Biden: Tax the rich to rebuild US
Proposed $1.8-T ‘American Families Plan’ focuses on child care and education, faces deeply divided Congress
WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden said America was “on the move again” and asked a deeply divided Congress to approve a $1.8 trillion allotment that would focus on education and childcare. Biden eyes higher taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations to fund his spending proposal. Two powerful women, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sat behind the president during his address to Congress.
WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden triumphantly declared Wednesday that the United States is “on the move again” in a rousing speech to Congress, calling for trillions of dollars to rebuild the post-COVID US middle class and give new life to “forgotten” workers.
Lauding the success of mass vaccination against COVID-19, Biden told Congress and the nation on primetime television that “in America, we always get up.”
The address to Congress broke a historic glass ceiling on Wednesday, as two women— Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—sat behind the president for the first time in US history.
The seating arrangement carried a symbolic meaning for the advancement of women in recent decades, since Harris and Pelosi stand first and second in the presidential line of succession, respectively.
“Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President,” Biden said as he addressed the crowd. “No president has ever said those words from this podium... And it’s about time!”
Biden, who was celebrating the eve of his 100th day in office, called the vaccine rollout one of “the greatest logistical achievements” in US history.
But he quickly pivoted to insisting that this national effort must now focus on rebuilding the economy and fighting inequality with “the largest jobs plan since World War II.”
Not hiding new taxes
US presidents usually bend over backwards to avoid or at least hide tax increases.
However, Biden is banking on popular support for his idea of leaning on the super rich to fund his latest new spending proposal, which he unveiled in the speech—the $1.8-trillion American Families Plan.
The plan, which will need approval by a deeply divided Congress, would pour money into early education, childcare and higher education.
Biden called for higher taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations as he sought ways to pay for his massive spending proposals aimed at improving infrastructure and the workforce.
No nation succeeds alone
“How do we pay for my jobs and family plan? I made it clear we can do it without increasing the deficit,” Biden told a joint session of Congress. “I will not impose any tax increase on people making less than $400,000. But it’s time for corporate America and the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans to begin to pay their fair share.”
The proposed new splurge comes after Congress already approved a $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan, which injected stimulus into almost every corner of the economy, and is now debating a proposed $2-trillion-plus infrastructure plan.
He also underlined Washington’s return to international partnerships damaged under Trump.
“No one nation” can succeed alone, he said, in a rebuke of Trump’s isolationist policies.
Among his many references to archrival China, Biden said that while Beijing is seeking supremacy, “we welcome the competition” and “are not looking for conflict.”
On domestic issues, Biden made the case for a lengthy Democratic wish list, including police reform, proimmigrant reforms and gun control— some of the most sensitive issues in US politics.
He pleaded with Republicans and Democrats to work together on one of the nation’s most hot button topics, saying “let’s end our exhausting war on immigration.”
How do we pay for my jobs and family plan? It’s time for corporate America and the wealthiest 1 percent to begin to pay their fair share
Joe Biden US President