Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., supports pushing President Joe Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill through by using the budget reconciliation process – only Democrat votes in the Senate – if that is what it takes.
“We now have a new president, and we have passed a historic rescue package,” Warren told “CBS This Morning.” “So often in Washington, the doors to change are just locked tight. But right now, they’re open, they’re open just a crack, but people across this country want to see us make a change.”
Americans want to see a government that is investing in opportunity for all, including building infrastructure that lets people get to work and keep the economy on a positive note, according to Warren.
Republicans say Biden’s $2.3 trillion plan comes at too much cost, while not addressing traditional projects like bridges and roads, and have proposed a much less expensive $568 billion counteroffer.
Warren, though, said she is prepared to go into reconciliation and insisted she thinks Republicans should not be able to use the filibuster to allow them to have “a veto on things that this country needs.”
“We’re talking about roads and bridges,” she said. “We’re talking about childcare. Democrats and Republicans across this nation need roads and bridges. Democrats and Republicans across this nation need childcare. There is bipartisan support for the changes that we need to make.”
GOP lawmakers may not want to agree with the plan, but that means “the rest of us need to get out there and get in the fight and push our elected representatives in Washington so that we make the investments in this country that we need to make going forward,” Warren said.
She also slammed Republicans for speaking out about Biden’s bill while saying they are concerned about the legislation driving up the levels of the nation’s deficit.
Republicans are only concerned about the deficit when Democrats are calling for investments in child care, canceling student loans, and making sure there is care for the elderly, Warren said.
“Either you have a matter of principle that you think it’s always a problem, or you don’t,” she continued. “My view right now is we are coming out of a really serious economic hole. It’s good, frankly, for us to be spending, to be putting money into people’s pockets, and to be building infrastructure.”
Many ways should be used to raise revenue, she added, including a wealth tax, a tax on real corporate profits, and the laws on the books should be enforced.
“If we did those three things, we’d have enough money to pay for President Biden’s infrastructure bill, his family caregiving bill, and still have a couple of trillion dollars left over,” she said.
Source: Newmax
