Democratic leadership in Congress is pushing full steam ahead on the $3.5 trillion reconciliation spending bill. Moderates in the House and Senate are pumping the brakes.
Summary
A week after the House passed the first hurdle for President Biden’s $3.5 trillion additional spending bill, Democrat moderates are putting the brakes on the massive plan.
- West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin, a key vote in an evenly-divided Senate, called for a “pause” in the process given “too many economic unknowns at present.”
- Democrat centrists in the House are also gumming up the works. Dem Reps Stephanie Murphy and Henry Cuellar are demanding the gigantic spending bill be “paid for” and the House be given three days to read the bill before voting on it.
- The legislators in charge of writing the details of the bill are focusing on increasing taxes on executive pay and raising the estate tax.
- They are among “more than a dozen and a half possible tax increases.”
- As the bill goes through committees’ approval, Republicans are forcing votes on amendments to dilute the bill and slow down the process.
- CBS News highlighted Manchin’s sentiments that a bipartisan infrastructure bill, passed by the Senate, should be taken up by the House regardless of the fate of the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.
- Slate criticized Manchin for his objections to the reconciliation bill, saying his concern over the national debt is disingenuous.
- Washington Post columnist Paul Waldman warned Democrats not to cave to special interest pressure from corporations when crafting the reconciliation bill. Waldman argued Democrats are going to lose control of Congress next year, and they should swing for the fences in the reconciliation bill.
- National Review’s Charles Cooke attempts to read between the lines of Manchin’s words, saying it is likely Congress will be left with just the bipartisan infrastructure bill Machin previously supported.
- Breitbart highlighted Manchin’s admission that the $3.5 trillion spending bill “will do little to solve the current economic problems” but is more focused on changing the American social compact.
- The New York Post’s editorial board pleaded with Manchin and fellow centrist Arizona Sen Kyrsten Sinema not to cave to liberal members of their party and allow the $3.5 trillion spending bill to pass.
Return to Freespoke 
© Dallas Gerber, 2021
