Federal Government - 2021

[fattony]

I'm of the opinion that when the ongoing revolution reaches its climax a lot of elitist NYT readers from swanky burbs are going to be surprised to find themselves on the same side of the firing line as the deplorables from trailer parks. I suppose it's evil of me, but I'd really love to see the looks on their faces when their true situation finally dawns on them.

I cannot figure out what the heck you mean. What revolution? Like communists?

 

[Blackbird]

I cannot figure out what the heck you mean. What revolution? Like communists?

I was going to comment something similar. Read that post like 3 times and could not figure out what it meant.

I ultimately decided to leave well enough alone, but it's good to hear I wasn't the only one confused!

 

[ra84970]

3rd-ing the confusion.

 

[ra84970]

I've gotten almost every single one wrong.

Edit: I'm getting better, but it's really a crap shoot.

This is like the trump fridge vs biden fridge thing the NYT did a while back, right?

EDIT: That being said, the NYT folks who created this have been playing too much of Geoguessr!!!

 

[xec]

I cannot figure out what the heck you mean. What revolution? Like communists?

LOL No! I mean the revolution Obama started with his pledge to fundamentally transform America.

My point was just that some elitist NYT readers might find that they and their fancy neighborhoods are among the things that are to be fundamentally transformed out of existence by the revolution they voted for and have been loudly cheering.

 

[xec]

This is like the trump fridge vs biden fridge thing the NYT did a while back, right?

EDIT: That being said, the NYT folks who created this have been playing too much of Geoguessr!!!

OK, that has me confused. Have never heard of Trump fridge vs. Biden fridge or Geoguessr. Just a moment, let me Google that for me...

 

[ra84970]

Well - the Federal Government so far in 2021:

Legislatively
* Passed Coronavirus relief package through budget reconciliation - sending out 1,400 checks to many people, extended unemployment, continued the pause on Federally-owned student loans, and a number of pretty important less flashy measures.
* The Senate is still planning to keep the filibuster, because, 2 senators want to keep supermajoritarian rules and policy crafting & it sounds like they'll likely be trying to use reconciliation again on infrastructure because of the fillibuster.
* The House looks like it's going all-in on HR1 and this appears to be the thing that will test the 2 Democratic senators who want to keep some semblance of the filibuster and supermajoritarian rules.

Administratively
* We lost a lot of public servants in New England to the Federal government - elected and appointed officials. Great for the story of New England, but, I wonder what it means for our local/state administrations and elected bodies--MBTA/DOT Secretary, Boston Mayor, RI guv.
* It appears that Mayor Pete seems to be stirring things up at DOT; wondering what's going on with HUD and if we'll have someone stirring things up there soon.

Judicially
* I dunno. The public-charge thing?

Upcoming
* An almost eye-watering $2-3-4 trillion dollar infrastructure package that will be part surface transportation reauthorization, part green infrastructure, and part typical Democratic party green/environmentalism. Set to be launched later today (Wednesday) - 3/31. Politico's coverage. Vox's coverage.
* If and when this passes, this next 5-8 years might be a great time to be a civil engineer, a project manager, and probably in about 2-3 years a great time to be in the civil/construction sector.

 

[stefal]

Biden introduced the American Jobs Plan, $2 trillion with heavy investments in infrastructure:

- $621 billion for rebuilding roads, bridges, and rail
- $300 billion for manufacturing
- $213 billion for affordable housing
- $380 billion toward R&D, modernizing the electric grid, and high speed broadband

Funding accomplished by increasing corporate tax rate to 28% and closing offshore loopholes (name-dropping Amazon and their $0 tax payment(s)).

Other promises/facts:
Includes modernization of 20,000 miles of highways, roads, main streets
10,000 bridge repairs
100% of lead pipes and service lines replaced


McConell already strongly against it, citing improper allocation of funding, and stating "it would spend more on electric cars than on roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways combined." I find that hard to be true, and that he may be twisting it for his good old friends in oil.

On the other side, AOC said it's not nearly enough, comparing it to the recently passed $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, and this bill over 8-10 years.

 

[Bananarama]

Biden introduced the American Jobs Plan, $2 trillion with heavy investments in infrastructure:

- $621 billion for rebuilding roads, bridges, and rail
- $300 billion for manufacturing
- $213 billion for affordable housing
- $380 billion toward R&D, modernizing the electric grid, and high speed broadband

Funding accomplished by increasing corporate tax rate to 28% and closing offshore loopholes (name-dropping Amazon and their $0 tax payment(s)).

Other promises/facts:
Includes modernization of 20,000 miles of highways, roads, main streets
10,000 bridge repairs
100% of lead pipes and service lines replaced


McConell already strongly against it, citing improper allocation of funding, and stating "it would spend more on electric cars than on roads, bridges, ports, airports, and waterways combined." I find that hard to be true, and that he may be twisting it for his good old friends in oil.

On the other side, AOC said it's not nearly enough, comparing it to the recently passed $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, and this bill over 8-10 years.

Oddly enough, McConell is right.
Of the $621 billion transportation chunk, $174 billion are allocated to EVs. This includes: (clipped from the official plan website here)

• "enabling automakers to spur domestic supply chains from raw materials to parts, retool factories to compete globally, and support American workers to make batteries and EVs"
• "consumers point of sale rebates and tax incentives to buy American-made EVs"
• "grant and incentive programs for state and local governments and the private sector to build a national network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, while promoting strong labor, training, and installation standards "
• "replacing 50,000 diesel transit vehicles and electrify at least 20 percent of yellow school buses"
• "electrifying the federal fleet, including the United States Postal Service"

$115 billion for Roads + Bridges
$15 billion for Waterways + Ports
$25 billion for Airports
(grand total of $157 billion for that chunk)

But McConnell is deceitful to omit the rest of the bill which includes:
$85 billion for funding public transit
$80 billion for Amtrak
$20 billion for a new program to reconnect neighborhoods cut off by historic investments
$25 billion for additional support for ambitious infrastructure projects

So the EV component is roughly 28% of the transportation bill, 11% of overall infrastructure.

 

[ra84970]

I saw earlier tonight some reporting that indicated Pelosi wants much more funding in the House bill of this plan than even the White House's $2 billion. And Schumer apparently wanting to go along. If they go the reconciliation route, there's even more funding potentially there.

Of course, Pelosi and Shumer try this as a non-reconcilliation bill, I suppose they aren't going to try to use the nuclear option in the Senate and we may end up with much much less.