Here is Ron Klain, President Biden’s Chief of Staff, on Meet the Press yesterday talking about the passage of the Infrastructure Bill: Well, look, I do think the voters sent a message on Tuesday they wanted to see more action in Washington, they wanted to see things move more quickly. Three days later congress responded passing the president’s infrastructure bill.
$1.2 trillion in the bill - in reality, more like $1.7 or $1.8 trillion - and only some #240 billion (20%) for real,live infrastructure. The rest is Grade A pork, and some Green Raw Deal stuff with the usual sunset dates which will probably force Congress to reauthorize the boondoggles 1-2 years down the road, or more proof that Reagan was right when he likened a government program to "the closest thing to eternal life" on Earth.
Yes, there ARE urgently needed things in the bill. But, given the realities of what Congress actually passed, House Republicans had every valid and responsible reason to insist on a smaller, more focused package aimed specifically at the problem. And even as is, the Marxists voted "Nay".
Republicans got rolled here; I fear that the same thing will happen with the $2.3 trillion - really, $3 - $3.5 trillion - social spendathon later. And expecting Joe Manchin and/or Krystin Sinema to hold fast after that performance bythe House GOP is asking too much.
Let's call this what it is, a betrayal of conservative principals in exchange for some pork for their districts. That's what these (unlucky) 13 RINOs did. Plain and simple. Off with their heads or at least with their chance of re-election. And by the way, this only adds more fuel to the Trump MAGA train.
I agree that there should be repercussions, but I disagree on why. You write: "The thirteen who voted for it surely voted on the policy, but on the strategy they gave the Democrats a win and a talking point."
I don't think lawmakers should vote against good policy to deny the other party a talking point. But there are great policy reasons for voting no at this point.
Passing this bill now makes it MUCH MORE LIKELY that Americans will be burdened with the multi-trillion dollar socialist wish list, including amnesty or amnesty-item for millions of illegals, trillions in tax increases on job creators, new welfare for illegals (the per-"child tax credit" for illegal aliens alone is higher than the *annual incomes* of many nations -- can you say MAGNET FOR FURTHER INVASION?!), rumors that it will include our daughters being registered for the draft (even though girls who want to can already serve - this is another attack on girls and women, to help men), more than half a TRILLION for AOC's Green New Deal, billions pushing unionization (even of home care workers), a MASSIVE tax cut for wealthy Democrats in high-tax/blue states, subsidies for affluent white Democrats to buy electric cars (some with union set-asides but others that will go to Tesla with 20% of each of those dollars going directly into the pockets of the [awesome] richest man in world history), billions of dollars plus federal regulatory pressure for zoning changes to flood the suburbs with low-income housing, billions handed out specifically for certain skin colors (hint: Crackers need not apply), and on and on. Thousands of pages worth of garbage.
First order of business was defeating that monstrosity.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL COULD PASS AT ANY POINT, once the Reconciliation threat had passed. Infrastructure could pass in January with 350 votes.
The 13 should be punished solely for greasing the skids for the anti-American Reconciliation bill to pass. You expect to be sold out by folks like Kinzinger, but all of the 13 not retiring deserve to be primaried into oblivion.
If this bill keeps moving the country left, then it should NOT have passed. Bills need to be short and to the point and none of this lets pass it to know what's in it stuff! Republicans are terrible at PR and if they intend for us to keep voting for them, they need to get really good at getting ahead of Democrats so when leftist like Klain speak, America hears a con artist and knows it's a con artist! I know too many voters that lap up the Democrat bull and that isn't good for our country!
I don't know what you might have said on twitter or on the radio about this bill when it was passed by the Senate on August 10 with 19 Republican votes but on Substack it appears you were silent. If silence equates to support or at least ambivalence then what changed?
Is the bill perfect? No, not even close. But, most people and politicians agree we need the infrastructure spending. That we find ourselves in an opportune moment to give the Democrats a political bloody nose should not override the needs of the country.
I think it's important to note that this isn't the huge victory for Biden that it could have been. The Democrats wanted that to happen last Thursday with a big Kum By Ya celebration of the grifters and the progs coming to an agreement on both the Bipartisan and Reconciliation Boondoggles before Election Day. Biden still doesn't have buy-in from all of the Democrats for the Reconciliation Boondoggle, and I think it tactically strengthens Democrats like Manchin and Sinema that oppose the current Reconciliation Bill. They can point out that a bill that has *actual* bipartisan support can get passed versus the antics of the (Circular Firing) Squad who voted against it.
Well, since this is such a popular and agreeable topic.....
