On Spending $3.5 Trillion Dems Say “Moving Full Speed Ahead”, It’s a Full Speed Merry Go Round

Full Speed Ahead

 “We’re moving full speed ahead,” Schumer told reporters, when asked about the suggestion last week from Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia to have a  “Strategic Pause” . 

Where’s the Outline? Details? Plan?

Democrats have been working on a proposal for months and we still do not have an complete outline to criticize. 

All Democrats have managed to do is float ideas they cannot get consensus on themselves. 

We have an amount, but no clear details on how to spend it or what tax proposals are in the works.

I am grateful for this actually, but consider this amusing detail from the Wall Street Journal. 

The House Ways and Means Committee began considering its piece of the proposal on Thursday, with Democrats largely united on the paid-leave program and retirement-policy changes and Republicans objecting.

The committee hasn’t yet detailed which taxes it will raise, a gap that led committee member Stephanie Murphy (D., Fla.) to say Thursday that she couldn’t back the party’s plans yet without more detail.

“I cannot assess them if I don’t know how we’re paying for them,” she said. “I cannot pass judgment on them if I don’t know what trade-offs we’re making—that is, what other items were excluded in order to include them.”

Stalled For Months

That is where we have been for months. Literally. 

For discussion of the pause idea, please see Senator Manchin Seeks “Strategic Pause on Reconciliation” Did Biden’s Budget Just Die?

The problem for democrats is they can only afford to lose 3 votes in the House and none in the Senate. 

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Meanwhile AOC has threatened several times to blow the whole thing up if she does not get her way on climate change. 

A group of 65 House Progressives also insist on getting their way. But in the Senate, both Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have strong reservations on spending $3.5 trillion, a key Progressive demand.

And Bernie Sanders is again making noises over Medicare for all, something that would blow the budget sky high. 

Meanwhile, Pelosi and the 65 Progressives insist reconciliation on the whole deal before infrastructure passes while a dozen House Reps prefer infrastructure pass first.

Finally, Pelosi wants this all done by the end of September when we still do not have an outline. 

Full Speed Merry Go Round.

This is not moving ahead, it’s a full speed merry go round complete with three carnival barkers (AOC, Biden, and Pelosi) all making demands “my way or no way.”

Hopefully it stays that way.

Better yet, Dear AOC, Please Honor Your Threat and Cancel the Whole Damn Thing

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Source: https://mishtalk.com/economics/democrats-moving-full-speed-ahead-says-senate-majority-leader-chuck-schumer