The Infrastructure Bill that Couldn’t Build a Thing
As the Democrats hurdle towards pushing through a $1.2 trillion dollar “infrastructure” bill, coupled with a $3.5 trillion dollar “human infrastructure” bill, after already spending $1.9 trillion on a covid relief bill earlier this year… We have to take a step back and look at the big picture.
If Democrats have their way, we’re going to spend $6.6 trillion dollars this year.
As a reference point, in 2020 the U.S. collected about half that amount in taxes. So where does the rest of the money come from?
Our national debt currently sits at $28.6 TRILLION dollars. When numbers get so high, they become arbitrary. So let’s give that some perspective:
The national debt is more than $220,000 per household
In 2020, the U.S. GDP was $20.93 trillion – 2/3 of our national debt
The following is from Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic advisor:
“This is a scary time for our country. Democrats are drunk with power. They have adopted a new dingbat economic theory they call Modern Monetary Theory, which predicts that the government can borrow from now until kingdom come at ever-larger amounts and nothing bad will happen because we are the world reserve currency and foreigners are willing to lend us money at low-interest rates.
Except history is replete with stories of great empires collapsing because of runaway debt and spending. The Modern Monetary Theory principles have been test-driven in more recent times by the Argentines, Venezuelans, Puerto Ricans, Bolivians, Zimbabweans, and Greeks. There was no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow — just poverty, despair, and bankruptcy.”
I don’t write all of this to scare you. Instead, I want to activate you. There’s a showdown coming and I want to make sure you understand what we’re fighting for.
Republicans plan to use the Debt Ceiling as a tool to stop the spending spree. In order for us to take on more debt (and pass their $3.5 trillion bill), the Debt Ceiling cap has to be raised. Democrats can’t do that without Republicans voting for it in the Senate. So the GOP looks like they’re going to hold out to kill the $3.5 trillion dollar bill.
Democrats and the media are going to tell you it’s an assault on our Democracy. Don’t listen to them. The stakes are too high.
GOP CAN KNEECAP BIDEN’S AGENDA…
…but instead, they’re enabling him.
The GOP is on the verge of handing Joe Biden a major win by passing the $1.2 trillion “bipartisan” infrastructure bill, right as his political capital is spiraling down the toilet. If they had the spine, there is a major tool they can use to their advantage: the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling is the amount of money the United States is allowed to borrow. Under the constitution, only Congress can authorize that the debt ceiling be raised. Our debt is currently over $28 trillion dollars.
How the GOP can use the debt ceiling: If Democrats want to add more to the debt via the various spending bills they’re proposing, Congress would need to raise the debt ceiling. They literally cannot pass more bills that add to the debt, unless the ceiling is raised. And they need 60 votes in the Senate to do that. So 10 GOP Senators would need to be on board. They should use this to their advantage.
Former President Trump weighed in over the weekend saying: “Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill is a disgrace. If Mitch McConnell was smart, which we’ve seen no evidence of, he would use the debt ceiling card to negotiate a good infrastructure package.”
Not just politics: It’s not just about preventing a political win for Biden. From left-wing economist, Larry Summers to Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan, they are warning about growing inflation risks. In June [we don’t have July data yet], inflation rose by the highest percentage in 30 years.
Falling off the edge: This $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, along with the $3.5 trillion liberal wish-list bill the Democrats plan to pass next [without a single GOP vote], will push us over the inflation cliff. I cannot understand why 18 GOP Senators want to be complicit in this. If they pass a bill and inflation takes off, they are on the hook just as much as the Democrats.
What’s in the bill: To start, it’s 2,700 pages long. Here’s some of what’s in it
A plan to add a new tax on drivers by the mile
It would force all new cars to have alcohol monitors installed
Only 15% of the bill, around $175 billion, goes to actual roads, ports, bridges, and even digital infrastructure.
Over $100 billion goes to bailing out the highway trust fund.
The rest goes to things like subsidies for electric vehicles. Electric vehicle production benefits countries like China, which make the parts that go into these cars.
