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President Biden's Infrastructure Plans

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "When legislators tell you that something is better than nothing (vid link)" / Twitter
AOC speaking at a rally with a banner that says "Pass Reconciliation First". Cori Bush was with her.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "We are going to keep fighting for a pathway to citizenship in the reconciliation package. We will find a way. And, we will do it together. (pic link)" / Twitter

Kyrsten Sinema’s political allies have some free advice - Axios
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s political allies have some free advice for anyone trying to bully the wine-drinking triathlete into supporting President Biden's $3.5 trillion budget bill: She doesn’t play by Washington’s rules — and she's prepared to walk away.

Why it matters: For all her flash, Sinema — unlike fellow holdout Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — rarely telegraphs her precise intentions, leaving political adversaries guessing about her ultimate goals.

...
Between the lines: Progressives could be forgiven for presuming that Sinema, 45, the first openly bisexual member of Congress, who's easy to spot in her trademark sleeveless dresses, wry wigs and acrylic glasses, would share their woke politics.
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"Woke politics"? Look at what positions she took earlier in her life. She was a Green Party activist and she was associated with Code Pink.

KS does not like to give interviews, and she seldom talks about herself. So it's hard to tell what's on her mind.
 
Adam Jentleson 🎈 on Twitter: "We’re at an interesting moment where “moderate” members of Congress (who also happen to be leading recipients of Pharma💰) are trying to derail a moderate POTUS and his extremely popular policies, while progressives are pulling out all the stops to keep Biden’s agenda on track." / Twitter

Greg Sargent on Twitter: "With 5 to 10 centrists threatening to implode Biden's entire agenda ..." / Twitter
With 5 to 10 centrists threatening to implode Biden's entire agenda, it's time for a review of how we got here.

Progressives made the accommodations at the outset. They have been the true "realists" throughout, on politics, on procedure, and on policy. The untold story here: Progressives have functioned as both the policy realists and the hard-headed inside-game proceduralists. The centrists are the ideologues and are engaging in procedural bomb throwing.

Expanding on arguments by @jbouie and @ddayen:
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(slightly reformatted) - Opinion | Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema and other centrists are to blame for jeopardizing Biden’s agenda - The Washington Post

Left Hand of Snarkness 😷 on Twitter: "@ThePlumLineGS @jbouie @ddayen Quite a shift. I suspect this might indicate that the centrists have a sense of losing power and react with an all or nothing play whereas progressives have a sense of gaining power so can act with more magnanimity." / Twitter
 
That may be overly optimistic, but when Nancy Pelosi twice delays the vote on the $1T bill, it's evident that she expects the progressives to stand their ground.

Garrett Haake on Twitter: "After his meeting w/ @POTUS yesterday, today @Sen_JoeManchin tells me he’s still negotiating in good faith on infrastructure & reconciliation. His frustration is plain that his priority bill isn’t moving. (vid link)" / Twitter

Garrett Haake on Twitter: "I asked @AOC about the lack of trust that Manchin and I discussed. She was quite clear on from where that trust issue stems. (link)" / Twitter
HAAKE 13;06;05;00 I talked to Joe Manchin earlier today, and told him, said, "Look, progressives do not trust you on this. They don't trust that you're there for them." And he said he's still negotiating in good faith to get there.

AOC 13;06;17;02 Yeah. Well here's the thing. We started off with the 10 trillion number. They wanted to bring that down to six. So we obliged, negotiating in good faith. Then several months ago, we had an agreement with Senator Manchin, with everybody else throughout the entire party, myself, everyone, saying, we, we will move forward on this 3.5 trillion. And that we will link the infrastructure, the bipartisan bill and the Build Back Better Act together. Now since then, some folks in our party have reneged on that agreement, and that's where I think that we have the, an issue here of trust. Let's stick to the original plan. I will support Manchin's priorities. He can support my priorities, and we can all win, and working families can get childcare, health care climate action and infrastructure investment.
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Cori Bush on Twitter: "A reminder that this is what “bipartisanship” got us for the infrastructure package.
This is a half-measure. That’s why we can’t support this bill without first passing the Build Back Better Act to deliver the resources our communities desperately need. (pix link)" / Twitter
  • Innovation -- R&D and manufacturing $566 B
  • Housing, schools, and buildings $387 B
  • Home- and community-based care $400 B
  • Pollution -- Cleaning up abandoned wells and mines $16 B - $21 B
  • Transport
    • Roads and bridges $154 B - $110 B
    • Road safety $19 B - $11 B
    • Airports $25 B - $25 B
    • Railways $74 B - $66 B
    • Public transit $77 B - $39 B
    • Electric vehicles $157 B - $15 B
    • Ports and waterways $17 B - $17 B
    • Reconnecting communities $24 B - $1 B
  • Utilities
    • Resiliency, water storage $50 B - $73 B
    • Power infrastructure $82 B - $50 B
    • Broadband $100 B - $65 B
    • Clean energy tax credits $363 B
    • Water infrastructure $111 B - $55 B
The first numbers are for the original proposal, $2,600 B, while the second set is for the bipartisan plan, $550 B

