Physical Infrastructure Legislation

First Year In Oval Office Under Most Presidencies Problematical, And Joe Biden Better Than Many!

Ronald 7 Comments

One could argue that Joe Biden has accomplished a great deal in the first year, while often having disappointments and shortcomings.

Two major pieces of legislation were accomplished (The American Rescue Plan, and the Physical Infrastructure legislation), and the only reason why the Build Back Better bill and voting rights have failed to be accomplished is the opposition of two Democrats–Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema–and the reality of an equally divided Senate for only the third time in American history!

While inflation has become a major problem, the stock market dramatically rose, more jobs were created in the first year of a Presidency than any other administration, and the unemployment rate has dropped to a very low rate.

There are still the issues of the COVID 19 Pandemic, and the disaster of Afghanistan withdrawal, but the first issue was unpredictable as the worst health crisis in a century, and the second would have been the same result had Donald Trump stayed on as President, since he had made a deal with the Taliban without Afghanistan government involvement, to leave in May 2021, NOT as occurred in August 2021!

So some disappointing developments in the first year of a Presidency are not unique to the 46th President!

When one looks back at other Presidencies, it is actually quite common that the first year of a Presidency is a learning curve, and does not reflect on whether such Presidents will be, in the long run, successful, and also have the possibility of successful reelection.

The following Presidents had very successful first years—Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, George H. W. Bush!

Three Presidents had what could be described as mixed records in the first year in office–Dwight D. Eisenhower, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

The following Presidencies in the 20th and 21st century were far from successes in their first year:

Harry Truman 1945
John F. Kennedy 1961
Richard Nixon 1969
Gerald Ford 1974-1975
Jimmy Carter 1977
Ronald Reagan 1981
Bill Clinton 1993
Donald Trump 2017

Among these eight Presidents, four—Truman, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton–won reelection.

So it is not time to say that Joe Biden will fail to succeed, as he already has in many respects, and it is not time to say he cannot win reelection fo a second term!

Right Wing Propaganda Attempts To Portray Joe Biden And Kamala Harris As Disasters, When Much Has Been Accomplished!

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Right Wing propaganda, whether the Republican Party, Fox News Channel, OANN, Newsmax, or various interest groups that promote domestic terrorism and white supremacy, is working incessantly to portray President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as disasters.

This is all designed to advance the cause of a Republican Congress and state government domination by partisan gerrymandering, as well as whitewash and avoiding responsibility for support of the “Big Lie” of Donald Trump and his criminal backers who incited the January 6, 2021 Insurrection on the US Capitol!

One would think that Donald Trump and Mike Pence accomplished so much in office that was positive for the American people and nation, when exactly the opposite is the truth!

Trump did great harm in so many areas of domestic and foreign policy, and the only “winner” was the extremely wealthy, who gained a massive tax cut which added greatly to the national debt, without improving the daily lives of the American people!

Mike Pence proved how much of a sycophant he was, a person supposedly “religious”, “devout”, “moral and ethical”, when he was simply a total hypocrite, with his promotion of hatred, division, and narrow mindedness. He had to be convinced by, of all people, former Vice President Dan Quayle, to follow the Constitution on January 6, 2021, and uphold the Electoral College vote that Joe Biden had won the Presidency.

Pence will go down in history as one of the absolutely worst, most disgraceful Vice Presidents in American history!

Meanwhile, Joe Biden has accomplished a great deal, including providing relief to the American economy through the American Rescue Plan, a total of $1.9 trillion in the spring of 2021. The Physical Infrastructure legislation, providing $1.2 trillion to rebuild roads, bridges, airports rail systems, broadband, environmental cleanup, and electric vehicle, is being signed into law today by President Biden.

Also, Biden has changed the harsh policy toward refugees promoted by Trump, and cracked down on the abuses of Immigration and Customs Enforcement toward innocent children.

Additionally, Biden returned America to the Paris Climate Accords, and reversed the action of Trump cutting down the Bears Ear National Monument and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and he restored protection of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Biden has taken strong action on vaccinations and masking, and brought about a commitment to combating the COVID 19 Pandemic, after Trump minimized the crisis and promoted false solutions. And Biden has not allowed renegade governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott to stop necessary action to protect the American people during this pandemic!

