Alternative Visions - Infrastructure Negotiations Follies - a podcast by Progressive Radio Network

Dr. Rasmus dissects the moves of Dems and Republicans on the Infrastructure bill (aka American Jobs Act) now underway. Both sides are mostly just ‘moving the money around’ and using various ‘smoke & mirrors’ to show they’re making proposals and counterproposals: GOP negotiators (McConnell et. al.) initially proposed $568B, but $394B of that was money already authorized and passed in other legislation. Yesterday, they raised their proposal to $928B, but that was by diverting $350B also already passed in the February ‘American Rescue Plan’ (Covid relief bill). Thus, GOP proposing to spend money already spent! Biden proposed March 31 a $2.3T spending on infrastructure, but unilaterally dropped it to $1.7T (and quietly agreed to include $304B already authorized in transport funding to be included in $1.7T. Biden ‘signaled’ in meeting with GOP to agree to final $1T only. Both Dems & GOP breaking out $400B on separate corp subsidy bills for manufacturing, tech, R&D, chips, etc. soon to be passed. Smoke & mirror negotiations going on for public consumption.  Rasmus also comments on latest economic stats on jobs and durable goods consumer spending and on political democracy reforms collapsing with HR-1 election reform now DOA + collapse of Commission on Jan. 6 riots. Rasmus concludes fight for Democracy only beginning, but red state Republicans have the longer term advantage as their legislatures move now aggressively to restrict and suppress voting.

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