This is on top of some other spending, it seems.
 
Joe Biden on Twitter: "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and the Build Back Better Agenda will create good-paying jobs and lower costs for families.
Together they will grow the economy for everybody." / Twitter

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Together indeed, @POTUS! 💪🏽
From Medicare expansion and universal pre-k to climate action and housing/infrastructure investment, we can truly accomplish all this and more when we join our priorities for the betterment of our country.
It’s time to Build Back Better together." / Twitter

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II on Twitter: "Members of the media: This is not a moderate vs. progressive problem. This is about love for the people vs. love of money & corporations. All of these plans are already compromises! Sinema and Manchin were elected by the people, but are now only listening to money." / Twitter

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "The coverage of the infrastructure bill and the budget reconciliation bill can be a bit confusing and mystifying.
So, what’s the deal with these two bills meant to address our infrastructure needs? Why do we need to pass both?
Watch us break it down ⬇️ (vid link)" / Twitter
AOC explained to Rachel Maddow the strategy of passing both.


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "One under-discussed BIF aspect is the Senators pushing it demanded it be passed unaltered.
As in: House passed its own infra bill & wasn’t allowed to conference or even add amendments to BIF.
Imagine if I demanded everyone + POTUS pass my bill w/0 input or change! Silly, right?" / Twitter

Someone responded
NotATweeter16 on Twitter: "@AOC "Imagine if I demanded everyone + POTUS pass my bill w/0 input or change"
AOC would be accused of
-not being a team player
-sabotaging the Democrats
-grandstanding in a manner that jeopardizes Biden's agenda" / Twitter

All for acting like Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema.
 
Manchin says reconciliation bill must include controversial Hyde Amendment | TheHill
then
The Hill on Twitter: "Manchin says reconciliation bill must include controversial Hyde Amendment (link)" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Ever notice how “deficit hawks” vote for record-high defense spending, yet claim bills that help people & challenge lobbyists are “too much?”

‘22 Defense Bill = $768 billion/yr
Build Back Better = $350B/yr

Guess which got rubber stamped & which gets deemed a “spending problem”" / Twitter

A fellow Rep from NYC:
Rep. Nydia Velazquez on Twitter: "Thank you to all who called my office.
We have a chance for a once-in-a-generation investment in working families and in the future of our planet.
That's why I will not vote for an infrastructure bill without passage of the Build Back Better Plan." / Twitter

Vaccinated💉Masked😷Praying for the World🙏🏾✝️ on Twitter: "Instead of framing the issue as “progressives v moderates”, ..." / Twitter
Instead of framing the issue as “progressives v moderates”, the focus should be on what makes the American system of governance incapable of enacting policies supported by the majority of voters. It’s not about “progressives v moderates”, it’s about the fact millions of ppl have made clear they want their tax $ reinvested in things that help the working class & poor while a wealthy political class keeps redirecting all their $ to the rich & to wars that profit the rich. Again, the system is not “broken.” This is a system designed & controlled by the slave owning class that continues to operate according to its original intent.
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Sahil Kapur on Twitter: "Helluva flex here from the House progressive caucus." / Twitter
For Nancy Pelosi to twice postpone votes on the $1T bill. She doesn't want a vote on a major bill that's likely to be a defeat.

Then
Vaccinated💉Masked😷Praying for the World🙏🏾✝️ on Twitter: "Notice how the “progressive” Democrat position ..." / Twitter
Notice how the “progressive” Democrat position is simply advocating for the compromised agenda the Democratic president laid out. Perfect example of how Dems abandon their own platform without any assistance from Republicans. They—the political establishment & DC media—keep moving the posts for “progressive,” constantly portraying it as more extreme than “moderate” or “bipartisan” while ignoring how public sentiment actually aligns w the progressive caucus b/c US govt is to the right of most Americans.