While the vast majority of this bill would have been okay by either party, there were many points/parts that are simply unacceptable. Since the Christian card has been played, my comment is this: there does exist a "common good" which should be a target. Yet there are moral aspects of every piece of legislation which has enforceable powers. All legislation is someone's morality. Since the Democratic party has descended into an abyss which no believer in Christ should have any part of, I would be extremely hesitant to support such a bill--especially since few know what all is in this.
In principle I agree with you: consequences are a result of actions and decisions. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I have come to be less judgmental over those areas in which I cannot know one's motive.
This is a very telling paragraph: "But the Democrats did not pass it. Thirteen Republicans passed it. There must be repercussions or Kevin McCarty needs to be denied the Speaker’s Chair after next year." Nice.
It is increasingly clear that these 13 Republicans - sans the 2 that have already said they won’t be running - all get primaries. Enough of this globalist crap. Americans are done. That was last Tuesday’s message!
Seem to be mostly north western folks? Why would they suddenly flop? Also, the interpretation the D's like to use is "see, the people want us to move faster...you/we don't need to read the bill..." This drives me nuts.
Politely disagree. As a Christian, every decision in Government should strive to produce effective policies that benefit the governed. Let the ballot box be the scoreboard.
Disagree, Mr. Erickson. Punishing Liz Cheney was wrong too. The idea that individual members of the Republican Party should always vote in lockstep is something that is worse than they deciding they wanted to support this legislation on the merits. I understand the strategy of stopping the BBB, but what is to say the moderates will cave? That seems to be an assumption of yours, but unless it is something for which Senator Manchin can vote, Speaker Pelosi is in a bind, and has been in a bind for a while.
This is Class A political garbage and is emblematic of what’s wrong with the country. I want my representatives voting on the merits of the legislation, not which side is going to get credit for it
Exactly. I subscribe to hear from objective, common sense Erick, not the hyper-partisan, cut off nose to spite face, Erick. Punishing people for the audacity, the unmitigated gall to dare work with the Dems to get something done? Does the Republican party have a platform of anything specific "except own the libs?" And obstruct the libs? This is the problem with our politics now. Can we find SOMETHING to agree on? Neither party want to destroy America. People need to cut out the BS hyperbole in both sides. Even Jayapal voted for the bill despite the rest of the nutty Squad voting against it. They are ridiculous as well.
Agree 100% with you Erick. Why is it a proclivity of the GOP legislators to always capitulate? That is why the Left never sees a Republican "roadblock" they can't run over.
$1.2 trillion in the bill - in reality, more like $1.7 or $1.8 trillion - and only some #240 billion (20%) for real,live infrastructure. The rest is Grade A pork, and some Green Raw Deal stuff with the usual sunset dates which will probably force Congress to reauthorize the boondoggles 1-2 years down the road, or more proof that Reagan was right when he likened a government program to "the closest thing to eternal life" on Earth.
Yes, there ARE urgently needed things in the bill. But, given the realities of what Congress actually passed, House Republicans had every valid and responsible reason to insist on a smaller, more focused package aimed specifically at the problem. And even as is, the Marxists voted "Nay".
Republicans got rolled here; I fear that the same thing will happen with the $2.3 trillion - really, $3 - $3.5 trillion - social spendathon later. And expecting Joe Manchin and/or Krystin Sinema to hold fast after that performance bythe House GOP is asking too much.
Let's call this what it is, a betrayal of conservative principals in exchange for some pork for their districts. That's what these (unlucky) 13 RINOs did. Plain and simple. Off with their heads or at least with their chance of re-election. And by the way, this only adds more fuel to the Trump MAGA train.
I agree that there should be repercussions, but I disagree on why. You write: "The thirteen who voted for it surely voted on the policy, but on the strategy they gave the Democrats a win and a talking point."
I don't think lawmakers should vote against good policy to deny the other party a talking point. But there are great policy reasons for voting no at this point.
Passing this bill now makes it MUCH MORE LIKELY that Americans will be burdened with the multi-trillion dollar socialist wish list, including amnesty or amnesty-item for millions of illegals, trillions in tax increases on job creators, new welfare for illegals (the per-"child tax credit" for illegal aliens alone is higher than the *annual incomes* of many nations -- can you say MAGNET FOR FURTHER INVASION?!), rumors that it will include our daughters being registered for the draft (even though girls who want to can already serve - this is another attack on girls and women, to help men), more than half a TRILLION for AOC's Green New Deal, billions pushing unionization (even of home care workers), a MASSIVE tax cut for wealthy Democrats in high-tax/blue states, subsidies for affluent white Democrats to buy electric cars (some with union set-asides but others that will go to Tesla with 20% of each of those dollars going directly into the pockets of the [awesome] richest man in world history), billions of dollars plus federal regulatory pressure for zoning changes to flood the suburbs with low-income housing, billions handed out specifically for certain skin colors (hint: Crackers need not apply), and on and on. Thousands of pages worth of garbage.
