, and is the top recipient of campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry; Senator Sinema, recipient of over $750,000 campaign donations from Big Pharma, opposes Medicare having drug negotiating powers.

The lust for political power and personal wealth should not deny the basic needs of the American people.

— Roger S. Beadle, Chico