The entire political apparatus keeps moving further right. The progressives are forced to defend the agenda that was considered Biden’s moderate stance a year ago, the moderates move right to compromise w GOP & the GOP is busy banning masks & vaccines, planning the next coup. And because we do NOT actually have an objective, fact-driven, investigative DC press corp, the whole apparatus simply drifts with the fascist current, normalizing fascism while pretending policies that have long been commonplace in most Western nations are somehow too far left.

America is one of the most far right, extremist governments in the world right now, certainly among western nations. And it’s not because of where the majority of Americans stand, it’s b/c our power structure is dominated by fascists & fascist sympathizers who want minority rule.
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JM Rieger on Twitter: "ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ:

“We need to be real: Are we going to deliver universal pre-K to this country or not? Are we going to expand health care to our seniors and include vision and dental or not? Are we going to invest in housing … or not? That’s what we need to know." (vid link)" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "It’s not about the number, it’s about impact.
These are our conditions in NYCHA. No winter heat, black mold, kids poisoned by lead.
Politics-as-usual makes communities like mine politically disposable. “We can do it later” does nothing for them. They deserve details & answers. (pic link)" / Twitter
noting
Queensbridge Residents Sue NYCHA for Hazardous Living Conditions - Astoria Post

He's one of the Right-Wing Nine of the House Democrats.
Lindsey McPherson on Twitter: "The moderates are fuming that Pelosi broke her promise and Biden helped relink the infrastructure and reconciliation bills. Gottheimer: (pix link)" / Twitter
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, October 1, 2021, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement:

"It's deeply regrettable that Speaker Pelosi breached her firm, public commitment to Members of Congress and the American people to hold a vote and to pass the once-in-a-century bipartisan infrastructure bill on or before September 27. Specifically, the Speaker said, "I am committing to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill by September 27. I do so with a commitment to rally House Democratic support for its passage." That agreement was sealed with the vote of every Democrat in the House on August 24, which put the commitment in writing. We cannot let this small faction on the far left - who employ Freedom Caucus tactics, as described by the New York Times today - destroy the President's agenda and stop the creation of two million jobs a year including for the millions of hard-working men and women of labor. We were elected to achieve reasonable, commonsense solutions for the American people not to obstruct from the far wings. This far left faction is willing to put the President's entire agenda, including this historic bipartisan infrastructure package, at risk. They've put civility and bipartisan governing at risk.
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"Freedom Caucus tactics"? But when he and his fellow right-wing Democrats do anything similar, it's not Freedom-Caucus tactics, right?

The "Freedom Caucus" is the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party. But what's the left-wing counterpart? The Green Tea Party? The Herbal Tea Party?

Then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "The Speaker didn’t break any promises. The arbitrary date 9 people insisted on was in the Aug rule vote to proceed on a $3.5T bill. That bound $3.5T w/ Sept date. Challenging $3.5 also challenged their date. That’s ok! Right > rushed.

We can still Build Back Better… together!☺️" / Twitter
 
Katie Hill on Twitter: "Such a happy couple. 😐" / Twitter
noting
Manu Raju on Twitter: "Headed up to Senate votes now. Sinema says her talks with the WH have been “productive” and they’re “making progress” https://t.co/7H3vZmfCg3" / Twitter
Showing both JM and KS.

No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen on Twitter: "JUST IN: Kyrsten Sinema has left DC amid negotiations. Her spokesman says it's for a doctor's appointment "for a foot injury." But a hotel just confirmed she will be at her PAC’s retreat with donors for cocktails and dinner at a high-end resort and spa in Phoenix. (@nytimes)" / Twitter

The KS of 20 years ago would be outraged at the KS of today for so shamelessly being on the take.

Arizona Senator Returns Home as Spending Deal Remains Elusive - The New York Times
With Democrats pleading for a deal on a hard-fought social safety net bill, one of the key holdouts, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, left Washington on Friday. The reason, her spokesman said, was a medical appointment for a foot injury.

