The media and politicians who frequently guest as talking heads continue to refer to the Biden administration's human infrastructure legislation as "the $3.5 trillion bill". Please, just stop it. The 3.5 trillion is spread over 10 years, so it is really 350 billion per year. Based on the current federal budget, that is an increase of about 7% in spending.
That 7% increase will go a long way toward repairing and extending the social safety net to an approximation of what most wealthy countries take for granted. Universal pre K, lower prices for prescription drugs, free community college tuition and increased child care tax credits should not be controversial in the 21st century. But here we are.
It all starts with the framing of the bill in question as an extravagant gift to the working and middle class. The media, controlled by the 1%, wants us to think we can't afford nice things for the majority of the population. The concentration of wealth at the very top has distorted the way people think of basic fairness. Although few of us will ever experience Jeff Bezos' level wealth, the framing by the media is it is possible. Therefore, we must protect the wealth we will never have for those that do have it. As I have said numerous times, the stupid continues to hurt.
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