President Biden's Infrastructure Plans

[Derec]

Whenever I read this, all I can hear you say is, “Let’s make it so that I can get what I want and then walk away without consequences.”
Or, “we really should be able to remove all of their leverage and refuse to negotiate. That’s the way we should do it.”

The bipartisan bill has been negotiated. And no, I do not agree with all the provisions, so it's not "what I want" really. But it is a decent bill. And it is a separate bill from the Dems only $3.5T spendapalooza. They should not be artificially shackled together.

Instead Pelosi seems to have done a good thing. The conservative Dems got something they wanted, a date, and the progressive Dems got something they wanted, commitment to consider human infrastructure as infrastructure.

Pelosi hasn't done a good thing. She is jeopardizing the bipartisan bill on infrastructure in order to push this extremely expensive non-infrastructure bill through. And no, not every government spending is "infrastructure" just because infrastructure is popular. Expanded child tax credit is not infrastructure under any definition except for the Newspeak pushed by the Democrats.

There’s a weird and self-serving consevative definition that “infrastructure only means things I like, while things I don’t like, I will call something else so I can dismiss them without negotiation.”

Infrastructure has a meaning. It's not about liking things or not.

I would argue that the economy needs available child care a lot more than it needs a bridge in order to keep going.

That still doesn't make spending such as child tax credits, free childcare or Medicare expansion "infrastructure". And I would argue people with children get subsidized enough, so giving them even more taxpayer dollars is not even good policy, in addition to not being infrastructure.

 

[Swammerdami]

They are not "right wing", they are moderate. It is the so-called "Progressive" Caucus and especially the Squad (led by Sgt. Sandy) that are left wing.

Sentient patriotic Americans disregard treasonous Congresspeople who voted against impeachment of a criminal traitor, and voted not to investigate the January 6 insurrection. Those Congressmen are not "right-wing" — they are simply liars, traitors, and criminals.

When we ignore such scum, the nine Congressmen under discussion — who have apparently been co-opted by corporate money — are far to the right of their peers. For you to call them "moderate" means you endorse the scum Congressmen.

At least she is not pretending that it is an "infrastructure" bill. Small steps.

Bravo! And how long do we have to wait before we can write
"Derec has finally stopped his inane complaints about the term 'infrastructure.' Small steps."
Or do you have a keyboard macro for the "At least she ... Small steps" that you intend to deploy another half-dozen times?

So basically, she and the other left-wingers in the House are holding the bipartisan infrastructure bill hostage in order to get what they want.

So in your opinion, the "trick" of bundling more than one item into a single bill (or even considering one bill before another) to improve chances of passing an agenda was invented for the very first time by AOC and Pelosi and has never been used by the GOP?

Got it. I don't think I need to read the rest of your newsletter.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

1) that they don't have enough money to have babies
2) will get all that free money from having more babies

Well both can be true. They have all these kids and then demand other people pay for their brats. There are already more than enough subsidies for breeding, we do not need any more!

Anecdotally, I couldn’t afford daycare. I’m far from poor. So you are wrong.

Your brain always goes to poor blacks and never considers any other humans that could benefit the economy if they had a bit of assistance.

 

[lpetrich]

Five Decades Later, Medicare Might Cover Dental Care - The New York Times - "In the large budget bill now in Congress, supporters of the measure see a rare opportunity to advance a popular policy."

On Capitol Hill, the proposal to add a Medicare dental benefit has near-universal support among Democrats, and many health industry and consumer groups back it, too. The main opposition comes from dentists. With the Democrats’ large policy ambitions but narrow majority, its passage is not assured.

The American Dental Association, which fought to keep dental care out of the original Medicare program in 1965, supports a limited government benefit for older Americans. The association, whose leaders say they want Congress to concentrate scarce resources on the patients who struggle the most, wants Medicare dental benefits to be offered only to poorer patients, to be offered by private insurers, and to be included in its own special part of Medicare.