But on Saturday, she is also scheduled to attend her political action committee’s “retreat” with donors at a high-end resort and spa in Phoenix, three different sources confirmed, including an attendee. The hotel also confirmed the event, which kicks off with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, followed by a dinner.
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Michael Essentially on Twitter: "@NoLieWithBTC @nytimes (pic link)" / Twitter - "Soon, Senators, your transformation to the dark side will be complete.", showing JM and KS, and also showing Mitch McConnell as Emperor Palpatine.


Michael Ganino on Twitter: "@NoLieWithBTC @nytimes @SenatorSinema began "career" w less than $100 GRAND, 3 years later worth 1 MILLION? Bugging out of critical negotiations that benefit entire country under guise of "medical appointment" when in fact is hold up in a hotel in Phoenix w donor's🤬🤬🤬👎👎 (link)" / Twitter

No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen on Twitter: "The senator who left DC amid negotiations to get cocktails with her big donors at a high-end resort on the other side of the country is now lecturing other Democrats about how “good-faith negotiations require trust.”" / Twitter
noting
Kyrsten Sinema on Twitter: "Canceling the U.S. House vote on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act denies Americans millions of new good-paying jobs and hurts everyday families.

Full statement ⬇️ (link)" / Twitter
"The failure of the U.S. House to hold a vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is inexcusable, and deeply disappointing for communities across our country. Denying Americans millions of good-paying jobs, safer roads, cleaner water, more reliable electricity, and better broadband only hurts everyday families.

"Arizonans, and all everyday Americans, expect their lawmakers to consider legislation on the merits -- rather than obstruct new jobs and critical infrastructure investments for no substantive reason. What Americans have seen instead is an ineffective stunt to gain leverage over a separate proposal. My vote belongs to Arizona, and I do not trade my vote for political favors -- vote based only on what is best for my state and the country. I have never, and would never, agree to any bargain that would hold one piece of legislation hostage to another.

"Congress was designed as a place where representatives of Americans with valid and diverse views find compromise and common ground. That is why, when President Biden asked me to continue bipartisan infrastructure negotiations, I agreed and helped deliver the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs a Act - a historic, broadly popular plan that reflects a key priority of President Biden's. My commitment to delivering lasting results is also why I have engaged for months in direct, good-faith negotiations over the separate budget reconciliation proposal.

"Good-faith negotiations, however, require trust. Over the course of this year, Democratic leaders have made conflicting promises that could not all be kept and have, at times, pretended that differences of opinion within our party did not exist, even when those disagreements were repeatedly made clear directly and publicly. Canceling the infrastructure vote further erodes that trust. More importantly, it betrays the trust the American people have placed in their elected leaders and denies our country crucial investments to expand economic opportunities."
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C'mon, KS, if you agree to the $3.5T bill, you'll get your $1T bill with it.

Max Kennerly on Twitter: "@SenatorSinema Where are you getting this "millions" of jobs number from?

Moody's estimated Biden's American Jobs Plan would create 2.7 million jobs over 10 years—but that's not your infrastructure bill, it's what you gutted.

Hence the need for the Build Back Better bill that you're blocking. (pix link)" / Twitter
 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out ..." / Twitter
The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out is bc starting in ‘16/‘18, people started to vote en masse for members who reject corporate $.

Those victories built over time. & while big money still has the upper hand (for now), lobbyists can’t dictate the way they’re used to- &that is jarring to both a culture built on corporate lobbying & media struggling to cover this well. That’s why you see knot-twisting headlines attempting to frame a caucus of ~100 members as the problem instead of the conservative handful blocking votes w/ inconsistent demands- & I suspect it may also be why you see media reflexively centering coverage of these bills on a number instead of what’s actually in them.

The thing is, 1 number doesn’t tell you anything. It doesn’t help you as a normal person understand at ALL how your life could improve. Additionally, changes to a topline number isn’t necessarily shorthand for a conservative or progressive policy either.

Ex: There’s a world where a bigger number over longer time could be a conservative win, or a smaller number over shorter time could be a progressive win. Or not! That’s why it’s so important to discuss this not just in numbers, but in changes to the leg.

Let’s say we bring down $3.5T. We can do that by taxing the rich to offset, cutting universal pre-k, or shortening the funding time.

All can bring outlay down. Which one do you prefer? THAT kind of conversation helps YOU as a normal person understand & bring you in the same convos that we as your Reps are having as we negotiate.