The “Build Back Better” Social Infrastructure legislation, held up by moderate Democrats, hopefully will be accomplished soon, as it should be, but with Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema or Arizona, and some in the House of Representatives causing problems, no certainty at this moment, but important for the future of both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and the nation at large.

Biden withdrew US military forces from Afghanistan, an action that was promoted by Donald Trump, who wanted to remove them in May 2021, rather than the actual time frame of August 2021. It was a tough decision, but America had been in Afghanistan for 20 years, and most Americans knew it was time to leave.

The NATO nations and others have seen a massive change in American foreign policy by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, restoring our good relations with our allies.

Kamala Harris has been more in the background, but Vice Presidents historically have not been in the forefront so early in an administration, and if one looks back at Mike Pence, for instance, who recalls him playing a leading role in the first year of Donald Trump’s Presidency, or really ever?

This negative portrayal of Harris simply is the reaction of having a mixed race woman a heartbeat away from the Presidency, when she has excellent credentials, were she to have to assume the Presidency!

Republicans Are Crazy, Voting Against Infrastructure, Attacking “Big Bird”, And Emphasizing “Masculinity”!

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The Republican Party is acting more crazy by the day, and are in the process, therefore, of self destruction!

For the vast majority of Republicans in Congress to vote against the Physical Infrastructure legislation that brings about needed roads, airports, bridges, rail systems, broadband, environmental cleanup, and electric vehicles is pure insanity, as their constituents want and need these projects, long overdue.

This is the first major overhaul since Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower promoted the Interstate Highway system in the 1950s, and the earlier promotion of the transcontinental railroad system by Republican President Abraham Lincoln in the 1860s, both projects of common sense which advanced the American economy and way of life!

Also, to have lunatic, crazy Senator Ted Cruz, a traitor and seditionist on January 6, to attack “Big Bird” from Sesame Street for promoting vaccination of children 5-11, when Cruz himself has had the COVID 19 vaccinations, is totally an example of just how dangerous the Texas Senator is, and his suggestion that Texas might secede, and take with it, the space program, the oil industry, and military assets should lead to his immediate arrest and incarceration!

And Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, an original seditionist and traitor who demonstrated a pumped fist in support of the rioters at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, has crazily suggested that American men need to assert their “Masculinity”, a sexist statement that will alienate millions of American women, as he suggests that women are being too assertive and independent in their attitudes of controlling their own destiny in American society. He says that “left wingers” are attacking manhood, and asserts that men are allowing video games and pornography to dominate their lives, rather than employment and controlling the women in their lives!

And Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar, another traitor and seditionist, put an anime video on Twitter showing an attack on Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and also on President Joe Biden. No reaction has come from House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy!

A Year After Joe Biden Election, Major Economic Advancements In Midst Of COVID 19 Pandemic!

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A year since Joe Biden was elected President, the nation has seen major economic advancements in the midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic.

We have seen 5.6 million jobs created, the greatest of any President in nine months in office.

We have seen 531,000 jobs created in October alone.

We have a 4.6 percent unemployment rate, similar to what Barack Obama left the nation when he finished his Presidency in January 2017.

The Stock Market is at an all time high as I write this!

We have seen major Pandemic relief legislation, and now a massive Physical Infrastructure bill ready to be signed by Joe Biden.

The Social Infrastructure legislation is making progress, at a lower rate than originally planned, but still in the range of $1.75 trillion.

We are seeing greater progress than was possible by Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and even Barack Obama in their first year.

Joe Biden is on the way to being the most successful domestic President since Lyndon B. Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

This is the time to promote and publicize the great advancements, and make the case for the Democrats to have expanded majorities in both houses of Congress in 2022 and beyond.

Finally, The Physical Infrastructure Legislation Is Passed In The House Of Representatives With Bipartisan Vote!

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Finally, overnight, the House of Representatives passed the Physical Infrastructure bill that had passed the US Senate with a bipartisan vote of 69-30 in August.

