On Saturday night, President Joe Biden's official Twitter account sent out a video claiming that he's "been working around the clock to pass" the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation. The video is already overdone as it is. It's downright laughable considering it came after the president had already fled to Delaware. Biden was at the Capitol on Friday to meet with the House Democratic caucus, for a visit that was as hyped as it was useless, considering there was no resulting vote.
"It’s the platform I was elected on – and I intend to deliver it for the American people," the accompanying text of the tweet also reads.
It is tough round the clock work, indeed, for Quid Pro Quo @JoeBiden to watch Ice Station Zebra on continuous loop, wandering around his office naked wearing empty Kleenex boxes for shoes... https://t.co/obALrXvZhY
— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) October 2, 2021
Around the clock? Watching your handlers messaging that nothing is wrong with the economy,energy,diplomacy is not working around the clock.
— Nick C Torrres (@Nickctorres) October 2, 2021
Wouldn't it be better to hear the administration is working around the clock to get stranded Americans in Afghanistan home?
— Thomas Underdahl (@tcunderdahl) October 2, 2021
Don’t forget all the naps he takes too
— Billy B (@DetroitCity1313) October 2, 2021
All sides of the issue are aware that passing Biden's agenda items and even protecting his legacy and his campaign promises are on the line.
While President Biden may claim he ran as a so-called moderated and was elected because he is one, these price tags are anything but. When actual moderates, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) speak up as a matter of fiscal sanity and serving their constituents, they're derided for it. As Landon covered, though Friday's episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher" defended the senators and fiscal responsibility.
Further, that the infrastructure and reconciliation bills are still tied together, and that there hasn't been a vote yet on infrastructure, is evidence that this has been a victory for progressives.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has been repeatedly adamant that there are not enough votes from progressives for the infrastructure bill to pass.
Biden’s message to the caucus acknowledged Manchin & Sinema’s leverage - telling progressives to prepare to accept something in the $1.9-$2.2 range or risk nothing at all. His message to mods: no BIF until there’s BBB agreement. https://t.co/BbPkGOdxVo
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 2, 2021
Late on Sunday night, a "Dear Colleague" press release from Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) office announced that the vote for infrastructure was not going to be the following day, but several days later, on Thursday, September 30. Of course, that vote did not happen, and it didn't happen on Friday after.
Another "Dear Colleague" press release from the speaker, on Saturday, announced a new deadline of Sunday, October 31. The press release titled "It's About Time," freakily began virtually every paragraph with "It's About Time!"
Earlier on Saturday, Biden had been asked by a reporter if he think he could get it done by Thanksgiving, though he mocked the deadline. "I think it can be done by 2:27 a.m. on Decem- — come on. I think it will get done. Plenty of time for it to be part of changing the tax code for people next year and for giving people the breaks they need," he said.
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