That empowers you to give your input. & THAT is of so much more service to you than discussing optics or political beefs or whatever
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Including AOC herself. She doesn't accept any money from corporate PAC's.
 
The Progs are fucking this up. The right leaning centrists are fucking this us. They are acting like cats. The Progs think we have massive majorities. Sinema and Manchin are driving at night without headlights on expecting people to see them.

There was a mechanism to move forward, compromise, but apparently the Progs are fucking deluded in thinking providing no gains for the Dems is better than a good deal of gains.
 
This will be the cudgel used by the righties next year. Fuck. I know we can't be as clannish as the GOP, but damn, act like a team sometimes.
 
lpetrich said:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out ..." / Twitter
The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out is bc starting in ‘16/‘18, people started to vote en masse for members who reject corporate $.

Those victories built over time. & while big money still has the upper hand (for now), lobbyists can’t dictate the way they’re used to- &that is jarring to both a culture built on corporate lobbying & media struggling to cover this well. That’s why you see knot-twisting headlines attempting to frame a caucus of ~100 members as the problem instead of the conservative handful blocking votes w/ inconsistent demands- & I suspect it may also be why you see media reflexively centering coverage of these bills on a number instead of what’s actually in them.

The thing is, 1 number doesn’t tell you anything. It doesn’t help you as a normal person understand at ALL how your life could improve. Additionally, changes to a topline number isn’t necessarily shorthand for a conservative or progressive policy either.

Ex: There’s a world where a bigger number over longer time could be a conservative win, or a smaller number over shorter time could be a progressive win. Or not! That’s why it’s so important to discuss this not just in numbers, but in changes to the leg.

Let’s say we bring down $3.5T. We can do that by taxing the rich to offset, cutting universal pre-k, or shortening the funding time.

All can bring outlay down. Which one do you prefer? THAT kind of conversation helps YOU as a normal person understand & bring you in the same convos that we as your Reps are having as we negotiate.

That empowers you to give your input. & THAT is of so much more service to you than discussing optics or political beefs or whatever
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Including AOC herself. She doesn't accept any money from corporate PAC's.
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AOC is exposing a clear lack of problem solving skills and utter inadequacy as a Representative.
 
Then AOC addresses means testing:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Even if you’re a person that fully believes in means testing ..." / Twitter
Even if you’re a person that fully believes in means testing, the US doesn’t even measure poverty accurately to use for a means test.

The US measures poverty at 3x the cost of min food diet, assumes worker has stay at home spouse for childcare, and doesn’t factor cost of living.

This means there are likely a LOT more poor people in the US than we admit.

Policymakers know this, so they try to compensate by drafting some federal policies at 150% of the fed poverty line, etc.

But when the measure is SO nonsensical, even 150% of pov line has little basis

Sidenote but I have intro’d legislation to direct the US government to reformulate the US poverty calculation to reflect real life.

There are challenges to this, some political - an accurate measure means poverty line/pop will jump & that has implications
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Ocasio-Cortez’s Recognizing Poverty Act could nearly triple the federal poverty line’s income threshold | by GovTrack.us | GovTrack Insider (he introduced it in late 2019)

She got this response:
Matt Bruenig on Twitter: "@AOC In order to administer an income test, every person has to fill out often elaborate paperwork declaring what their income is. In practice, this paperwork burden makes it difficult for many eligible people to get the benefits, especially poor people or those with informal work." / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "@MattBruenig Yep. 100% what my family and many others experienced" / Twitter

Aaron Huertas on Twitter: "@AOC @MattBruenig This whole ProPublica series on how the tax prep lobby prevents common sense reforms at the IRS is infuriating. If we can't reform the agency to make it public service oriented, maybe we can get a Civilian Tax Prep Corps going. (link)" / Twitter
then
Filing Taxes Could Be Free and Simple. But H&R Block and Intuit Are Still Lobbying Against It. — ProPublica - "The makers of TurboTax and other online systems spent millions lobbying last year, much of it directed toward a bill that would permanently bar the government from offering taxpayers prefilled filings."

She also got this response:
Sameer Rao on Twitter: "@AOC Also means testing makes programs more expensive and less efficient, like Mediciad work requirements" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "@raosameer97 💯" / Twitter

I like that point about the bureaucracy involved in administering means testing. It requires a lot of taxpayers' money and a lot of time and expense on the part of the recipients.
 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "There really isn’t anything maverick, innovative, or renegade about being a politician that works with corporate lobbyists to protect the rich, short-shrift working families, and preserve the status quo.

