Biden's American Jobs Plan is hugely popular even as Republicans attack it

The vast majority of Americans back President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan, according to a new poll from Data for Progress and the pro-infrastructure group Invest in America.

But that has not stopped congressional Republicans and their corporate funders from attacking the infrastructure plan.

The April survey of likely voters found 73% support the $2.25 trillion investment plan, compared to just 21% who oppose it. Even among Republicans, 57% said they back Biden’s proposal, while 38% oppose it.

The poll also found broad support for the main areas of investment included in the plan — physical infrastructure (76% support), care economy (74%), American manufacturing (65%), clean energy (64%), and housing (61%).

These numbers are in line with the group’s earlier polling. Their March 23 data found 57% support for a big investment in infrastructure and 69% support for a $4 trillion infrastructure program.

Biden’s economic policies have been successful and fueled his positive approval ratings so far. The Washington Post reported on Sunday that, for the first time in 16 years, data from Oxford Economics shows the United States is now the leading driver of the global economy. The nation gained 916,000 new jobs in March and its unemployment dropped to just 6% — down from record-high unemployment numbers under Donald Trump.

Much of the economic momentum has been fueled by Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which provided $1,400 relief checks for most Americans; average 2021 tax cuts of more than $3,000; more than $125 billion to help schools return to in-person instruction; $350 billion for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; and tens of billions for coronavirus vaccination and testing.

That relief legislation was passed without a single Republican vote in the House or Senate — despite widespread public support and the backing of the American business community.

Politico reported on Tuesday that corporate lobbying organizations are opposing this infrastructure plan — which calls for an increase in the corporate tax rates that were slashed by Donald Trump’s 2017 tax law — claiming the increased revenue from corporations would be bad for their corporate members.

“The benefits of infrastructure would be offset by punitive tax increases,” Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the outlet. The business group has been pushing for massive infrastructure investment for years, but it also backed the 2017 tax cuts, incorrectly predicting they would “lead to higher wages and catalyze broad economic growth.”

As with the pandemic relief plan, GOP lawmakers have been mounting a fervent attack against the infrastructure bill. They have falsely claimed it is secretly a “Trojan horse” to pass the Green New Deal and said they will oppose it because it raises taxes (and also that they would oppose it if it increased the debt).

Like with the American Rescue Plan, the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate can pass this legislation through the budget reconciliation process, circumventing a filibuster by the Senate Republican minority if they stay unified.

But passing this bill in the House without any GOP support might be a bit more difficult, given that two Democratic representatives, Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Deb Haaland of New Mexico, resigned in March to join Biden’s Cabinet and Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) died this week. With those three seats now vacant, House Democrats now hold just a 218 to 212 majority.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.