Claim: Democrats are spending too much on programs that are unpopular among the American people.
Mostly False
Nationally, Democrats have been governing us through the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning of 2021. Since then, they have passed significant legislation, widely popular among Americans, including the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package, and soon, President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, which is paid for and will minimally add to the annual budget deficit.
Amid Democrat losses in the Virginia elections earlier this month, criticism has purported their failure to deliver meaningful change, even as Congressional Democrats are on the cusp of passing the Build Back Better (BBB) framework. After Democrats took control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in January 2021, they passed historic investments and delivered COVD-19 relief, which held widespread support of the American people. While it is true that Democrats have not made significant progress on immigration reform or student debt relief, and rising inflation is a serious threat to economic recovery, they have advanced a broad range of policies on which they campaigned and got elected.
When Democrats took control of the Presidency and Congress, they passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP), providing COVID-19 relief to millions of Americans. Recently, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest infrastructure investment in modern history. Currently, President Biden is on the cusp of passing his Build Back Better agenda, and his executive orders helped fully vaccinate over 190 million Americans since the start of his term. These results alongside tangible legislative action showcase some of the most significant progress our nation has seen in decades.
President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law on March 11, 2021. It increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to up to $3,600 per child, which is projected to reduce child poverty by 50%, and invested $300 billion to accelerate vaccination efforts and reopen schools for America’s children. Additionally, the plan sent $1,400 checks to over 85% of households, extended unemployment insurance by five months, expanded SNAP benefits, and subsidized child care through additional tax credits for working families. At the time of its passage, the ARP was supported by 63% of Americans.
Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package on November 5, 2021. The legislation invests $110 billion in roads, bridges, and rail, modernizes the nation’s school bus fleet, eliminates all lead pipes to ensure safe drinking water, and expands reliable internet access to every American. The bill particularly focuses on addressing climate change and is the nation’s single largest investment in clean energy ever. The legislation adds about $250 billion to the federal debt over 10 years, which comes out to be less than 1% of average annual spending. A majority of Americans support the bill, and it was passed with strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
As Congress negotiates BBB, it is projected to pass through the budget reconciliation process by the end of 2021. The package includes universal and free preschool education, ensures middle-class families pay no more than 7% of their income in child care expenses, invests in home and community-based care, and permanently expands the Child Tax Credit. It also creates a 300,000 member Civilian Climate Corps to tackle climate change and subsidizes the electrification of our communities. Additionally, the legislation extends ACA marketplace subsidies to reduce health insurance premiums for millions of Americans, expands Medicare to include hearing benefits, and closes the Medicaid coverage gap, delivering health insurance access to 4 million people.
The Treasury Department estimates BBB would be fully paid for by revenue-raising measures like increased corporate tax rates and stronger IRS enforcement. The Congressional Budget Office projects the legislation will add $367 billion to the federal debt over a decade but acknowledges this estimate does not include revenue generated from tax enforcement, which the Treasury estimates to be $400 billion. According to recent polling, a strong majority of Americans support the most significant provisions of BBB like lower prescription drug prices and investments in clean energy.
While pundits and the media argue over whether or not Democrats have governed effectively, the facts are clear. Since taking control of the White House and Congress, Democrats have made some of the largest and most popular investments in healthcare, clean energy, child care, and infrastructure in modern history.
The claims that the Democrats’ agenda is unpopular with the American people or not paid for are MOSTLY FALSE.
References and Further Reading
Congress.gov, H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Congress.gov, H.R.3684 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The White House, The Build Back Better Framework.
CDC, Trends in Number of COVID-19 Vaccinations in the US.
The White House, The Child Tax Credit.
Zachary Parolin; Sophie Collyer; Megan A. Curran; & Christopher Wimer, The Potential Poverty Reduction Effect of President-Elect Biden’s Economic Relief Proposal, January 14, 2021.
Lydia Saad, Gallup, COVID-19 Aid Package Both Popular and Controversial, March 26, 2021.
Congressional Budget Office, Senate Amendment 2137 to H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as Proposed on August 1, 2021, August 9, 2021.
USAspending.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury, How much money did the federal government collect and spend in 2021?
Claire Williams, Morning Consult, $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Has Majority Support From Voters Ahead of Thursday’s House Vote, September 27, 2021.
U.S. Department of Treasury, Statement by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on the Deficit Impacts of the Build Back Better Act, November 18, 2021.
Congressional Budget Office, Summary of Cost Estimate for H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, November 18, 2021.
Andrew Romano, Poll: Biden bets big on Build Back Better — but the more Democrats cut, the less popular it gets, November 11, 2021.
