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this country has a spectrum of views that need to be listened to...they are naturally occurring...from Libertarian to Liberal and everywhere in-between...and this isn't going to dramatically change...but what can change is the amount of listening and understanding of those views by EVERYONE...and that means a HUGE increase in civil communication...such as we're doing here.

Mindful of my tendency toward 'verbosity', I'll truncate my comments somewhat while hopefully being sufficiently clear...here goes...

>Climate Change ($555B)...I used to be "lukewarm" when it came to CC...thought that it was a manufactured grab by environmentalists to create a low-growth economy built on Wind and Solar Power only...while there are still extreme elements who still believe in this "utopia", my rational/technical mind has been won over by scientific facts...CO2 is a greenhouse gas...the amount in our atmosphere is steadily increasing since the late 1800's from ~300ppm to 416ppm today...currently we add 25 - 35 Gigatons/yr of CO2 to what used to be on the order of 2400 GT in the mid 19th century (now ~3300 GT)...with the majority of those additions staying in the atmosphere for over 100 years...all because of fossil fuel burning...without a reduction in CO2 the global climatic effects will become more and more dramatic and rapid with frankly catastrophic impact on current civilization.

All of this calls for a drastic change in our Energy Strategy...you probably know how I feel about Nuclear Power, but I also believe that fossil fuels will be needed for unique and critical uses, while at the same time it would be foolish to not use Wind and Solar wherever it makes economic sense. These are big changes, and the Biden administration is NOT taking over the energy industry...it is using federal funds...in combination with private investment...to effect this change (e.g. Bill Gates, et al, plus Gov't funding to get a new GEN-IV Fast Reactor demonstration plant built in Wyoming)...a monumental shift like this is forward thinking and needs government "seed money"...the "market place" isn't there yet and we need to act NOW.

Pardon me, WestCoast, but you have to admit that it's unreasonable to close one's eyes and ears to scientific facts when it comes to evaluating the whole issue of Climate Change...please don't rely on your 'gut feelings' for decision making.

>Universal Pre-K ($400B)...Not sure why you focus on those with incomes near $300K, but the VAST majority of beneficiaries are closer to $40K...Pre-K is almost universal amongst affluent families, thus proving its value...this funding helps give ALL Americans a fair chance at an excellent education...which will then benefit the entire nation...call it "Enlightened Self-Interest".

>Child Tax Credits ($200B)...Low Income families need this...simple as that...the expanding Income/Wealth Inequality in the U.S. right now is making it increasingly difficult for those families to function (see attached link).

>Paid Leave ($200B)...Virtually all developed nations provide such assistance...low-income families don't have the means to pay for outside assistance at critical times...these are hard working individuals who are often essential workers in our economy (witness their roles during the COVID pandemic)...more "Enlightened Self-Interest".

>Healthcare Spending ($165B)...a healthy nation is a productive nation...more focus on low income citizens who have a hard time paying for necessary care.

>Affordable Home Care ($150B)...you seem to acknowledge the need for this...when you're a low income family, no amount of planning will provide the needed funds.

>Affordable Housing ($150B)...you should see what the housing situation is like in the SF Bay Area...we need this...the "Free Market" isn't exactly helping here...otherwise we wouldn't be talking about it.

IMO the ever-widening Income/Wealth Gap we are experiencing is fundamental to much of the BBB Bill (with the exception of CC funding)...I'll re-introduce this topic in another thread.

We can talk about how to meld Libertarian perspectives into consensus legislation in a separate thread altogether...hopefully by clearly identifying areas of "Individual" and "Community" responsibilities.


Link: https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/