Pelosi frustrated by Build Back Better snafus, scolds press for not doing ‘better job of selling it’

In the waning days of the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama was up front about the progressive left’s goal of “fundamentally transforming the United States of America,” and with socialist elements in the party having much greater influence today, there are very open about moving away from the traditional values that have always defined America.

In her weekly press conference Tuesday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., used the term “transformative” seven times while expressing her discussing President Biden’s “Build Back Better plan.”

The original price tag of the massive social welfare spending bill that does double duty as the New Green Deal was $3.5 trillion, and Pelosi voiced her disagreement that they have been forced to reduce the amount while hitting the media for not doing a better job selling the original plan.

“I’m very disappointed that we’re not going with the original $3.5 trillion, which was very transformative,” Pelosi told reporters. “But whatever we do, we’ll make decisions that will continue to be transformative about women in the workplace, so transformed because of child care and universal pre‑K – which sort of go together – the Child Tax Credit, home health care workers. Men benefit too, but largely women.”

Pelosi was ridiculed online Tuesday after saying the Build Back Better agenda could be broken down into “three baskets,” before naming five issues: “It’s climate, which we spent some time talking about already, health, job security and moral responsibility. It’s health care: the issues that relate to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid. And family care.”

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was adamant that he would not support a $3.5 trillion bill, calling it “fiscal insanity. With a 50-50 split in the Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris being the deciding vote, Democrats could not afford to lose his vote — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., also opposed the measure. Manchin relented somewhat late last week, signaling that he may accept a bill in the range of $1.9 trillion to $2.2 trillion.

Asked by a reported about what may be dropped from the bill, Pelosi replied, “I mean, we’re still talking about a couple trillion dollars, but it’s not, you know, it’s much less. So, mostly we would be cutting back on years and something like that.”

Of course, Democrats know that once a federal entitlement is put in place, even if there’s a timestamp on longevity, it’s rarely, if ever, taken away.

“But the fact is, there are fewer dollars to spend, there are choices to be made.  And the Members have said, ‘Let’s get the results that we need, but we will not diminish the transformative nature of what it is,'” Pelosi added.

The speaker also said the IRS proposal for banks to hand over transaction data would still be included in the multi-trillion dollar reconciliation bill.

“Banks are starting to get calls from customers, and they’re reporting these calls. They’re concerned about this tracking of transactions that is greater than $600,” a reporter said. “So, Americans are starting to be worried about this. Do you think that this pay‑for of giving the IRS more money to crack down on unpaid taxes is going to stay in the reconciliation bill?”

“Yes,” Pelosi replied, without hesitation.

“Yes, there are concerns that some people have,” she continued. “But if people are breaking the law and not paying their taxes, one way to track them is through the banking measure. I think $600 – but that’s a negotiation that will go on as to what the amount is. But, yes.”

Ironically, the speaker chastised the media on Tuesday for not doing a better job of selling the Build Back Better plan, claiming Americans overwhelmingly support it whether they know it or not.

“Well I think you all could do a better job of selling it, to be very frank with you,” she snidely told members of the media, without shame.

Tom Tillison

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