Biden’s infrastructure plan hits GOP blockade
WASHINGTON >> Republicans in Congress are making the politically brazen bet that it’s more advantageous to oppose President Joe Biden’s ambitious “Rebuild America” agenda than to lend support for the costly $2.3 trillion undertaking for roads, bridges and other infrastructure investments.
Much the way Republicans provided no votes for the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, they plan to stay on the sidelines for this next big lift by the White House, forcing Democrats to take full ownership of the massive package of spending and corporate tax hikes that Biden wants approved over the summer. Both sides are digging in this week as Biden shows no signs adjusting to satisfy Republican leaders, instead appealing directly to their constituents.
“They know we need it,” Biden said of the Republicans Monday as he returned to Washington.
The president did not close the door on negotiations but vowed to “push as hard as I can” for the plan. “Everybody around the world is investing billions and billions of dollars in infrastructure, and we’re going to do it here,” he said.
That leaves Biden and congressional Republicans on a collision course, the outcome of which could define the parties and his presidency. The GOP strategy is reminiscent of their Obama-era stance that helped sour voters on the Democratic president and his Congress more than a decade ago. Then and now Republicans are intent on saddling Democrats with responsibility for all the taxes and spending to come, much as they did the 2009 rescue after the economic crisis, framing it as government overreach that piles on debt.
Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell declared plainly on Monday that Biden’s plan is “something we’re not going to do.”
Speaking to reporters in Kentucky, Mcconnell said Republicans could support a “much more modest” approach, and one that doesn’t rely on corporate tax hikes to pay for it.
But it’s not at all certain the GOP playbook that worked more than a decade ago will produce the same political gains this time around. Voters appear tired of the partisan stalemate in Washington. Many live in the country’s run-down areas and are signaling they are initially supportive of Biden’s approach to governing, at least on the virus aid package.