...
But the $3.5 trillion package now being considered has a big enough budget for a variety of long-stalled priorities. Lawmakers hope to add not just dental benefits to Medicare, but vision and hearing coverage as well. They intend to offer Medicaid to poor adults in states that have not expanded it. They plan to extend subsidies that make Obamacare insurance less expensive for people who buy their own insurance. And they aim to broaden investments in loan repayments for health care providers who choose to practice in underserved areas like rural Vermont.

Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan calls for Medicare expansion - including lowering the eligibility age to 60.

 

[lpetrich]

Moulton, Ocasio-Cortez, Costa, Markey and Gillibrand Lead Coalition of Democrats in Push for High-Speed Rail Funding | Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Reducing emissions from the transportation sector is critical to meeting our nation’s climate goals and cutting our carbon footprint. According to an Environmental Protection Agency report, the transportation sector accounted for 28 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2018, making it the largest contributing sector.[1]

A robust network of high-speed rail corridors with high-performance connections is the best option to dramatically reduce carbon emissions while improving intercity travel. It will be decades before aviation is carbon-free, and electric cars – although vital – will not improve highway speeds. By contrast, electrified high-speed rail will capture a significant portion of demand for travel between 250 and 1000 miles with greater efficiency than flying or driving. Notably, the average and median distances of American long-distance travel are 744 and 391 miles, respectively.[2] High-speed rail also dramatically reduces land use: a single high-speed rail line matches the capacity of six highway lanes, 91 airport gates, and two new runways.

Much as I like high-speed rail, I'm rather disappointed that these advocates don't seem to have created some snazzy visual presentations advocating it.


Manchin Wants to Invest More Taxpayer Money in Propping Up Fossil Fuel Industry

Instead of phasing out fossil fuels and investing heavily in cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar, Manchin and his allies in the Senate are pushing a plan to invest billions of federal tax dollars into nuclear energy and controversial technologies such as “carbon capture” that would allow industrial polluters to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels for years to come.

I'm of mixed minds about carbon capture. It is good for making synfuels and chemical feedstocks, but not when it enabled continued fossil-fuel consumption.

 

[lpetrich]

Congress wants to make going to the airport less miserable - Vox - "Going to the airport can be an unpleasant experience. The bipartisan infrastructure plan could help."

Notes World Airport Awards | SKYTRAX - "During the period of the global pandemic, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar is named the World's Best Airport 2021, with Tokyo Haneda Airport in 2nd place and Changi Airport Singapore ranked 3rd"

If you’re flying out of the US, however, the best part of a trip to the airport is probably getting to leave. After standing in long lines, waiting in overcrowded gates, and managing delays, wanting to get out of the airport as soon as possible is understandable. And it certainly doesn’t help that the features that push other airports to the top of the rankings would be unrecognizable to someone flying in the US.

No American airport cracks Skytax’s top 30; George Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston, is the highest-ranked American airport at No. 31, and only Houston, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Denver, and Atlanta’s airports show up in the top 50.

...
American airports were built for 1940s air travel. Flying is very different today.

American airports’ problems are familiar to travelers. In nearly every US airport, the physical space is insufficient to accommodate modern needs, from security checks to health protocols. There are more flights than there are gates, causing delays. And not every airport can afford the latest air traffic control technology, affecting their ability to manage their airspace efficiently.

...
US airports need to solve their space problems

The only major US airport to open in the last 30 years is Denver International Airport, a mega project in which the Denver Regional Council of Governments had the luxury of selecting a space in the 1980s rather than the 1940s. The result, which cost $8.2 billion by today’s standards, was North America’s largest airport by land area, with far more space for terminals and concourses than is typical.

Then on how many airports are surrounded by residential and commercial areas.

"There’s some federal funding for airports, but cities and states are mostly on their own"

• The World’s Top 10 Airports of 2021 | SKYTRAX
• World’s Top 100 Airports 2021 | SKYTRAX
• Best Airports 2021 by Global Region | SKYTRAX
• World’s Best Airports by Passenger Numbers 2021 | SKYTRAX
• Various other criteria

The region one lists airports for all of Europe, then for northern, eastern, southern, western, and central Europe.