And happily, there were 13 Republicans who supported the legislation in the House, making the legislation truly a bipartisan accomplishment, with a final vote of 228-206.

This is a major victory for Joe Biden and the Democrats, despite the tortuous delay of more than two months, and the $1.2 trillion of spending on roads, airports, bridges, rail systems, broadband, environmental cleanup, and electric vehicles will advance the American economy dramatically!

The nation desperately needed this legislation, and it will help the Democratic argument to keep them in the majority in the 2022 Midterm Congressional Elections a year from now!

However, with all of the excitement that this legislation engenders, it IS a fact that without the 13 Republicans, including a number who voted to impeach Donald Trump the second time, the legislation would NOT have passed, as 6 “Progressives” voted against it, including

Jamaal Bowman of New York
Cori Bush of Missouri
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
Rashida Tlaib of Michigan

The latter four have been called the “Squad”, and the first two have been considered to be additions to the group by the news media, and seemingly, have indicated they are glad to be part of the group.

Four of the 13 House Republicans who supported the legislation also supported impeachment of Donald Trump in January 2021:

Adam Kinzinger of Illinois (not running for reelection)
Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio (not running for reelection)
Fred Upton of Michigan
John Katko of New York

Even without the other nine Republicans, those four principled Republican House members who did the right thing on both impeachment and the infrastructure bill, basically saved the legislation, as with their votes alone, the legislation would have passed 219-215!

The present House of Representatives has 221 Democrats, and 213 Republicans, so there is a working majority of just three members, although the Democrats have eight more members than the Republicans.

Democrats Lost Because They Failed To Move Swiftly On Infrastructure Legislation

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It is not unusual for the party in the White House to lose in elections a year later, and particularly in the Virginia Gubernatorial race.

But the loss of Virginia to Republicans, and the extremely close vote in New Jersey, are a danger sign, a warning sign, to Democrats for the upcoming midterm 2022 elections, when the entire House of Representatives, one third of the US Senate, and 36 gubernatorial elections will take place a year from now.

Looking back, it was a mistake to hold the Physical Infrastructure bill hostage over the Social Infrastructure bill, as the Democrats could not show any actual accomplishment on their agenda.

The progressives can be blamed for this, sadly to say, but now it is urgent that action take place on both bills very soon, so that the Democrats have a record of what they are doing to improve the lives of the American people.

One must remember that Donald Trump and the Republicans took no action on infrastructure, and would not do so on social infrastructure.

So the Democrats need to be able to show they can produce results, and play hardball in the upcoming campaigns.

The nation’s future is at stake, so no time to be depressed, and instead time to move ahead aggressively!

The Ultimate Week Of Reckoning For Joe Biden And The Democratic Party Future

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President Joe Biden has been in office a week more than eight months, and he has had high public opinion ratings until the last month, with so many issues clashing, including the withdrawal from Afghanistan; the continuing COVID-19 Pandemic debate; and the problems at the Mexico border.

So right now, Biden is backed by only 43 percent in some polls, and the pressure is on to move ahead this week on the domestic policy agenda.

This will be seen as the ultimate week of reckoning for Joe Biden and the Democratic Party future, as debate begins on the Physical Infrastructure bill which passed the Senate with a bipartisan support of 69-30 on August 10, and the House of Representatives will vote on it this week.

The proposed “Social Infrastructure” bill, which would be the most expanded reform program since the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson and the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt is more complicated. Progressive Democrats and moderate Democrats are fighting over the price tag of $3.5 trillion over ten years, and the issue also of gaining the support of Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who are resisting modifying the filibuster to accomplish the legislation.

The price tag might have to be lowered substantially, and the issue of the order of voting for the two pieces of legislation is also holding up progress, as moderates want the bipartisan bill passed now, and the more progressive “Social Infrastructure” bill to be passed later, while progressives in the party want passage of both at the same time.

Time To Make Clear That “Social Infrastructure” Bill Is Over TEN Years, NOT One Year, And Essential!

