Repubs Float Consumers Pay For Infrastructure

[WHITT]

Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a senior appropriator and member of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's leadership team, said an infrastructure package of about $600 billion to $700 billion "could be acceptable" to Republicans in a bipartisan measure -- so long as it doesn't stray from traditional items like roads and bridges.

Blunt said "there's an easy path" to a deal if Biden and Senate Democrats set aside their drive to include far more extensive goals embraced only in their party. And he said during a Washington Post Live event that there are ways to agree on paying for a plan that is about one-third what Biden wants. Blunt said he doesn't think that a single GOP senators will back Biden's plan, given its reliance on increases in corporate taxes.

Blunt said he's talking to Senate Democrats and the administration about his recommendation that an infrastructure package be funded with a combination of ideas that include bolstering the Highway Trust Fund, which is now based on a gasoline tax, and levying higher fees related to airports, ports and railroads. He said public-private partnerships also could provide an added source of financing for projects.

There you have it. They want YOU to pay for the infrastructure bill, instead of making the Rich & Corporate pay their fair share.

And if ANYONE mentions 'public-private partnerships', Repub or Dem, hold on to your wallet. That's code for corporate welfare funded by consumer fees.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, an ally of the president, said Thursday he was speaking with GOP counterparts about breaking up the Biden package into two bills, and passing a bipartisan one first.

BIG MISTAKE. The Repubs get everything they want in the first bill, then pull-out all the stops to block the second.


Bloomberg
[link:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-16/biden-plans-bipartisan-lawmaker-meeting-monday-stimulus-update|

[NCDem47]

1. They want to construct Lexus lanes.

Dynamic pricing toll lanes running alongside interstates. Republican states loooooove those.

[jimfields33]

3. The one toll road in Virginia can be 40 bucks at some congested times.

Who can afford that?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginia-to-tweak-66-express-lanes-pricing-to-address-tolls-that-have-topped-47/2018/04/30/70441ab8-4c88-11e8-84a0-458a1aa9ac0a_story.html%3foutputType=amp



Pennsylvania turn pike is most expensive in the World.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/39672/the-pennsylvania-turnpike-is-the-worlds-most-expensive-toll-road-study

I grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in Virginia. Love both places, but they do have tolls.

[randr]

2. We alread built and bought infrastructure

Let those who benefit most from them now pay for the upkeep.

[WarGamer]

4. I have a better idea.

The wealthy pay.

A dude from the IRS visits each billionaire and calculates his net worth... under the penalty of perjury...

and demands a 5% Wealth Tax check on the spot.

Problem solved.

If that's unconstitutional, think of another way but do the same thing.

[sop]

5. The most regressive forms of taxation are user fees and sales taxes, the goal of "public-private

partnerships" is selling off the commons to for-profit corporations. This is just more rapacious Republican bullshit.

[TheFarseer]

6. No toll roads

Infrastructure should not provide income to corporations.

[2naSalit]

7. Hey there you red mofos...

We already paid for it and any future infrastructure many times over. We would have solid infrastructure today if you hadn't stolen most of the funding and legislated any maintenance out of existence.