 

[lpetrich]

From a month ago, but still funny:
Trump blows fuse over GOP moving forward on infrastructure deal | TheHill

Former President Trump lashed out at Senate Republicans on Thursday after the upper chamber voted to take up debate on a bipartisan infrastructure package, accusing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and “RINOs,” short for "Republicans in name only," of surrendering to Democrats.

“Under the weak leadership of Mitch McConnell, Senate Republicans continue to lose,” Trump said in a statement. “He lost Arizona, he lost Georgia, he ignored Election Fraud and he doesn’t fight.”

“Now he’s giving Democrats everything they want and getting nothing in return,” he continued. “No deal is better than a bad deal. Fight for America, not for special interests and Radical Democrats. RINOs are ruining America, right alongside Communist Democrats.”

Yet more evidence of what a sore loser he is.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Moulton, Ocasio-Cortez, Costa, Markey and Gillibrand Lead Coalition of Democrats in Push for High-Speed Rail Funding | Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Reducing emissions from the transportation sector is critical to meeting our nation’s climate goals and cutting our carbon footprint. According to an Environmental Protection Agency report, the transportation sector accounted for 28 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2018, making it the largest contributing sector.[1]

A robust network of high-speed rail corridors with high-performance connections is the best option to dramatically reduce carbon emissions while improving intercity travel. It will be decades before aviation is carbon-free, and electric cars – although vital – will not improve highway speeds. By contrast, electrified high-speed rail will capture a significant portion of demand for travel between 250 and 1000 miles with greater efficiency than flying or driving. Notably, the average and median distances of American long-distance travel are 744 and 391 miles, respectively.[2] High-speed rail also dramatically reduces land use: a single high-speed rail line matches the capacity of six highway lanes, 91 airport gates, and two new runways.

Much as I like high-speed rail, I'm rather disappointed that these advocates don't seem to have created some snazzy visual presentations advocating it.

Juxtaposed with some Amtrak photos. Shame them into action.

Manchin Wants to Invest More Taxpayer Money in Propping Up Fossil Fuel Industry

Instead of phasing out fossil fuels and investing heavily in cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar, Manchin and his allies in the Senate are pushing a plan to invest billions of federal tax dollars into nuclear energy and controversial technologies such as “carbon capture” that would allow industrial polluters to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels for years to come.

I'm of mixed minds about carbon capture. It is good for making synfuels and chemical feedstocks, but not when it enabled continued fossil-fuel consumption.

The article mentions carbon capture’s failure and omits what one might arguably call a success, that of Enhanced Oil Recovery. This and natural gas electricity generation I see as a necessary bridge to more green energy production. Albeit, a bridge being built much too late.
I believe it may also misrepresent Manchin’s intention of not necessarily propping up the coal industry but ensuring West Virginians are not left out of clean energy jobs.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/labor-chief-joins-manchin-west-virginia-coal-mine-79528308

 

[lpetrich]

For high-speed trains, it's easy to find video of them online, from both outside and inside. I recall seeing some video of nearby highways, with the trains passing cars going in the same direction.

One can also do train vs. plane graphics, counting up time going to the plane's airport, waiting there, and going from that airport. Also counting up how many airline flights as a function of distance.


Sahil Kapur on Twitter: "MANCHIN op-ed: “I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on existing government programs.” (link)" / Twitter
noting
Why I Won’t Support Spending Another $3.5 Trillion - WSJ - "Amid inflation, debt and the inevitability of future crises, Congress needs to take a strategic pause."

Rashida Tlaib on Twitter: "Instead of writing op-eds, why don't you look into the faces of my residents who have had their basements flooded with sewage multiple times and their power out for days, Senator Manchin. We deserve better." / Twitter


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Experiencing all this flooding in NYC right now and thinking about all the politicians who told me that pursuing a Green New Deal to adapt our nat’l infrastructure to climate change is “unrealistic” & “too expensive.”

As if doing too little is the responsible, adult thing to do?" / Twitter

David Dayen on Twitter: "Look, when you're right, you're right https://t.co/irPdl5g4c3" / Twitter

Washington, DC - Today, following the catastrophic destruction of Hurricane Ida, Senator Joe Manchin released an op-ed stating he is opposed to the popular, much needed $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan. In response, Ellen Sciales, Communications Director of Sunrise Movement, released the following statement:

"Abolish the Senate."