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It is very disconcerting to see West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, and some moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives, make clear their opposition to the proposed $3.5 trillion “Social Infrastructure” legislation, while supporting the $1 trillion “Physical Infrastructure” bill that has bipartisan support in the Senate.

The “Physical Infrastructure” bill covers roads, bridges, airports, rails, water systems, clean drinking water, cleaning the environment, and high speed internet access, and is urgently needed, gaining a 69-30 bipartisan vote in the Senate.

But the “Social Infrastructure” bill, over TEN years, NOT one, would cover many urgent matters, including:

Expansion of Child Tax Credits and establishment of paid family and medical leave
Expansion of Medicare to include dental, hearing, and vision benefits and possibly lower the Medicare age from 65 to 60
Funding for Elder Care and Disabled Care in their homes
Funding for Child Care so young children would have two years of publicly funded pre-Kindergarten Education
Funding for two years of Community College Education for students after high school
Funding for Climate Change legislation and promotion of electric vehicles
Provisions to lower the price of prescription drugs
Infrastructure investment for Native American communities
Increase in taxes on wealthy people and corporations, which in many cases pay ZERO taxes right now
Bolstering the Internal Revenue Service’s staff and enforcement resources to do its job of raising tax collection

If passed into law, it would be the biggest expansion of the social safety net since the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s!

The lie that is being spread is that the $3.5 trillion bill is all in one year, when it is actually over ten years, or $350 billion per year.

Meanwhile, the defense budget, bloated with lots of projects that are not needed but bolstering the profits of defense corporations which pay bribes to get their programs funded, is $700 billion per year, double the amount for the infrastructure bill.

This means that defense over the next ten years would be 7 TRILLION, double the social spending, but of course, defense is presented as one year at a time, while social reforms are portrayed as all at once, when it is totally false!

It is urgent that both pieces of legislation pass, and not be derailed by lies and deception. Government for all the people, not just the privileged, is long overdue!

Major Accomplishment On Infrastructure Legislation: A Landmark Moment!

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Yesterday, August 11, saw the Bipartisan Physical Infrastructure legislation pass the Senate with 19 Republicans joining the 50 Democrats, with the votes by the Republicans ignoring Donald Trump’s anger that what he could not accomplish is being done now under Joe Biden!

And the more expansive proposed $3.5 trillion legislation for expansion of the social safety net, which has not been seen since the 1960s, was voted 50-49 in a “reconciliation” vote, straight party line Democratic votes only.

If both of these pieces of legislation go all the way to adoption after the Congress returns later in August and into mid September, it will be a landmark moment in American history!

Joe Biden is on the way to being the most progressive President since Lyndon B. Johnson, although Barack Obama made valiant efforts that fell short, due to Republican opposition.

With Biden having great congressional experience that Obama did not have, there is optimism that he will be able to overcome opposition that Obama was stymied by for his last six years, and “reconciliation” is, fortunately, the method that might bring about the more expansive infrastructure legislation.

A Third Of Senate Republicans Are Ignoring Donald Trump Criticism On Physical Infrastructure Legislation!

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It is fascinating to witness that, at this point, a third of the 50 Senate Republicans are ignoring Donald Trump’s criticism of the Physical Infrastructure legislation in process in the upper chamber, as they realize the urgent need for such projects!

The final total of Republicans could be more than the present 17 Senators, and this, hopefully, is a sign of the waning influence of the former President over the party and its future. With Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in support, and being attacked by Donald Trump, it is a sign that the Senate is not ready to follow the House Republicans and their treasonous leadership, led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy into the abyss!

For the Republican Party to survive in shape for the future, which is highly doubtful, it MUST separate itself from the extremists that fueled the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection!

As it is, it was 8 Republican Senators who refused to accept the Electoral College vote count after the Insurrection, as compared to 139 House Republicans, nearly two thirds of all in the lower chamber.

That in itself is shocking, two thirds of the House Republicans, but only 16 percent of the Republicans in the Senate, so it is the Senate which has the opportunity to promote survival of the party future.

There needs to be a massive move to remove the cancer of House Republicans, in order to save the party for the long term!