Biden Gets The Win!

Biden feeling good this weekend.

President Joe Biden is smiling today. He finally gets his economic agenda passed. Despite the noise, one moderate senator from West Virginia saved the bill. Actually it was the Senate Majority Leader who actually saved the bill. He did a smart move by doing a one on one with him and the female Arizona senator to get them to join the caucus in passing this massive spending bill that aims to reducing the deficit, curb inflation, provide healthcare benefits to Americans and tackle climate change.

The House of Representatives passed the Inflation Reduction Act with all House Democrats in support and with all House Republicans in rejection.

The Senate passed its version last Friday with Sen. Karen Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Karen Sinema (D-AZ) finally getting on board with Democrats to pass a slimmed down version of the Build Back Better Act. Manchin sunk the deal in 2021 after he griped about the massive amount of spending. He refused to pass some of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-MA) proposals. It took Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to literally work behind the scenes with Manchin to get a deal.

The package, as proposed by Schumer and Manchin, would raise $737 billion and authorize $369 billion in spending on energy and climate change, $300 billion in deficit reduction, three years of Affordable Care Act subsidies, prescription drug reform to lower prices, and tax reform.

After they negotiated the legislation to get veterans healthcare from burn pits, Schumer broke the news that he and Manchin have came up with a proposal that will ensure his vote.

Hated by the left, moderates Manchin and Sinema finally get with Biden to pass his economic agenda.

Republicans who were praising Manchin and Sinema for opposing Biden's agenda were now furious at the notion the two would back their caucus after months of opposition.

Republicans were hoping the Democrats would screw themselves up so badly, they could sweep back into power. With Washed Up 45 being in the spotlight, the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, gun violence out of control, attacks on the LGBTQ community and the threats far right extremists pose to democracy, Democrats are motivated to vote.

The Inflation Reduction Act is expected to be signed into law by the president. It aims to curb inflation by reducing the deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and investing into domestic energy production while promoting clean energy solutions. 

Republicans have voiced unanimous opposition to the bill, claiming the legislation would do little to combat inflation or exacerbate it. Obstructionist Leader Karen McConnell (R-KY) denounced the legislation as "reckless spending" and Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Sen. Sissy Graham (R-SC) called it "insanity". Analysis by independent organizations, including the United States Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation and the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, found that the legislation would reduce the budget deficit by the end of the decade and have little impact on federal spending.

This vote follows a productive summer for Democrats, who passed a gun control bill, the CHIPS Act to boost high-tech manufacturing and the PACT Act to aid veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, as well as approving Finland and Sweden’s entry to NATO.