Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - Infrastructure Negotiations Follies


Listen Later

Dr. Rasmus dissects the moves of Dems and Republicans on the Infrastructure bill (aka American Jobs Act) now underway. Both sides are mostly just ‘moving the money around’ and using various ‘smoke & mirrors’ to show they’re making proposals and counterproposals: GOP negotiators (McConnell et. al.) initially proposed $568B, but $394B of that was money already authorized and passed in other legislation. Yesterday, they raised their proposal to $928B, but that was by diverting $350B also already passed in the February ‘American Rescue Plan’ (Covid relief bill). Thus, GOP proposing to spend money already spent! Biden proposed March 31 a $2.3T spending on infrastructure, but unilaterally dropped it to $1.7T (and quietly agreed to include $304B already authorized in transport funding to be included in $1.7T. Biden ‘signaled’ in meeting with GOP to agree to final $1T only. Both Dems & GOP breaking out $400B on separate corp subsidy bills for manufacturing, tech, R&D, chips, etc. soon to be passed. Smoke & mirror negotiations going on for public consumption.  Rasmus also comments on latest economic stats on jobs and durable goods consumer spending and on political democracy reforms collapsing with HR-1 election reform now DOA + collapse of Commission on Jan. 6 riots. Rasmus concludes fight for Democracy only beginning, but red state Republicans have the longer term advantage as their legislatures move now aggressively to restrict and suppress voting.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Alternative VisionsBy Progressive Radio Network

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

25 ratings


More shows like Alternative Visions

View all
Democracy Now! Audio by Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! Audio

5,744 Listeners

CounterSpin by Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

CounterSpin

509 Listeners

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff by Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

1,985 Listeners

Behind the News with Doug Henwood by Doug Henwood

Behind the News with Doug Henwood

516 Listeners

Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

Jacobin Radio

1,460 Listeners

Ralph Nader Radio Hour by Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader Radio Hour

1,191 Listeners

The Katie Halper Show by Katie Halper

The Katie Halper Show

1,513 Listeners

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer by Civic Ventures

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

1,491 Listeners

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté by Useful Idiots, LLC

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

4,457 Listeners

Bad Faith by Briahna Joy Gray

Bad Faith

2,704 Listeners

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker by The Socialist Program

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

557 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,892 Listeners

Makdisi Street by Makdisi Bros.

Makdisi Street

473 Listeners

Geopolitical Economy Report by Ben Norton

Geopolitical Economy Report

311 Listeners

The Chris Hedges Report by Chris Hedges

The Chris Hedges Report

343 Listeners