This morning on State of the Union, when Dana Bash, having taken on the Joe Manchin persona for the segment, asked Pramila if she's open to a $2.1 trillion compromise-- after there already was a compromise from $6 trillion to $3.5 trillion-- she responded that "it's never been about the price tag, it's about what we want to deliver." The Progressive Caucus is working to be able to "get all the critical programs... in, but perhaps for a shorter period of time and be able to then get to the number [demanded by Sinema, Manchin and the No Labels shills like Gottheimer and Schrader] from that. If you're a regular here at DWT, you've been reading about this 5 year solution for a month. But the problem-- something corrupt conservatives like Sinema, Manchin and the No Labels shills won't ever discuss publicly, is that paying for it entails taxing the rich, which is something none of them will ever support, prompting a tweet from Yannick Marshall: "Think they’ll put seasoning on the rich?"
Pramila's point when talking about a compromise is to get Democratic priorities in and then work from there on the costs. And that's what Biden has also been suggesting as well-- which corporate "journalists" and far right propagandists have played up as "Biden caving to the left." Every single time Pramila tried explaining what the Democratic policies are in the agenda, Bash cut her off to go back to whining about a number, perhaps assuming that CNN viewers are as stupid as Fox viewers and unable to following reasoning for more than a few seconds. Pramila was very patient with Bash and it just showed why she's considered one of the most skillful negotiators in Congress. She is fighting for Justice... and American's are seeing that, just the way Seattle voters have for a long time.
At the end of the segment, Bash finally allowed a brief summary of the substance, which, in reality is the only thing that matters. Making it seem like it was just too much to handle, Bash listed "universal pre-k, childcare support, tuition-free community college, paid medical and family leave, child tax credits, in-home care for seniors, medicare dental, vision and hearing and sweeping climate provisions." Oops-- she forgot "lower drug prices," one of the bill's most popular components.
Louisiana New Dem and former congressman, Cedric Richmond, now a "senior advisor" (flack) for Biden was on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace today. He also emphasized that the negotiations are not about a time-line and not about a financial bottom line per se, but about delivering-- "both bills"-- for the American people.
Wallace: So, the president on Friday told the House Democratic Caucus, and especially the progressives, they're going to have to come down on the price tag for that big social spending bill from $3.5 trillion. What they have been talking about, to more in the neighborhood of $2 trillion-- still a pretty pricey neighborhood, which is still even more than Senators Manchin and Sinema are talking about. My question is this, as the president talks about bringing the price tag down by at least a trillion and a half dollars, does he want some of the proposed new programs that were included in this measure, or is he talking or thinking about funding all of them but at a reduced level and, frankly, for a shorter time period-- in other words, with an expiration note-- which as you know as well as I as a former member of Congress, that that's an old budget gimmick here in Washington?
Richmond: I'll tell you that those decisions will be made in conjunction with members of Congress. But there is unity of purpose. Everybody [except the corrupt Blue Doh and New Dems who have already voted against it] wants to to eliminate bring down the cost of prescription drugs and health care and expand it so more people have it. We want to make sure that we do the child tax credit and that we make sure that we cut taxes for working families. Those are things that the entire Democratic Caucus is united about. And so, we don't look at this as a number. We look at this as what programs are we going to deliver, how do we ensure that we have child care so that parents can enter into the workforce and stay in the workforce? So, for us, this is about making sure that we meet the needs and the vision of President Biden.
... Wallace: So, Senator Joe Manchin. He is still at 1-1/2 trillion, not 3-1/2, not 2, $1-1/2 trillion for the total social spending bill. And here's what he said it in a statement this week: Spending trillions more on new and expanded government programs when we can't even pay for the essential social programs like Social Security and Medicare is the definition of fiscal insanity.Is Senator Manchin wrong?
Richmond: Look, I won't say that Senator Manchin is wrong, but I will say that this administration, we know what we need to do. We need to deliver for the American people. Seventeen Nobel laureate economists said that if we pass both of these plans, we would reduce inflation. And so, what we have work to do is make sure that Senator Manchin understands how this affects the future in terms of making sure that we invest in American families so that they can determine their own destiny. We think we have unity of purpose with Senator Manchin. That's what the president does best and that is to talk to Senator Manchin and make sure that he understands the entire vision why we need to do it and what amount. But at the end of the day, Chris, I think what's important for people to understand is that this piece of legislation cost zero. We're going to pay for it all by raising taxes on the very wealthy and big corporations, which is favored by 70 percent...
Writing for Informed Consent yesterday, Sondra Youdelman of People's Action wrote that "Right now, corporations and the ultra-rich are spending millions to derail President Biden’s Build Back Better plan. Behind the scenes, they’re hard at work to keep our elected officials from helping our country recover from the pandemic. Poll after poll tells us that Biden’s plan is full of things people want: lower drug costs, greater access to health care, a green economy, and restorative investments in our communities. Three out of four voters support this infrastructure bill and budget, yet corporations are fighting tooth and nail to stop it. Why? It’s because the wealthy few, after trillions in tax cuts and giveaways during the last administration, want inequality to be a permanent part of American life. They want the gap between them and us to seem normal-- along with dirty water and air, rising temperatures, and unaffordable homes, education, and health."
Bernie was on ABC-TV today. You want a 77 second version of what this whole debate is really about? Watch this: