The Build Back Better Bill Is Not a Consolation Prize to the People It Will Help

[mcar]

The Build Back Better Bill Is Not a Consolation Prize to the People It Will Help
Put together with the hard infrastructure bill, we've entered Great Society territory here.

By Charles P. Pierce
Oct 28, 2021

When you come right down to it, Senator Joe Manchin is pretty far down the list of people to be royally pissed at with regard to the new “framework” for a deal on the human-infrastructure half of the Just Crazy Enough to Work strategy. Just for starters, I’d mention all the Democratic senators for whom Manchin was fronting (and you know who you are), the refusal of Republican legislators to cooperate in the governing of the country if they’re not in charge, the national elite political press for covering this episode as though it were a $1,000 claiming race at Louisiana Downs (to the point where a CBS poll found that only 10 percent of respondents actually knew what immensely popular programs were being proposed in the reconciliation package), and Kyrsten Sinema, for being a mylar balloon.

It is true that Manchin was instrumental in torpedoing the family and medical leave provisions, attempting to save mothers with infants from falling into an “entitlement society,” and its absence surely is the most insane element of the proposed framework. For that, he should go to constitutent-service hell for all eternity. But, for the moment, let’s leave the Talleyrand of Cabin Creek out of it.

Let’s not forget that $1.75 trillion is still a shitpot full of money. Put that together with the bipartisan brick-and-mortar infrastructure bill and we’re moving into Great Society territory. I never thought I’d see that again in my lifetime. (And this is with slim majorities in both houses and an opposition party that’s lost its mind.) If it passes, it will make the lives of millions of Americans easier than they would have been without it....

Liberal carping notwithstanding, these are not small beer to those of us who lived through Bill Clinton’s pitching for school uniforms and Barack Obama’s hiring of Bob Rubin and Timothy Geithner. Neither are they consolation prizes to the millions of families who will see their kids off to pre-K without having to take out a home equity loan, or the millions of people who will be able to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act now in spite of their wingnut governors. Take the win and press on is not a bad strategy. You can get there that way.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a38094902/build-back-better-family-leave-great-society/

[aocommunalpunch]

1. We should just have Manchin and Sinema write the bills.

Save a lot of time and effort.

[Demsrule86]

4. Have you ever heard the line...cutting off your nose to spite your face? Pass both bills it moves

us forward...and then we all need to get out and run on these programs...win hearts and minds.

[pandr32]

43. +1

[Hekate]

2. The great Charlie Pierce is spot on, as always...

Let’s not forget that $1.75 trillion is still a shitpot full of money. Put that together with the bipartisan brick-and-mortar infrastructure bill and we’re moving into Great Society territory. I never thought I’d see that again in my lifetime. (And this is with slim majorities in both houses and an opposition party that’s lost its mind.) If it passes, it will make the lives of millions of Americans easier than they would have been without it....

[berni_mccoy]

3. It's progress. But it's not the progress that's really needed.

Still if it’s all we can get…

[Demsrule86]

7. You don't think getting the ACA to people in Georgia and Tennessee and all the other red states

is worth it? Well. I beg to differ. In Florida you can't get the ACA or the Medicaid expansion...were you aware of this? My cousin has been paying for her own cancer treatment out of pocket. Her parents left her well off but she will be out of money soon. And that is but one program...there is other good stuff.

[Autumn]

10. And now the Red states will be forced to accept the ACA?

[Demsrule86]

17. It creates a national fix using the ACA that will cover those in states that

did not pass Medicaid expansion...and to rub it in a bit...the premiums are free for the first two years.

[Autumn]

19. And the red states will be forced to pass the Medicaid expansion this time, or is it their choice?

We saw what happened the last time. Even the people in their red states who needed it were all for ending the ACA

[Demsrule86]

25. They are out of the loop. They have nothing to do with it...this is instead of the Medicaid

expansion. They have no say. It bypasses them. The reason that refusing to pass the Medicaid expansion hurt the ACA is that there are income requirements on the ACA...you have to make a certain amount to be eligible...thus there is nothing for those who would qualify for a Medicaid expansion but who can't qualify for the ACA.

I went through this with my kid who broke both her ankles while in college and couldn't work. I used her school money which really isn't allowed...but it worked. This will save lives...so many have died in Georgia and rural hospitals were shut down as well.

[Autumn]

32. I wonder which idiot from which red state will try to challenge it in the sc.

But the day is young. Perhaps Manchin and Sinema will insist that be taken out.

[berni_mccoy]

14. You put words in my mouth. I never said it wasn't worth passing

[Demsrule86]

18. Sorry I misunderstood...

[Silent3]

5. It's certainly a lot better than nothing, IF it actually passes...

...and without still yet more one-sided compromising. We'll see about that.

What I hope for is that the end result is good enough to help Dems keep both the House and the Senate, and grow their majorities. Then at least we have a chance to try again for more, without as much fuckery from the DINOs.

But of course, even if the bill is good enough to make Americans happy enough to vote in more Dems, we're still fucked if we don't get voter protection passed, and once again, we'll be at the mercy of the same people to get anything done there, as they whine about their precious filibuster.

[notinkansas]

40. Agree that

"It's certainly a lot better than nothing, IF it actually passes...

...and without still yet more one-sided compromising."

But for people looking for across the board transformational legislation, this aint it. It's great for young children and families. I'm not sure about the climate change provisions - whether they are adequate. From what I understand (I've only heard the talking points after it was announced), young people who are buried in student debt get no help. Young people who are about to enter college still need help. Those over 65 who are in need of help with home care get help, but the others who probably vastly outnumber those who need that kind of care are offered the ability to hear but not see or eat easily. Those combined groups are a pretty big swath of Democratic voters. I fear those and other losses in the bill may be the makings of a pretty good 'shellacking' due to voter indifference. Hopefully the Democratic voters will look past the bills' deficiencies. Less hopefully I hope that the Progressive Caucus can negotiate improvements in what has been proposed.

It's a start. But we surely should have been able to do better.

[Magoo48]

42. The bill is next to nothing compared to the required attention demanded by Climate Catastrophe.

I am also grateful on behalf of the people this will help, but viewed through the lens of looming climate calamity and the accelerating advance of the 6th mass extinction, it’s a fly speck.

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. Then make $1.75T the red line

Any lower, and the CPC walks.

No more ceding ground.

[Demsrule86]

8. Right because getting nothing and losing is somehow what? makes no sense.

[wellst0nev0ter]

9. And agreeing to nothing while giving Manchinema the BIF makes even more sense

Why are we so bad at negotiating?

[Demsrule86]

20. This is not nothing...and it is hard to negotiate with any force when you have a 50-50

majority. We are so incredibly fortunate to get this. I don't understand what makes folks think we can have it all with a small majority....never going to happen.

[wellst0nev0ter]

26. What's to stop Manchinema from demanding the BBB be $500 million or lower?

All we've been doing is ceding ground and getting nothing in return. That negotiating tactic is shit.

[Demsrule86]

27. Anything can happen but it looks to me like one and half trillion is the final number...probably

we will get the 1.7 trillion.

[wellst0nev0ter]

30. Good, then maintain the red line

The red line should have been $3.3 trillion, then we tell Manchinema to take it or leave it.

Dare them to blow up Biden's agenda and become Democratic pariahs.

They won't.

[ColinC]

11. "take the win and press on..."

Until something has been officially accepted by all the senators who matter, there is no win.

[Septua]

13. Assuming I understand what you mean...

..I agree. Biden needed SOMETHING tangible to claim as a victory. Hell, I thought it was an excessive package to start out with. Had he known Manchin and Sinema would be road blocks, he might have been less aggressive.

[ColinC]

21. Or maybe he was more aggressive knowing what he was dealing with.

Starting out high, and ending up somewhere that was reasonable?

[DeeNice]

44. this. Negotiation 101

- Start out with way more than you ever hope to get
- Be willing to give up some of what you ask for
- Know what your deal breakers are
- Everything cannot be a deal breaker.

[ColinC]

45. I mean we seem to be ending up with something less reasonable than

We may have wanted, but far more reasonable than we would have gotten otherwise. Assuming it doesn't change much in the next few days.

[Hortensis]

12. With both bills "we've entered Great Society territory here.

I never thought I’d see that again in my lifetime."

I did and was wrong also. It was the last forty (40!), conservative-dominated years of decline and rising fascism I didn't anticipate.

[Demsrule86]

22. I know right? I wasn't around for the first set of programs...but this is a big fucking deal!!!!

I am amazed that we are likely it seems to pass both bills...I have goosebumps.

[Hortensis]

34. As said, BFD with one party gone crazy and ours with

skin-of-our-teeth majorities.

Goosebumps! And tremendous gratitude for all who've worked so hard and long!

I'll be glad when the final version's finally out of congress, but

[leftstreet]

15. It's great. But it won't win the midterms n/t

[Demsrule86]

23. Really and why not?

[leftstreet]

33. Because the people it helps tend not to vote

But I suspect you already know that

[SergeStorms]

36. Seniors got dumped on. Again.

Thr most reliable and consistent voting bloc......eh, fuck 'em. They'll be dead soon anyway.

[hamsterjill]

16. So far...

All we have is a press conference. If there’s something more (i.e., signed, sealed and delivered) please enlighten me.

[Demsrule86]

24. Keep on moving those goal posts...it looks really good. I think we have a deal.

[hamsterjill]

28. Maybe from your perspective it looks good

Just know that not everyone agrees with you.

[Demsrule86]

29. Right because universal pre-K sucks and all, increased Pell Grant money why bother...

and expanding the ACA to cover those whose states would rather allow their them to die rather than pass a Medicaid expansion...what a joke. Seriously there is good stuff in both of those bills. It will become clear as we move toward passage. I never thought we could get sweeping bills akin to the great society bills passed in my lifetime. It truly is amazing.

[hamsterjill]

31. I'll wait...

You’ll pardon me if I wait to see what actually gets signed. Is that all right with you?

[Sewa]

35. Sound advice

💀🤙

[notinkansas]

41. Universal pre-K is great. Do you really think

an 'increase in Pell Grant money' will be sufficient to address the mammoth problem of financing a college education. I seriously doubt it. Sort of hangs the youth vote out to dry.

[Bettie]

37. The big "IF" is

whether Manchin and Sinema will vote for it.

That's the big question.

[bluewater]

38. K&R

[RobinA]

39. I Will Be Happy

if anything gets passed, but it seems like pretty thin gruel at this point. Paid family leave helps people a lot more than pre-K, which I am in favor of. I'm not seeing ANYTHING that's anywhere near Great Society territory. Not that I expected much, but I did have my hopes up for about two minutes at some point in September. I'll settle for winning the presidency in '24.

[wryter2000]

47. Do you have pre-K children?

I think you'd see it much more valuable than you currently do if you could take advantage of it. It's not just child care. Early education can do wonderful things for a child's later development.

[wryter2000]

46. Only Charlie Pierce

would call someone a mylar balloon.

[Mr.Bill]

48. And every time something good results from this bill,

we get to remind everybody that every republican in Washington DC voted against it.

[ShazamIam]

49. Pierce is one of my favorites one of the few I read on purpose.

[Act_of_Reparation]

50. The argument cuts both ways.

People need this legislation, ergo it isn't a consolation prize.

Similarly, there are people who also needed the bits that are going to get cut out. Maybe we should stop talking about them in terms of what people want.