This week, the anti-Trump conservative group known as The Lincoln Project released a video celebrating the recent successful passage by Democratic leaders of a bipartisan infrastructure agreement, which entailed the approval of some $1 trillion for critical infrastructure-related projects around the country. In the House, 13 Republicans (out of over 200) backed the bill. Besides the other outcomes, the legislation also functions as a jobs bill, with Biden himself characterizing the bill (through a statement on Twitter) as “a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the 21st century.” For awhile, Trump promised an infrastructure deal in office, but he never delivered.
In the Trump era, “infrastructure week” became somewhat of a punch line, since Trump talked a big game without any substantive results backing up his self-confident rhetoric. Trump often seemed more interested in watching television, posting on Twitter, and golfing. In the new video from The Lincoln Project, a narrator says as follows:
‘For four years, Donald Trump promised us infrastructure week. The so-called builder said only he could deliver on new roads, bridges, and airports. But who got the job done? Joe Biden. Action, not talk. Results, not tweets. Millions of new jobs. Billions for the economies Donald Trump wrecked. Serving America instead of serving himself. Joe Biden: building back better.’
Watch the video below:
It’s infrastructure week — four years later. pic.twitter.com/bjMLtnZjKy
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) November 10, 2021
Up next is the social spending package that Democratic leaders have been developing, which would provide federal financial support to child care, expansions of health coverage, and related areas. Although the exact form of that plan is still in flux, a recent version of it unveiled by the White House also included “$555 billion for climate-related provisions, including $320 billion in 10-year expanded tax credits for utility-scale and residential renewable energy, transmission, electric vehicles and clean energy manufacturing,” The Wall Street Journal explains. Democrats can pass the plan on their own because of the exemption of certain budget-related bills from the Senate’s filibuster rules, which ordinarily require the agreement of at least 60 Senators in the 100-member chamber before moving forward on most legislation.
