VIDEO: Auchincloss: BIF A Big Deal
This morning (11/08/21), Jake joined "Way Too Early" on MSNBC to discuss passage of the historic bipartisan infrastructure package, what comes next for the Build Back Better Act, and how Democrats can sell a winning progressive agenda through the Midterms and beyond. Happy Infrastructure Week (for real this time)!
WATCH: https://youtu.be/AdFOroQOXjc
KEY EXCERPTS:
On BIF: "A Big Deal":
"It is a big win for Democrats. More importantly, it's a big win for the United States. We have just made long overdue investments in this country's infrastructure and our economic competitiveness. We are upgrading our roads and our bridges and our public transportation system; we are ensuring that every family has access to clean water; and we are providing high-speed internet to rural, suburban, and urban cities and counties throughout the country – the 21st Century version of electricity. And, by the way, we're also upgrading the electoral grid as well. This is about core, physical infrastructure. This is about allowing the United States to compete on the world stage against China, and it's also about boosting the earning potential of working and middle class families. It's a big deal.
On Next Steps to Passing Build Back Better:
"I'm confident we'll pass [the Build Back Better Act] and as you said, there's going to be twists and turns along the way. We're trying to do big things with small margins, so that's going to require intense negotiations. That's important, better policy comes out the other end of a good, vigorous back-and-forth of ideas. It's the exact opposite of what we see from the Republican Party under Donald Trump where they are really a cult of personality in lock-step with whatever their leader Tweets. Here in the Democratic Party, we want to debate ideas. And we have fashioned a Build Back Better agenda that really meets the moment.
"It is going to provide Social Security for kids. That means expanded tax allowance for working and middle class families with kids, so they have more disposable income to spend on high-quality nutrition and other needs. That means guaranteed three and four year old early education for every kid in the country, and that means more affordable childcare for families in all fifty states. This is improving outcomes for kids across America and it's going to be historic.
"We are also taking a big bite out of healthcare costs – what people pay at the counter for prescription drugs, what seniors pay for long term care, what Americans in states without access to Obamacare pay to get coverage.
"And finally, we are finally going to take the big, bold action necessary to meet the climate emergency with clean energy tax credits and a host of other climate resiliency measures. The Build Back Better agenda is historic, it's necessary, and we are going to get it done."
On Selling the Progressive Agenda:
"[Passing this legislation is] critical. Americans need to feel, not just hear, about the legislation that Democrats are enacting. I'm from Massachusetts as you mentioned, right next to Boston. And we just saw on Election Night my friend Michelle Wu become the next Mayor of Boston. Michelle ran on a progressive platform, but with a 'get it done' attitude and agenda. And I think that is the balance that Democrats are going to want to strike nationally. We are going to be unapologetic, be big and bold about what we're trying to accomplish for this country, whether it is ensuring voting rights, whether it is investing in our infrastructure, whether it is improving outcomes for kids. But we're going to do it in a way that is concrete and really lets people feel the deliverables that we're enacting."
To learn more about Jake Auchincloss, visit https://jakeforma.com or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
