Biden's big bet: He's found the kryptonite that will defeat Trumpism

[Nevilledog]

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Greg Sargent
@ThePlumLineGS
Biden's new plan makes a very big bet: That huge public expenditures are the kryptonite to defeat Trumpism. While Trumpists remain lost in deranged anti-leftism, in reality center and left are rolling out the most ambitious policies in 50 years. My latest:

Opinion | Biden’s big bet: He’s found the kryptonite that will defeat Trumpism
Biden's ambitious new economic plan could contain the seeds of an answer to reactionary nationalism.
washingtonpost.com
9:41 AM · Mar 31, 2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/31/biden-big-bet-infrastructure-plan-trumpism/

If you read the official summary of President Biden’s new $2 trillion infrastructure package, which he will introduce Wednesday, what’s striking is its air of what you might call forward-looking nostalgia.

It’s nostalgic in its emphasis on boosting public investment to levels not seen since the prosperous 1960s, and in its faith that vast brick-and-mortar public works will restore national greatness.

But it’s forward-looking in its vow to direct such spending toward challenges such as climate change, racial inequities and the needs of the new, multiracial, care-economy-oriented working class.

This points to a big bet embedded in the new plan: That in this combination lies a kind of kryptonite that will further weaken Trumpism, that amalgam of plutocracy and reactionary authoritarian nationalism, fueled by hallucinatory anti-leftism, that continues to hold large swaths of the opposition in its thrall.

Biden’s plan envisions an ambitious overhaul of the U.S. economy, rebuilding roads, bridges, sewer systems and electric grids. It would expand digital infrastructure such as rural broadband and retrofit the future decarbonized economy, incentivizing renewable energy and electric cars, packaged as industrial policy to stay competitive with China.

*snip*

[Midnight Writer]

1. Good policies make good politics.

[onetexan]

2. K&R - MoJo's on an impressive roll while the honeymoon period lasts

[PoliticAverse]

3. Choose policies that are overwhelmingly popular? n/t

[lagomorph777]

4. Why, who would have thought that would work?

I think he's found the weakness of Trumpism - eventually, even idiots can see that all the GQP policies are hurting them!

[MyOwnPeace]

9. It seems that there are cases

where "the idiots" still rule:

Missouri Republicans block funds for voter-approved Medicaid expansion

Republican lawmakers blocked Medicaid expansion funding from reaching the Missouri House floor on Thursday, posing a setback for the voter-approved plan to increase eligibility for the state health care program.

The House Budget Committee voted along party lines not to pass a bill allowing Missouri to spend $130 million in state funds and $1.6 billion in federal money to pay for the program’s expansion. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government picks up 90% of the tab on expanding Medicaid.

The increased eligibility would allow an estimated 230,000 additional low-income Missourians to be covered. It is set to go into effect in July, after voters approved a ballot question last August with a 53% majority.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article250170945.html

Way to 'serve' the voters!

[uponit7771]

11. After 1/6 I think the only reason these assholes act this way is cause they cheat and know they cant

... can't lose.

I no longer believe the kGQP want democracy for the good of this country after 1/6 and how DC and state level republicans have sympathized with those terrorist and their cause that day.

[dutch777]

5. Actually getting things done for the people and the country rather than ranting and doing nothing is

a good strategy. If that doesn't work and voters can't see the clear contrast between Dem and Repubs after that, then I am afraid all is lost in this country. We will simply continue to devolve and eventually collapse. The trick will be making sure people know what they will get, get some good amount of it done fast and don't let programs become just bureaucracy and boondoggles.

We really have less than a year until folks are starting to make up their minds about which way they will lean in the 2022 midterms. Gotta get stuff done. I am praying this big stuff can be successfully legislated. The $1.9 trillion Covid package was a great start.

[PortTack]

6. "Not all heroes wear capes!"

[ProudMNDemocrat]

7. Joe knows people with good jobs, money in the bank, vote their pocketbooks.

They will also know it was not Republicans who led the way on this, but OPPOSED this .

Bye bye Republicans.

[LakeArenal]

8. No need for press conferences that don't focus on the right questions.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Haven't heard the term "industrial policy" since Felix Rohatyn

We've neglected public goods and their contribution to a sound economy for 40 years.