Democrats have reportedly dropped their paid family leave and their medical leave from Biden’s huge spending bill, a blow to the progressive agenda and to President Biden’s ego.
Biden had publicly said these policies were top priorities for his “Build Back Better” agenda but they were destroyed by objections from Democrat Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Senator Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona.
Some Democrats went to get them back into the agenda somehow.
“Until this bill is printed, I will keep working to insert paid leave into the Build Back Better plan,” said Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.).
“I am not done fighting,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). “I am going to keep on working for paid medical and family leave until I see the finished bill text. This is not done.”
Democrats had previously wanted to pass the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which would mean more than the whole federal revenue from 2020, and over half of the overall expenditures, which were around $6.6 trillion.
That bill is now whittled down to around $1.75 trillion dollars in a drive to appease Manchin and Sinema. Democrats have just 50 votes in the United States Senate, meaning just one vote might sink their efforts to push any bill without GOP support.
Manchin has also signaled he is against the efforts to increase taxes on the wealthy.
“I do not like the connotation that we are targeting different people. There are people that basically, they have contributed to society, they have created a ton of jobs, and invested money and given a lot to their philanthropic pursuits,” Manchin said to reporters this Wednesday. “But it is time we pull together.”
In its place, he pushed a 15% minimum tax on billionaires that would “be nothing we should be worried about” and said “it does not harm anybody.”
“That is called a patriotic tax,” Manchin said.
Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who previously called for over $6 trillion in additional spending, lamented this Wednesday about the state of the spending discussions.
“Every good revenue option seems to be gone,” said Sanders to one reporter.
He added that all progressive options were “sabotaged.”
Democrats and progressives have turned hateful toward Sinema and Manchin for ruining their huge spending plans.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
