U.S. is worth it
Joe touts $3.5T fixup plan derided by GOP as ‘socialism’
President Biden urged Americans to support his historic and polarizing infrastructure plan, calling it a long-overdue opportunity to reshape the modern economy to be more equitable for middle-class families.
Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Biden said the economy is at an “inflection point” and called on the nation to make a once-in-a-generation investment in physical infrastructure. The legislation would fund repair work on roads, rails and bridges, as well as expansive new education and health guarantees to boost families.
As the contours of the $3.5 trillion package come into focus, it’s poised to become one of the most far-reaching federal investments since FDR’s New Deal or LBJ’s Great Society.
“The decisions we make today can change our nation for years or even decades to come,” he said.
The Democratic president trumpeted his plans as the first sustained effort to revamp the economy in decades.
“This is our moment to deal working people back into the economy. This is our moment to prove to the American people that their government works for them, not just for big corporations or those at the very top,” Biden said.
Biden cited the climate change provisions of the plan, declaring that they would “confront the crisis of extreme weather events.” But he emphasized the way his package would hike taxes on the wealthy and corporations to pay for what he said amount to tax cuts for the middle class.
“Let’s not squander this opportunity,” he added.
Republicans fundamentally disagree, attempting to label the Biden agenda as “far-left” and “socialism” that they will fiercely oppose.
“The demonization of prosperity is unwise,” said Republican Rep. Adrian Smith of Nebraska, during session at the tax-writing Ways & Means Committee earlier this week.
Proclaiming himself a proud “capitalist,” Biden insisted his tax hikes on corporations and those making more than $400,000 are a matter of simple fairness.
“All I’m asking is for the 1% to pay their fair share,” Biden said. “It’s about the superwealthy paying what they owe, just like ordinary working Americans do.”
“Democrats see that we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to head this country in a better direction,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) after an intense private meeting of Democrats this week.
“People talk about how big this package is, it’s big because we have underinvested for so long,” she said.
Biden was set to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer following separate closed-door meetings with leading moderates Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) earlier in the week.
The speech and those meetings with Democrats signal Biden’s plan to get more involved in the complex negotiations as they enter the home stretch towards a deadline in just two week’s time.
The last time Democrats succeeded in accomplishing something this big, the Affordable Care Act, it cost them their House majority in the 2010 midterm election, during then-President Barack Obama’s first term.