Mitch McConnell Leads 19 Republicans in Voting for Infrastructure Bill

There is an aspect to this situation that the mainstream media has been downplaying or leaving out. 

AOC has said that her faction will not support the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation bill has already passed through the Senate. 

Manchin and Sinema have already said they oppose the reconciliation bill , meaning unless they change their mind or a few Republicans come over to the Democratic side on this the reconciliation bill will fail, thus potentially causing the bipartisan bill to fail per the AOC threat. 

Under this analysis Mitch McConnell would be very happy. Both bills would have failed, but he would be able to say that he produced Republican votes for the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the failure of the bipartisan bill lay solely on the Democrats. 

has said that her faction will not support the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation bill has already passed through the Senate. 

And that makes the midterms so much easier for Republicans. All those Democrats in swing districts have to explain why possibly the only bill that enjoys wide bipartisan support was held hostage by the radical left wing of the party. 

I think that Democratic leadership will remind Manchin and Sinema that their careers in the Senate will come to an end at their next election if they do not vote for the reconciliation bill. Neither of them will win re-election without the support of the Democratic Party. 

That would definitely give WV to the Republicans and probably Arizona. If the Democrats are ever going to be a majority party in the Senate they will have to learn to deal with moderates.  Radicals won't win purple and red districts and states.  The talk moderate and  vote far left game plan hasn't worked for quite a while. 

Yeah, but....one or both can switch parties

I would definitely threaten Manchin and Sinema. If the bills fail to pass now the Democrats will probably lose the Senate anyway. If the bills do pass they may be able to survive losing those two seats. 

I dont believe in letting one or two senators dictate what can or cant pass the Senate in any case. 

I dont believe in letting one or two senators dictate what can or cant pass the Senate in any case. 

I suppose you would make an exception for McCain or did you not believe in him doing just that when Trump was president.  You did say "in any case".

What seems to be lost on some folks is that there are 100 Senators, each with one vote.

No one Senator can dictate what happens in the Senate, and claims that one can are flat out wrong.

McCain did it on one issue, one time.  Sinema and Manchin want to hold their power like a hammer, across issues.  

No John, they are voting their conscience.

AOC has said that her faction will not support the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation bill has already passed through the Senate. 

AOC really needs to learn how to govern instead of how to make the news. I'm thinking that Nancy might pull those Progressives aside and put the fear of her gavel into them.

You think Nancy really has any power left? I don't think AOC or the squad are intimidated by her in the slightest; and they have emboldened the other far leftists.

You think Nancy really has any power left?

Yes. She has the gavel AND the backing of the majority of the House Democrats.

I don't think AOC or the squad are intimidated by her in the slightest;

Maybe, maybe not. Nancy can pull committee assignments from AOC faster than she did for the likes of MTG. AND she controls some funding for House reelection campaigns. That may not stop AOC and the Progressives, but I suspect that conversation will go on in someone's office or back room somewhere.

he would be able to say that he produced Republican votes for the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the failure of the bipartisan bill lay solely on the Democrats. 

And he would be right on both counts. It's really BS to use poison pill tactics and then blame it on the other side. If this is a good bill and it has bipartisan support - and if the people in the House actually care about the country - why not just vote for a good thing most people agree on?

From the article: ...."including $110 million for roads and bridges"....

Must be a typo.

Correct, that was supposed to be $110 Billion

The infrastructure bill also includes roughly:

• $73 billion for electric grid and power infrastructure
• $66 billion for passenger and freight rail
• $65 billion for broadband investments
• $55 billion for water systems and infrastructure
• $50 billion for Western water storage
• $39 billion for public transit
• $25 billion for airports
• $21 billion for environmental remediation projects
• $17 billion for ports and waterways
• $15 billion for electric vehicles
• $11 billion for road safety

npr

• $15 billion for electric vehicles

$15 billion in wasted tax payer money so leftists can feel good; until all of those batteries wind up in the land fills that is.