First order of business was defeating that monstrosity.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL COULD PASS AT ANY POINT, once the Reconciliation threat had passed. Infrastructure could pass in January with 350 votes.
The 13 should be punished solely for greasing the skids for the anti-American Reconciliation bill to pass. You expect to be sold out by folks like Kinzinger, but all of the 13 not retiring deserve to be primaried into oblivion.
amnesty-lite (dang you auto-correct or bad typing)
If this bill keeps moving the country left, then it should NOT have passed. Bills need to be short and to the point and none of this lets pass it to know what's in it stuff! Republicans are terrible at PR and if they intend for us to keep voting for them, they need to get really good at getting ahead of Democrats so when leftist like Klain speak, America hears a con artist and knows it's a con artist! I know too many voters that lap up the Democrat bull and that isn't good for our country!
I don't know what you might have said on twitter or on the radio about this bill when it was passed by the Senate on August 10 with 19 Republican votes but on Substack it appears you were silent. If silence equates to support or at least ambivalence then what changed?
Is the bill perfect? No, not even close. But, most people and politicians agree we need the infrastructure spending. That we find ourselves in an opportune moment to give the Democrats a political bloody nose should not override the needs of the country.
I think it's important to note that this isn't the huge victory for Biden that it could have been. The Democrats wanted that to happen last Thursday with a big Kum By Ya celebration of the grifters and the progs coming to an agreement on both the Bipartisan and Reconciliation Boondoggles before Election Day. Biden still doesn't have buy-in from all of the Democrats for the Reconciliation Boondoggle, and I think it tactically strengthens Democrats like Manchin and Sinema that oppose the current Reconciliation Bill. They can point out that a bill that has *actual* bipartisan support can get passed versus the antics of the (Circular Firing) Squad who voted against it.
Well, since this is such a popular and agreeable topic.....
While the vast majority of this bill would have been okay by either party, there were many points/parts that are simply unacceptable. Since the Christian card has been played, my comment is this: there does exist a "common good" which should be a target. Yet there are moral aspects of every piece of legislation which has enforceable powers. All legislation is someone's morality. Since the Democratic party has descended into an abyss which no believer in Christ should have any part of, I would be extremely hesitant to support such a bill--especially since few know what all is in this.
In principle I agree with you: consequences are a result of actions and decisions. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I have come to be less judgmental over those areas in which I cannot know one's motive.
This is a very telling paragraph: "But the Democrats did not pass it. Thirteen Republicans passed it. There must be repercussions or Kevin McCarty needs to be denied the Speaker’s Chair after next year." Nice.
It is increasingly clear that these 13 Republicans - sans the 2 that have already said they won’t be running - all get primaries. Enough of this globalist crap. Americans are done. That was last Tuesday’s message!
One more disagreement Erick.
MTG is not on any committee due to Nancy Pelosi and the Dems voting to strip her of any committee assignments. It was not Kevin McCarthy's choosing.
Seem to be mostly north western folks? Why would they suddenly flop? Also, the interpretation the D's like to use is "see, the people want us to move faster...you/we don't need to read the bill..." This drives me nuts.
Politely disagree. As a Christian, every decision in Government should strive to produce effective policies that benefit the governed. Let the ballot box be the scoreboard.
Disagree, Mr. Erickson. Punishing Liz Cheney was wrong too. The idea that individual members of the Republican Party should always vote in lockstep is something that is worse than they deciding they wanted to support this legislation on the merits. I understand the strategy of stopping the BBB, but what is to say the moderates will cave? That seems to be an assumption of yours, but unless it is something for which Senator Manchin can vote, Speaker Pelosi is in a bind, and has been in a bind for a while.
This is Class A political garbage and is emblematic of what’s wrong with the country. I want my representatives voting on the merits of the legislation, not which side is going to get credit for it
Exactly. I subscribe to hear from objective, common sense Erick, not the hyper-partisan, cut off nose to spite face, Erick. Punishing people for the audacity, the unmitigated gall to dare work with the Dems to get something done? Does the Republican party have a platform of anything specific "except own the libs?" And obstruct the libs? This is the problem with our politics now. Can we find SOMETHING to agree on? Neither party want to destroy America. People need to cut out the BS hyperbole in both sides. Even Jayapal voted for the bill despite the rest of the nutty Squad voting against it. They are ridiculous as well.
Agree 100% with you Erick. Why is it a proclivity of the GOP legislators to always capitulate? That is why the Left never sees a Republican "roadblock" they can't run over.