 

[lpetrich]

Hurricane Ida made landfall at Louisiana, and it continued over some 1,500 miles of land with plenty of strength to hit New York City.

Due to the remains of that hurricane:
Unequal Scenes on Twitter: "And through it all! @Grubhub delivery still out there bringing your dinner #ida #flooding #brooklyn (vid link)" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Please do not be the person who orders delivery during a flash flood that the NWS has deemed a dangerous and life-threatening situation. It puts vulnerable people at risk.

If it’s too dangerous for you, it’s too dangerous for them. Raid your cabinets or ask a neighbor for help." / Twitter

New York Metro Weather on Twitter: "TORNADO WARNING for the Bronx and parts of Westchester. Seek shelter immediately in these areas as a tornado can develop at any time. Move to a basement or an interior room away from windows immediately! (pic link)" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Bronx residents - please stay safe." / Twitter

From October 2019, when AOC spoke at a climate conference:
NowThis on Twitter: "‘There is no middle road on the climate crisis.’ — @AOC took the Green New Deal abroad while urging world leaders to act on climate change (vid link)" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "We are running out of time to act on climate.

Members of both parties engage in misleading rhetoric and funny math to convince the public we are addressing climate change more than we are - & that includes parts of the current infrastructure plan. We need a Green New Deal now." / Twitter

NWS New York NY on Twitter: "We are seeing way too many reports of water rescues and stranded motorists. Do not drive through flooded roadways. You do not know how deep the water is and it is too dangerous. Turn Around Don't Drown." / Twitter


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Ironically I was supposed to visit Minnesota tomorrow to visit movement leaders fighting the #Line3 pipeline & urging the Biden admin to stop building fossil fuel infrastructure - which is leading to the same catastrophic climate events harming our country and city right now." / Twitter
Too much of a disaster at home, however.

Dr. Lucky Tran on Twitter: "I never want to hear anyone say that a Green New Deal is too expensive ever again (vid link)" / Twitter
Showing some video of some water pouring into a subway-train station over a train.

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "I will be canvassing the district today assessing the impact from last night’s catastrophic flooding.
Tragically, we lost several community members last night. Please check in on your neighbors - especially those in low-level apartments. I’ll provide updates here and on @RepAOC." / Twitter

This was today - that's how bad Hurricane Ida is after traveling 1,500 miles over land:
NYC Mayor's Office on Twitter: "Important updates this morning:
• There is a travel advisory in effect. Avoid non-emergency travel.
• Alternate Side Parking is suspended.
• Mass transit is very limited and delayed.
• Report flooding to @nyc311.
• Check on your neighbors.
• Follow @NotifyNYC for updates.
(link)" / Twitter

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Hurricane Ida broke rain records — stopping transit &; flooding homes. We are losing lives due to the lack of climate infrastructure.

We need to pass an infrastructure package and a reconciliation package that prepares us for future climate catastrophes. (link)" / Twitter
noting
Hurricane Ida Floods NYC Area: Photos, Video and Latest News - The New York Times - "Latest Updates: Flooding From Ida Kills Dozens of People in Four States -- At least 43 people were killed, many of them in basement apartments, in a storm caused by the remnants of a hurricane that struck New Orleans days earlier."

Hurricanes usually burn out over land, because they are fueled by evaporating water, and there isn't much of that over land.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "I will be canvassing the district today assessing the impact from last night’s catastrophic flooding.

Tragically, we lost several community members last night. Please check in on your neighbors - especially those in low-level apartments. I’ll provide updates here and on @RepAOC." / Twitter

Gloria Pazmino on Twitter: "8 of the 9 victims are from Queens. 8 of them died in their homes. The 9th victim was found in the back of his car, stuck in the highway. Found this morning" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "How the climate crisis is an inequality crisis: ..." / Twitter

How the climate crisis is an inequality crisis:

Many of these deaths occurred in basement dwellings, many of which are illegal and growing in # due to the unaffordable housing crisis, but do not meet safety standards required to keep people safe in incidents like flash floods.

