What an absolute shitshow the Build Back Better Act "negotiations" have become. As of this writing, the Build Back Better Act will not raise the top income tax rate or the corporate tax rate (thanks, Kyrsten Sinema), won't raise taxes on billionaires (thanks, Joe Manchin), won't let Medicare negotiate drug prices (thanks again, Ms. Sinema, and thanks, also, Bob Menendez), won't expand Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing care (thanks again, Mr. Manchin), and now doesn't include paid family/medical leave (boy, Mr. Manchin, you're really batting a thousand here). You don't need Bernie Sanders to tell you that these are all popular things, and the American people aren't wrong about wanting any of them.
So now's a good time to call your House Reps and demand they vote against the Build Back Better Act as the Senate has currently constructed it, as well as the "bipartisan" "infrastructure" "deal," until such time as the aforementioned items are back in the Build Back Better Act. Try to make your call before 9 am EST, if you can, because apparently the House Democratic caucus will meet at that time. Now would also be a good time to take to the streets in protest of the Democrats' intolerable weakness; if I hear of any such protests (since numbers are better than one guy standing outside with a clapboard), I'll make sure you know about it.
So, heckuva job, Democrats! And thanks to the efforts of folks like the three above-listed Senators, the rest of us have to figure out how we're going to survive in a fascist America. Oh, that's definitely coming, now -- fascism always comes when politicians fail to do the people's will. Be sure to mention that to your House Reps, as well.
That's all for today, I'm afraid. "Disgusted" doesn't begin to cover how I feel right now.
UPDATE. President Biden has released a revised Build Back Better framework, which does include Medicare hearing coverage. The framework is not complete rubbish, but then Sens. Manchin and Sinema haven't had a chance to stamp their feet about it yet. My advice remains the same: kill the whole thing if we can't get all the items listed in the first paragraph. We are, as always, the only thing standing between good and evil.
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