So, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer and Trump met at the White House today to talk infrastructure, and they reached agreement on a figure. CBS News:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said President Trump and Democrats agreed to spend $2 trillion on infrastructure over 25 years in a “constructive” White House meeting, and will meet again in three weeks on how to pay for it.
“We agreed on a number, which was very very good, $2 trillion for infrastructure,” Schumer told reporters outside the White House Tuesday. “Originally we had started a little lower, even the president was willing to push it up to $2 trillion. And that is a very good thing.”
But that number, reached in a meeting with only Democratic members present and no Republican members present, could be in jeopardy if Republicans lack the appetite for agreeing to spend that much.
Adam Serwer finds this alarming. Via Twitter:
I assume McConnell will rescue them, but still striking to see Democratic Leadership commit to the Re-elect Trump and break the Democratic Party Forever Act of 2019
It’s also more than twice as much as some Dems wanted to give obama at the pit of the worst recession in decades but who’s counting.
If McConnell calls the bluff though, they’ll be in quite a dilemma. This is something that would help a lot of people, in particular people Dems say they want to help, and so would be hard to say no to.
But if you doubt that a racist party can make inroads among its targets by materially improving their circumstances, then read up on the New Deal.
Right-wing authoritarianism and left wing economics is the sweet spot for aspiring strongmen. If Trump actually starts abandoning Ryanism, well…
What do y’all think?