As a result, among the people MOST at risk during flash floods here are those living in off-the-books basement dwellings that don’t meet the safety codes necessary to save lives.

These are working class, immigrant, and low-income people & families.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "If you’re a person with some time today, we need your help! ..." / Twitter
Checking in on the people of her district.

 

[lpetrich]

AOC thinks that this disaster shows the value of what she pushes for in another way:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "One piece of data I’m seeing: the subway stations + other infrastructure rebuilt post-Hurricane Sandy for climate resilience *worked.*

It was areas that *didn’t* get investment that suffered.

We shouldn’t wait for climate disaster to rebuild & prepare- that’s what GND is about." / Twitter

As Isaac Asimov once wrote, it's a good idea to discover the edge of a cliff before one walks over it. "Screaming afterwards is easy".


Why I Won’t Support Spending Another $3.5 Trillion - WSJ
then
Sahil Kapur on Twitter: "MANCHIN op-ed: “I, for one, won’t support a $3.5 trillion bill, or anywhere near that level of additional spending, without greater clarity about why Congress chooses to ignore the serious effects inflation and debt have on existing government programs.” (link)" / Twitter

AOC responded
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Manchin has weekly huddles w/ Exxon ..." / Twitter

Manchin has weekly huddles w/ Exxon & is one of many senators who gives lobbyists their pen to write so-called “bipartisan” fossil fuel bills.

It’s killing people. Our people. At least 12 last night. Sick of this “bipartisan” corruption that masquerades as clear-eyed moderation.

Fossil fuel corps & dark money is destroying our democracy, country, & planet.

All day our community has been pulling bodies out of homes from the flood. Entire families. And we’re supposed to entertain lobbyist talking points about why we should abandon people & do nothing? No.

 

[lpetrich]

Jamaal Bowman on Twitter: "Hey Joe, these are the homes in my district after last night’s storm.
How much destruction do we need to see before it’s worth investing in our climate? (link)" / Twitter

Josh Wingrove on Twitter: "Manchin says Democrats should “hit the pause button” on a $3.5 trillion package incorporating the bulk of Biden’s economic agenda -- a clear challenge to the effort by party leaders to get the plan through the evenly divided Senate, per @LauraLitvan: (link)" / Twitter
noting
Joe Manchin Urges ‘Pause’ on Biden’s $3.5T Reconciliation Bill, Jolts Democrats - Bloomberg

The West Virginia Democrat, a linchpin vote in the evenly divided Senate, said at an event in his home state on Wednesday and in a Thursday Wall Street Journal op-ed that rising inflation and a soaring national debt necessitate a go-slow approach and a “significantly” smaller plan than the one Democratic leaders and the White House have endorsed.

“By placing a strategic pause on this budgetary proposal, by significantly reducing the size of any possible reconciliation bill to only what America can afford and needs to spend, we can and will build a better and stronger nation for all our families,” Manchin said in the op-ed.

...
In comments Wednesday at an event hosted by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the moderate Democrat said his party should “hit the pause button.” Lawmakers, he said, have too many other pressing issues before them, including heightening national security concerns after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

“Let’s sit back. Let’s see what happens. We have so much on our plate,” he said.

...
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week said Manchin and another Democratic moderate, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, are seen by the GOP as their best prospects for defeating the big-ticket economic package.

“These are two Democratic senators that seem to have some real resistance to all this,” McConnell said at an event in his home state of Kentucky. “I pray for their good health and wise judgment every night. I recommend you do the same.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal on Twitter: "Pause on finally delivering child care, paid leave, education, health care, affordable housing, climate action, and dental, vision, and hearing to millions of families across America?

Absolutely not." / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Or maybe we hit the “cancel” button ..." / Twitter

Or maybe we hit the “cancel” button on this so-called “bipartisan” charade of an Exxon lobbyist drafted infrastructure bill unless we actually pass a law that helps people’s lives with healthcare expansion, childcare, climate action, etc.

Alternatively, if we want to bring down the $3.5T we can bring back taxing the rich and boosting IRS enforcement that mods originally worked so hard to trim back!

