Courtesy of Bastrop Advertiser
April 14, 2022
By Joni Ashbrook
Democrats alone in the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Joe Biden’s transformative legislation called Build Back Better (BBB) last November. This bill not only invests in people, but addresses the real threat of climate change.
Unfortunately, the bill has been stalled in the Senate by all Republicans and two Democrats who are as “oily” as many in the GOP because of their investments in or donations from the fossil fuel industry.
These are just a few proposals included in BBB plan:
Tackling the climate crisis
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has 195 member countries and more scientists contributing to their work.
The IPCC’s recent report warns that gas emissions need to peak by 2025 to limit global warming close to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
The BBB plan would be the largest effort to combat climate change in American history.
Universal pre-school
Free high-quality universal pre-school for children age three and four.
Lowers child care costs
Makes high-quality child care more affordable.
Extends the Child Tax Credit
Allows for up to $3,000 per child age 6 to 17, and $3,600 per child under 6.
Makes health care more affordable
Reduce premiums for 9 million Americans through the Affordable Care Act tax credit.
Lower prescription drug prices
The plan would allow Medicare to negotiate prices to bring down costs for everyone.
Paid family and medical leave
Providing up to four weeks paid leave for parental bonding or to deal with a loved one’s medical condition. The U.S. is now the only industrialized nation that doesn’t offer this.
Expand Medicare
It would cover vision, hearing and dental needs.
Improves the Veterans Affairs Department’s medical facilities
To give our vets the care they deserve.
Addresses the housing crisis
Invests in new construction and preservation of housing.
The wealthiest Americans and corporations would fund the BBB plan by paying their fair share
For example, companies that report over $1 billion in profits would pay at least a 15% tax rate on those gigantic profits, and the tax code would be revised to prevent tax avoidance.
These are just a few of Democrats’ proposals that they are fighting for, but Republicans don’t offer a single solution to a real problem.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was recently asked what his agenda would be if Republicans regained control of Congress. He replied that it was “a very good question. And I’ll let you know when we take it back.”
It’s astounding that the leader of one of the major parties feels he doesn’t even have to pretend to care about the problems facing us today.
Also, former President Donald Trump was asked by Newsmax what Republicans should do if they take back Congress. Trump didn’t have a single proposal, but bashed Democrats as “horrible people who hate our country.”
Needless to say that is dangerous talk from a leader of any democratic country.
Republicans are terrible at legislating, but absolutely the best at fueling outrage over nonexistent problems.
Republicans, with the help of Fox News and other right-wing media, have whipped people into a frenzy over Critical Race Theory being taught in public schools regardless of the fact that it absolutely is not.
Now Republicans are passing laws making it illegal to teach about LGBTQ issues in Kindergarten through third grade. News flash, it is not taught.
It’s no accident that the “Don’t Say Gay” bill also feeds the outrage machine. A study from the University of Michigan found that anger motivates people to vote.
Republicans need to stop creating problems that further divide us and join with Democrats to solve real problems.
Ashbrook is a contributing columnist for the Advertiser. She is a retired school teacher and may be reached at [email protected].
