Drive Your Maserati Straight To Hell
Do not pass "Go," do not collect $200
(CNN) - After months of negotiations and passage in the House last month, President Joe Biden's sweeping $1.75 trillion economic and climate package was dealt a major blow on Sunday when a key Democratic senator said he cannot support the bill.
The legislation, which is currently before the Senate, would transform the nation's social safety net despite being whittled down to roughly half its original size amid infighting between the party's moderate and progressive wings.
It would create a universal pre-K program, assist families with child care and send them the enhanced child tax credit for another year. It would also provide beefed-up subsidies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges through 2025 and offer federal help to those who fall below the poverty line.
It would funnel nearly $570 billion into climate measures, attempt to address affordable housing shortfalls and provide money to parents to buy their kids food over the summer.
The legislation would increase the deficit by $367 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. But that doesn't count revenue raised from enhanced tax enforcement, which the office found would bring in $207 billion over 10 years.
Whether you believe that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is a liar and a Democrat in Name Only (DINO) or someone who’s sticking to his principles, not many of us know what’s in the $1.75 Build Back Better (BBB) bill. And it seems to me that knowing what’s in the bill is crucial to understanding what President Joe Biden is trying to do and why.
It’s also crucial to understanding why Sen Manchin is such a horrible, mean-spirited human being. Holding an entire nation hostage for his “principles,” such as they may be, is a lousy way to display compassion and competence.
Even in its pared-down form, which is what the current version of the bill is, BBB would radically alter America’s social safety net. Universal pre-K, an enhanced child tax credit, and increased health care subsidies through 2025 would offer a significant hand up to those impacted by the pandemic.
BBB would also make a significant investment in combating global climate change. It would attempt to address housing inequity, in addition to managing the miserable state of upkeep on much of our nation’s infrastructure.
All of those things would go a long way toward making America a significantly better place than it is today. Unfortunately, Democrats have allowed Sen. Manchin to occupy a position of unparalleled power- and he’s using it for the benefit of his wealthy benefactors.
One could be forgiven for thinking that Sen. Manchin- being from West Virginia, one of the poorest states in the union- would understand and appreciate the intent of BBB. Then again, Manchin is about as out of touch with the day-to-day lives of his constituents as is humanly possible. While many West Virginians struggle mightily to put food on the table and keep the lights on, Machin drives a Maserati and lives on a yacht. He made his fortune in the coal industry, which BBB would adversely impact.
Manchin objects to, among other things, the aspects of BBB that would require the superwealthy to pay their fair share. By closing loopholes in the tax code and increasing enforcement efforts, an estimated $640 billion would be raised toward the deficit created by the provisions of BBB.
Sen. Manchin claims to object to the price tag and the “something for nothing” ethos he sees behind the bill, but what’s more likely is that he doesn’t like the idea of those in his tax bracket having to pay their fair share. Instead, he wants the inequitable system that exists today. It works for him and those who fill his campaign coffers, so why would he agree to upset the apple cart?
Besides, those on public assistance are just going to use the money to buy drugs…right??
Democrats, if they possessed the courage of their convictions, could find a way to make Sen. Manchin’s opposition meaningless. Instead, they’ve become the architects of their own demise. By refusing to eliminate the filibuster, they’ve allowed Republicans to stymie their agenda at every step.
President Biden could use his moral authority to advocate for the changes required to force BBB through the Senate. Instead, he’s stood by while Republicans laugh in his face and refuse to vote for anything that would hand him a victory.
It’s stunning that Democrats, who hold the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress, are, almost a year into their term, still stepping on their own dicks. Sen. Manchin’s opposition to BBB shouldn’tbe an issue, but Democrats have allowed it to metastasize into a significant roadblock.
This is why we can’thave nice things, America.
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