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Shout out to our @TeamAOC volunteers and staff.
There’s no way we could do this without everyday people who mobilize on our list and are ready to pitch in with mutual aid & movement work.
You’ve been checking in on folks & IDing people in critical need all day. Thank you " / Twitter

David Freedlander on Twitter: "Just got a text from ⁦@AOC⁩’s campaign (she is my member of Congress) asking if everything is ok after last night’s storm (pic link)" / Twitter
Including

1. Your current situation
2. If you have any flooding
3. If you do have flooding, are you protected by flood insurance
4. if you have urgent needs

 

[lpetrich]

Joe Manchin's complaints are bizarre, like "heightening national security concerns after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan." What "national security concerns"? Seems more like military contractors being annoyed at the loss of business that that takeover meant.

As to debt and inflation, nobody ever complains about debt and inflation when it comes to military adventures. Consider Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 1941 Dec 7. Would JM have voted against declaring war on Japan unless he got a comprehensive plan for paying for the war effort?

On a more pleasant note, I note this nice use of emojis:
Congresswoman Marie Newman on Twitter: "It’s time to expand Medicare to cover:
Dental
Vision
Hearing
" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Progressives hit Manchin after he calls for 'pause' on Biden's $3.5T plan | TheHill

Mentioning Pramila Jayapal and AOC. More responses:

Cori Bush on Twitter: "If only you could just “hit the pause button” on our climate crisis." / Twitter

Ayanna Pressley on Twitter: "I wish that I could hit your mute button but here we are." / Twitter


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Thank you for coming to NY-14, @GovKathyHochul.

We’ve got a lot of work to do to help our families, but together we’ll get it done - and shore up our climate infrastructure too. #NYTough (pic link)" / Twitter
noting this visit by the NY State Governor:
Kathy Hochul on Twitter: "Visited flooded homes in East Elmhurst this afternoon with @jessicaramos and @AOC.
The devastation brought by these torrential rains is heartbreaking.
We will do everything in our power to help these families recover. (pic link)" / Twitter

 

[Derec]

Anecdotally, I couldn’t afford daycare. I’m far from poor. So you are wrong.

How am I wrong? Whether or not you (think you) can afford daycare has no bearing on the fact that parents already get a lot of bennies from the government - child tax credit, EITC, SNAP etc.

Your brain always goes to poor blacks

Wrong. Your brain does that. I haven't mentioned "poor blacks".

and never considers any other humans that could benefit the economy if they had a bit of assistance.

Again, parents ALREADY get a lot of government assistance. Why should they get even more? And why dishonestly call such breeding subsidies "infrastructure"?

 

[Derec]

Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan calls for Medicare expansion - including lowering the eligibility age to 60.

One can debate the pluses and minuses of that proposal, but it ain't infrastructure.

 

[Derec]

Joe Manchin's complaints are bizarre, like "heightening national security concerns after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan." What "national security concerns"? Seems more like military contractors being annoyed at the loss of business that that takeover meant.

Like Al Qaeda taking root in Afghanistan again. Or some of the not at all vetted Afghan fakefugees committing terrorist attacks on US soil.

As to debt and inflation, nobody ever complains about debt and inflation when it comes to military adventures.

As expensive as Afghanistan was, it still was much cheaper per year than this Dem Spendapalooza.

Consider Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 1941 Dec 7. Would JM have voted against declaring war on Japan unless he got a comprehensive plan for paying for the war effort?

The Japanese attack on US was an existential threat. It is hardly comparable to a humongous spending bill, almost half of which is a new subsidy for having children.

 

[Derec]

Or maybe we hit the “cancel” button on this so-called “bipartisan” charade of an Exxon lobbyist drafted infrastructure bill unless we actually pass a law that helps people’s lives with healthcare expansion, childcare, climate action, etc.

Why did she put "bipartisan" in scare quotes? It is actually bipartisan. And it is actually about infrastructure. Unlike the bill she champions.

Alternatively, if we want to bring down the $3.5T we can bring back taxing the rich and boosting IRS enforcement that mods originally worked so hard to trim back!

Ah yes. Tax the rich. Feed the poor. Till there are no rich no more.