It’s literally one the most conventional ways to navigate politics." / Twitter

I like this response: Raeli Savitt on Twitter: "@AOC (pic link)" / Twitter
with an editorial cartoon of KS as a doll that one can buy for a $750,000 "donation" at "Senators R Us".

H. Eric Loewe on Twitter: "@AOC MT @justicedems @AOC "people say 'my district won't go for that' & I'm like 'You're D+10, what...?' It happens not just on climate but on everything." -@AOC w/ @_waleedshahid & @chrislhayes on why some Ds won't fight... "It is more about corporate donors" (vid link)" / Twitter
With some video of AOC at a national Green New Deal town hall from spring 2019.


Opinion | Sinema Stars in Her Own Film - The New York Times - by Maureen Dowd
The duo has created such havoc on the Hill — with the fate of the whole country riding on what mood they’re in — that congressional reporters have come up with Bennifer-style nicknames for them, including Manchinema and Sinemanch.

...
While progressives may disdain Joe “I’ve Never Been A Liberal” Manchin, they understand that he has a record as a conservative Democrat; Sinema is a puzzle to them.

What has caused the former social worker and Green Party champion who grew up in a gas station, a left-winger who supported Ralph Nader for president, to shift from progressive stances to more conservative ones? Is she unmoored in her politics, simply being opportunistic? What is the principle that is leading her to obstruct the party of her own president, who really needs a win right now?

“She doesn’t do interviews, she doesn’t answer questions, she speaks in vagaries, she doesn’t explain the core reason she’s opposed,” one member of the progressive crew on the Hill told me. “It’s hard to look at her actions and not conclude that the donations are part of the story. If she’s here to fight for corporate power and lower taxes for the wealthy and get more money for pharma executives, be on the level and say it.”

And why would a congresswoman go off in the summer of 2020 to take a paid internship at a donor’s Sonoma County winery?
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The KS of 20 years ago would be outraged at the KS of today. What happened?
 
Someone responded to AOC's "The reason a lot of DC insiders are freaking out is bc starting in ‘16/‘18, people started to vote en masse for members who reject corporate $" with
James Surowiecki on Twitter: "Is this actually true? I thought the Dem wave in 2018 mostly swept moderates into office." / Twitter

Then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Many newer moderates won on pledges of rejecting corporate PACs. It’s a progressive value that went mainstream bc no matter your views, most people dislike big money in politics.

That’s also why framing this as “mod vs prog” is inaccurate - it’s a much smaller group stonewalling" / Twitter

Kevin Feldman on Twitter: "@AOC Exactly. The moderate/centrist label is deeply misleading when applied to a small number of politicians who are clearly representing specific special interests.

The public debate needs to focus on policy specifics now so voters can see what the fight is really about." / Twitter


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Also I don’t see ..." / Twitter
Also I don’t see how it makes sense to frame this infra bill as the #1 determinant of the midterms when the same slow-walkers here are halting voting rights.

Could pass the best bill ever & it’s all a wash if Black & underserved voters are systematically disenfranchised next yr.

With upcoming midterms, we can’t afford to lose the plot.

This is still the same GOP that attempted to usurp the presidential election & collaborated w/ white supremacists to attack the US Capitol.

Protecting voting rights & mobilizing everybody - not just suburbs - is crucial
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Bernie Sanders on Twitter: "Poll after poll shows that the $3.5T reconciliation bill is immensely popular, despite what some television pundits might say.
Let’s deliver for the American people. Let’s get it done. (vid link)" / Twitter
Rebutting Megan McCain (?)

Melissa Hillman on Twitter: "Means testing isn't free. ..." / Twitter
Means testing isn't free. It costs a lot of money to create & administer a means-testing system for any program. When you're spending 3x the $ you're saving by eliminating ppl who earn $1 over the "poverty line," the cruelty is the only remaining point. And when you want to spend more money on means testing families than it costs to feed children for free at school, you need to reevaluate your entire life. I haven't even started on the wasted expense of drug testing for gov't poverty abatement programs.
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Less means testing means less bureaucracy, and that's what right-wingers claim to want. It seems like a lot of wasted effort to avoid getting even a tiny bit of money to someone who may not deserve it.