Adding to the debt: The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office just put out an estimate that the bill would add $256 to the national debt. Our country is already $28 trillion dollars in debt. Over the past 18 months, we’ve continued to add to that debt through massive, trillion-dollar covid-spending bills. We literally cannot afford to keep spending money on left-wing wish-list items.
SENATE GOP HANDED BIDEN A BIG WIN AND SOLD YOU OUT
19 Republican Senators voted with all 50 Democrats to pass a $1.2 trillion-dollar slush fund disguised as an ‘infrastructure’ bill.
The bill now moves on to the Democrat-controlled House, where the only chance that it can be derailed is if progressives like AOC make extreme amendments that the 19 Senate cowards won’t sign off on.
Here’s the list of GOP Senators who voted for this bill. If they’re your Senator, make sure you question their reasons.
Roy Blunt (Mo)
Richard Burr (N.C.)
Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.)
Bill Cassidy (La)
Susan Collins (Maine)
Kevin Cramer (N.D.)
Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Deb Fischer (Neb.)
Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
John Hoeven (N.D.)
Mitch McConnell (Ky)
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
Rob Portman (Ohio)
James E. Risch (Idaho)
Mitt Romney (Utah)
Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
Thom Tillis (N.C.)
Roger F. Wicker (Miss.)
Left-wing news outlet Axios is calling it “a massive win for President Biden” as the Senate is headed towards passing a $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill before the weekend.
I have one question: Why? Why are Mitch McConnell and the GOP playing ball on this massive spending bill, where less than 15% of the spending goes to ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE?
Senator Ted Cruz summed up the bill: “This bill is bloated with spending we cannot afford… It is nothing more than a down payment for a liberal wish list.”
Call to action: Here’s what you can do. Call or e-mail your senator. Tell them you why are they wasting YOUR tax dollars on an “infrastructure” bill that only spends 15% on infrastructure.
If Anything Let’s focus on two Senators in particular and blow up their phone lines and e-mail inboxes.
Remind them that we are fiscal conservatives.
Remind them that they are giving a lifeline to a President in free-fall.
Remind them that they are about to be complicit in rapidly increasing inflation.
Ask them why there is no border wall funding in their “bipartisan” infrastructure bill?
Call on them to use the debt ceiling as a tool to stand up for the American people and stop Democrats from dangerously spending our money [and adding to our debt].
Mitch McConnell:
☎️ (202) 224-2541
📧 Contact via e-mail
Lindsay Graham:
☎️ (202) 224-5972
📧 Contact via e-mail
Now we’re starting to learn what’s in the bill. And it’s even worse than we thought…
First, let’s let Senator John Kennedy summarize: “They told us it was a real infrastructure bill. It’s not; only 23% of the bill is real infrastructure, the rest is Green New Deal and welfare. They told us the bill was paid for; it isn’t, we’re gonna have to borrow may be up to $400 billion to pay for it. They told us there were no tax increases. There are.”
Here are some troubling leftist wins, hidden in the bill:
1. Social justice and Climate change: This bill makes these liberal causes part of federal policy.
It establishes a Digital Equity Act, which includes expanding internet access to prisoners.
Spends tens of billions of dollars subsidizing electric vehicles, charging stations, and energy production.
Half a billion dollars to “cool down pavement” in cities…
2. Anti-car agenda: The left hates cars. Cars equal freedom. They want all Americans crammed into subway cars, reliant on the government to get them where they need to go. So it’s no surprise that this bill includes:
Federal funding of “traffic calming.” This is closely related to the left-wing concept of “road diets,” which deliberately slows traffic and creates congestion in order to push commuters to use public transportation
$125 million toward studies and pilot projects to move state government to implement a mileage tax.
$1 billion for a “reconnecting communities” program that would tear down highways in urban areas.
3. Big government power-plays:
Carveouts for Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to use his discretion to spend $100 billion as he sees fit. Buttigieg says he will prioritize progressive goals related to race and “equity” in such decisions.
$55 billion bail-outs for city governments that have allowed their water systems to deteriorate.
$138 billion towards subsidies, mandates, and government-run enterprises that compete with private energy and broadband internet.
Let me end by quoting Sen. Kennedy again, who was asked why Republicans would vote for this bill: “I don’t know, day drinking, maybe?”
Peter Boykin For US Congress
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