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B Carpenter - Thinking Deeply's avatar

Disappointed? Why? -

If you are disappointed with what appears not to be in what looks like the final budget bills now moving towards passage, please stop for a moment and both consider what is included and why it has been so difficult to include more and gain passage.

Even without everything on progressive Democrats wish list, this remains a transformative investment in our economy and working class American families. Are the final numbers large? Yes. Could they have been larger? Could more have been included? Could America afford a larger investment? The answers to each of those questions is also yes. Please remember this is less than an additional investment of 1% of our GDP over the coming decade. Also as an investment not merely a cost most of these will actually produce a tangible and measurable return.

So why could more not have been included? Many will fault centrist Democrats for failing to support many of the provisions on progressive’s wish list. Did those centrists like Manchin and Sinema fail to support some provisions? Yes. However, let us be clear that the Biden Build Back Better agenda will not get a single Republican vote. No Republican is supporting a longer extension beyond one year of the child tax credit that lifted 50% of children living in poverty out of those circumstances. No Republican is supporting lower prescription drug prices. No Republican is supporting paid family or medical leave, affordable housing, elder care, healthcare expansion, universal pre-K, or any of the other provisions that were dropped or those that remain in the bill.

So if you are disappointed remember who is responsible for your disappointment. American families could have gotten more if only a few Republicans had supported this along with 98% of Democrats. When you consider who should be representing your family’s interests in Washington, remember who voted for those interests and who opposed them. When politicians campaign for your votes and make promises they will support and work for those interests remember these votes and how they align with what is most important to you. If cultural issues are more important to you, you know who is going to bat for you. But if your family’s health, housing, education, finances, child and elder care, prescription drug prices, clean air and water, and climate change concerns are more important to you, you also should know who is really on your side.

Also celebrate the victories and wins on what is included and let's continue the fight for the rest of the agenda. This is not the last budget that will ever be proposed or passed.

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Charles J Theisen Jr's avatar

Activists in the Democratic Party realize that the Republicans have handed us an opportunity to win over Independents and even some Republicans. The funniest example will be here in Naples Florida. In a Republican dominated area DeSantis' ban on businesses which require masking will, if enforced, outrage many of those who love art, opera and ballet since our beloved "Artis Naples" has instituted a policy of requiring masking and possibly vaccination proof for events. Coupled with a small but loud segment of our "neighbors" who want to make Naples City an abortion free city DeSantis and his cohort of Trumpians are turning off many independents and some Republicans as well as energizing Democrats. There is hope that, in a closely divided state (Rubio and DeSantis only won by less than 1% margins), we can turn Florida Blue.

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