• $50 billion for Western water storage

The California pork portion of the bill. California doesn't have a water problem; they have a people problem- too damn many of them with more encouraged to come. So rather than actually fix the problem they are going to spend a shit load of money to create new ones. That should be great for the environment./S

• $66 billion for passenger and freight rail

The George Soros kickback portion of the bill. Maybe they can improve the rails enough that it will stop all of the derailments of the Canada Tar Sands trains/tankers. Of course a pipeline would have been far cheaper; and far more safer; but Biden already screwed that up. As for passenger trains- people still won't ride them; and nimby's will kill high speed rail.

• $39 billion for public transit

Wonder if Grand Rapids Rapid is in line to grab some of that money? The Rapid has competing bus lines running up and down Division to and from downtown. The buses run mostly empty even at rush hour. But Barack Obama loved the Rapid. Maybe they can start a third bus line along the same corridor?

michiganradio

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he's recommending $14.7 million in federal aid to build a 9.6-mile bus rapid transit line in Grand Rapids.

LaHood said in a statement Tuesday that the line will offer fast and efficient access to the western Michigan city's central business district and relieve congestion.

LaHood says the project is part of President Barack Obama's budget for the 2013 fiscal year. The budget sent to Congress on Monday includes $2.2 billion in funding for 29 major rail and bus
rapid transit projects in 15 states.

LaHood says the budget would fund the Grand Rapids Interurban Transit partnership for a new Silver Line BRT system. It would run along Division Avenue from the Grand Rapids central business
district to 60th Street at Division Avenue.

michigancapitolconfidential

GRAND RAPIDS – Commuters looking for a faster way to travel may have to look beyond Michigan’s first “rapid transit” bus line. The service, which began the last week in August in Grand Rapids and is known as the Silver Line, cost taxpayers $40 million but takes twice as long as a car driving the same route.

The service is called “rapid” because the buses have their own lane and bus drivers can signal traffic lights to stay green. The buses also feature newly installed bus stops where you buy your ticket from a machine and validate it before you board. The stops also provide camera surveillance, real-time arrival signage, sidewalk snowmelt, an emergency phone and free Wi-Fi.

Free Wi-Fi could be a welcome amenity because a ride on the 9.6-mile route takes 39 minutes based on timing of a recent ride. A car making the same trip took 20 minutes. Furthermore, the Silver Line is just a minute faster than an existing line, mainly because the existing line has more stops along the route.

Give politicians pork and they will come up with something as stupid as this. Also, all car drivers ignore the Silver Line bus lane. They tried to turn Division from a 2 lane street into a 1 lane street. The police ignore it as well; and don't ticket any cars traveling in it. So what they paid $40 million for is a bus line that is exactly the same as the first one; but costs more to run and operate. But of course home owners pay to keep the Rapid running- it is not like they have the riders to pay for it.

mlive

Sounds like a ponzi scheme to defraud tax payers at the local, state, and federal levels.

itpwatch

mibiz

Only about 1.3 percent of commuters in Michigan use public transportation, according to Census estimates. That compares to an estimated 3.9 percent in Grand Rapids, where another 3.5 percent of people walk to work. About three-quarters of commuters drive alone to work in Grand Rapids, while 82.5 percent do the same around the state, according to the Census data.

Can hardly wait to see the pork that comes rolling out of this bill. Just think the Democrats have a much bigger pork bill they plan on passing through reconciliation. They are going to flood the system with so much money that some of it is bound to actually do some good somewhere, somehow, to someone.

California doesn't have a water problem

Oh there is definitely a water problem, and it's everyone's problem. California farms and ranches produce the most food of any state - by far. Almost twice as much as the #2 state . That takes water. Unfortunately, the state doesn't get much rain, drought is persistent, and aquifers (and thus wells) are drying up all over the state. So much water has been pulled out of the ground that it's actually sinking . Crazy.

About 62% of the available water goes to agriculture.

they have a people problem

I'd like to see less people in California, but only about 16% of the available water goes to urban areas.

To add a bit to your post, Tacos.

Additionally with the drought in the West Lake Mead is at 35% of capacity and the new water rights allocation will kick in soon. NV and AZ farmers/ranchers will lose 25% of the water allocation. Now some might think that it's just desert there but that isn't true at all. AZ is the 5th largest producer of lettuce and melons in the country. NV is a huge producer of beef (which needs water) and also grows a number of different crops. 

As this water shortage gets worse and worse the productivity of those states regarding agri will be less which means that the cost will increase for those dinner table staples.