I'm reminded of how Charles Babbage, of the Difference and Analytical Engines, came to propose uniform postal rates. He did a bit of early operations research on that, calculating how much it costs to do various post-office operations. In the early 19th cy., the UK Post Office's clerks calculated each letter's rate by counting how many pages it had and how far to mail it to. That turned out to be some sizable fraction of the cost of mailing each letter and CB proposed skipping that step and having a uniform postage rate for anything that was not too heavy. His proposal became accepted in 1839 and 1840.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Yep. Means testing = more bureaucracy, red tape, & waste.

That’s why programs where means testing gets implemented are less popular, not more popular. It’s also why many people who are eligible for means-tested programs still don’t get healthcare or help at all - it’s too hard." / Twitter
 
Face The Nation on Twitter: ""The folks that get compromised are lower-income, working class families, it is health care, it is communities of color," @RepAOC says of Americans that get "left behind" in legislative disputes. (vid link)" / Twitter

Ed O'Keefe on Twitter: "In the interview with @margbrennan, @RepAOC continues to refer to those Democrats usually described as “moderates” as “conservatives.”" / Twitter
then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Moderates make up a sizeable chunk of the party. The 4% of members threatening the full agenda of a moderate president are not moderates.

How would you describe these demands: Fossil fuel subsidies, protect the rich from taxes, keep prescription drug prices high?

Conservative!" / Twitter

Conservative relative to the Democratic Party in general - I'd posted earlier about their govtrack.us scores: well into overlap with Republicans.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal on Twitter: "We have the House, Senate, and White House.

THIS is our moment to make long-overdue investments in childcare, health care, climate action, paid leave, education, housing, and our roads, bridges, and waterways. We don't have to leave some behind.

We can do ALL of it—and we must. (link)" / Twitter

Evan Weber 🌅🔥 on Twitter: "So grateful for @USProgressives & @RepJayapal’s leadership that held the line tonight & all week to advance our agenda. Historic, unprecedented.

& proud of who had their back to make this possible: @justicedems @sunrisemvmt @UNITEDWEDREAM @IndivisibleTeam @WorkingFamilies & more (pic link)" / Twitter
Another picture of that "Pass Reconciliation First" rally.
 
Frank Thorp V on Twitter: "
Q: What do you say to progressives who are frustrated they don’t know where you are?
SINEMA: “I’m in the Senate.”
Q: There are progressives in the Senate that are also frustrated they don’t know where your are either.
SINEMA: “I’m clearly right in front of the elevator.”
" / Twitter

Jon Adams on Twitter: "@frankthorp Pretty much confirms this story about her.

She won't say what she doesn't like about the infrastructure bill, nor will she say what she would like to see in a reconciliation package. If she's not going to constructively participate, she should resign. (link)" / Twitter

Senator Kyrsten Sinema Emerges As Main Obstacle To Joe Biden's Legislative Agenda
Democrats are increasingly pointing a finger at Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema as the major holdup to making progress on President Joe Biden’s agenda, with sources close to the White House joining progressives in portraying Sinema as the primary obstacle to reaching a deal.

Sinema is famously opaque. She avoids reporters in the Senate hallways. She rarely communicates even with key Democratic constituency groups in her home state of Arizona ― the head of the state AFL-CIO does not have her phone number. She routinely attends high-dollar fundraisers in D.C. ― including one this week ― and is outwardly disdainful of progressives.
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I think that earlier KS would be outraged at what KS has now become. She seems awfully close to the own-the-libs sort of right-wing activism.
 
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program not living up to its name - 60 Minutes - CBS News
Military members promised student debt relief in exchange for ten years of public service say promise is often broken

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was meant to erase student loan debt for borrowers who spent a decade as public servants. But the program has come up woefully short for members of the military. Lesley Stahl reports.
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60 Minutes on Twitter: "Over 90% of military members applying for relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program have been denied. “This is an entire system [that] let down our men and women in uniform,” says Seth Frotman of the Student Borrower Protection Center. (links)" / Twitter

Then
Julia Rosen on Twitter: "Want to know why progressives are against means testing?

It’s this shit. Any time you put tight restrictions on a program it is a nightmare to administer. See also the rent relief program that has barely paid anything out." / Twitter
 
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