President Joe Biden, 80, joined 80-year-old Senate Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to show how bipartisanship works in Washington, celebrating Biden’s historic Nov. 15, 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Whatever Biden accomplishes over the next two years, his bipartisan infrastructure bill shows how things are possible in a deeply divided Washington. Meeting at the Brent Spence Bridge dividing Ketucky and Ohio, Biden showed how $40 billion in infrastructure cash can be put to good use retrofitting an old deteriorated bridge in bad need of repairs. While Biden and McConnell shook hands, House Republicans showed deep divisions trying to pick a House Speaker where former House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) couldn’t win the 218 votes needed to become House Speaker. Biden’s meeting with McConnell showed the benefits of bipartisan cooperation.
Biden scored more points with the public demonstrating the benefits of working together with Republican colleagues for the good of the country. “I wanted to start off the New Year at this historic project here in Ohio and Kentucky with a bipartisan group; of officials because I believe it sends an important message to the entire country. We can work together,” Biden said today with McConnell by his side. Nothing infuriates conservatives more that watching McConnell give Biden some good, but well-deserved, publicity. Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill was shepherded through by 82-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), with McConnell helping to win support in the deeply divided U.S. Senate. “This bridge symbolizes the coming together of both sides,” McConnell said, provoking House and Senate conservatives that voted against the historic legislation.
When you contrast today’s bridge-building project with the kind of gridlock in Congress, it’s a refreshing trip back in time when both parties could put aside partisan differences for the good of the country. Biden’s infrastructure bill allocates $110 billion for roads and bridges, with $40 billion allocated to bridges alone. About $2.1 billion goes for “Large Bridge Program” which includes the Brent Spence Bridge and three others in the area. Embarrassing Republicans even more, 58-year-old Vice President Kamala Harris visited draw bridges on the South side of Chicago while 40-year-old Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Gold Star Memorial Bridge in New London, Conn. Pelosi and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu will visit the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Thursday. All in all, a major Democrat PR blitzkrieg to tout Biden’s success.
Watching Republicans bicker trying to pick a House Speaker sends a powerful message to future voters that the GOP is too consumed with ideology to govern on practical matters for the American public. Making the wrong kind of headlines in Washington, House Republicans show future voters how they squander time on Capitol Hill. Biden told House Republicans to “get their act together” to pick a House Speaker to start working on bipartisan projects for the American people. Fanning out to high profile bridges around the country lets the public see firsthand that bipartisan legislation makes a difference in quality of life. “I’m coming back to walk of this sucker,” Biden said, referring to collapsed bridge due for repair in Pennsylvania. American Society of Civil Engineers said that out of 617,00 bridges in the U.S., 45,154 bridges or 7.5%. are classified as structurally deficient.
Massive infrastructure projects assure that real American jobs are created into the indefinite future. With unemployment near record lows at 3.5%, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill assures that more jobs are on the way. House conservatives seek to stop as much government spending as possible in the next two years, making it difficult for Biden to go into more national debt currently nearing $32 trillion or 11% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product [GDP]. Conservative Republicans want to scale back government spending whether it’s on infrastructure or entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security. House conservative saw McCarthy as compromising with Biden on infrastructure and pandemic relief costing the U.S. treasury trillions more in debt. Joining hands with McConnell in Kentucky, Biden has won the PR war, showing that bipartisanship gets things done.
When you contrast House Republicans bickering over picking a House Speaker, it sends exactly the wrong message to the public about GOP leadership. Watching Biden shake hands with McConnell to celebrate how bipartisan infrastructure helps both parties, contrasts sharply with GOP’s political infighting. If Republicans don’t resolve their differences soon, the political damage could be lasting. With only two years to advance a Republican agenda in the House, everyday that goes by without a speaker is another day lost. It’s been nearly five years since the GOP controlled the House, telling the public that they’re not the party of national governing. Commemorating bridge repairs has powerful symbolic value for Biden, proving that bipartisanship can still work in Washington. More bickering from Republicans lets the public know they made a mistake voting for a GOP House.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
