Today the Biden administration launched its “Investing in America” tour with the announcement of a $40 billion investment to make sure everyone in the United States has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet by the end of the decade. Comparing the effort to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Rural Electrification Act during the New Deal, the White House noted today that 8.5 million households and small businesses live in areas without the infrastructure for high-speed internet, while millions more have limited or unreliable options (like me!). High-speed internet is no longer a luxury, the administration points out; it is not possible to participate equally in jobs, school, or healthcare, or to stay connected to family and friends without it (they didn’t mention shopping, but that’s an issue, now, too).
The Rural Electrification Act, which connected almost all Americans to the electrical grid, was the federal government’s demonstration that all Americans should move together into the modern world. In the 1930s that meant access to the infrastructure that could power refrigerators, radios, and, for farmers, technologies like milking machines. It also meant jobs, and lots of them, for the people running the wires and installing new outlets and fixtures in homes across the country.
The new internet investment mirrors that effort. It will provide more than $107 million to every state, with the top ten allocations going to Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. It will also support both service jobs and manufacturing jobs, since the materials for the project will come from the United States.
For the next three weeks, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, members of the cabinet, and other senior administration officials will cross the country to talk about Biden’s economic agenda. On Wednesday, President Biden will be in Chicago to talk about “Bidenomics,” his plan to boost the middle class by investing directly in measures that will rebuild it, a vision that echoes FDR rather than the modern Republicans, who argue that cutting taxes will enable investors to amass wealth that they will then reinvest in the economy.
Bidenomics has strong numbers behind it. The U.S. has enjoyed the strongest post-pandemic recovery of any other major economy, with the highest level of growth and the lowest inflation. In early 2021 the Congressional Budget Office projected that it would take until 2026 for unemployment to fall below 4%, a number the U.S. actually achieved in 2021. The economy has added more than 13 million jobs since Biden took office, including almost 800,000 manufacturing jobs.
And, Biden’s people argue, the American people like this agenda. Polling from late last year says that 76% of voters like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law rebuilding our roads and bridges, and 72% of voters support the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen supply chains and promote domestic manufacture of semiconductors.
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said of the internet investment today: “Whether it’s connecting people to the digital economy, manufacturing fiber-optic cable in America, or creating good paying jobs building Internet infrastructure in the states, the investments we’re announcing will increase our competitiveness and spur economic growth across the country for years to come.”
Heather Cox Richardson
@phranny saidLOL...just need to convince 77% of the population of this...they have empty pockets.
Today the Biden administration launched its “Investing in America” tour with the announcement of a $40 billion investment to make sure everyone in the United States has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet by the end of the decade. Comparing the effort to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Rural Electrification Act during the New Deal, the White House noted t ...[text shortened]... petitiveness and spur economic growth across the country for years to come.”
Heather Cox Richardson
https://apnews.com/article/biden-economy-bidenomics-jobs-speech-inflation-1fcefdcbb66cb980db85b24accdfbaa6
@Mott-The-Hoople read the article. Inflation is down. Employment is up. The chance of a recession is down. Folks need to listen to real news, not the right wing nut jobs.
@phranny saidpeople dont need to read anything, they see bit first hand when they go to the grocery store or have to get gas for their car.
@Mott-The-Hoople read the article. Inflation is down. Employment is up. The chance of a recession is down. Folks need to listen to real news, not the right wing nut jobs.
And, Biden’s people argue, the American people like this agenda. Polling from late last year says that 76% of voters like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law rebuilding our roads and bridges, and 72% of voters support the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen supply chains and promote domestic manufacture of semiconductors.Secretary of Commerce Raimondo predicts the future, in a socialistic sense, of course. Go Gina!
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said of the internet investment today: ...[text shortened]... petitiveness and spur economic growth across the country for years to come.”
Heather Cox Richardson
Then it says 'Biden's People' say that 72% of our citizens want free stuff.
This article just doesn't do much for the Forum, Phranny. There is no teeth in it.
@mott-the-hoople saidThey also have empty brains.
LOL...just need to convince 77% of the population of this...they have empty pockets.
https://apnews.com/article/biden-economy-bidenomics-jobs-speech-inflation-1fcefdcbb66cb980db85b24accdfbaa6
They can thank Republicans for both.
@earl-of-trumps saidTL;DR
@Phranny
Thank you, Thank you Phranny, for that wonderfully informative wall of text
The mantra of the right.
@mott-the-hoople saidThanks to Republican CEOs.
people dont need to read anything, they see bit first hand when they go to the grocery store or have to get gas for their car.
Corporate greed. They seem to support that, don't they.
@averagejoe1 saidBecause 72% of the forum is stupid?
Secretary of Commerce Raimondo predicts the future, in a socialistic sense, of course. Go Gina!
Then it says 'Biden's People' say that 72% of our citizens want free stuff.
This article just doesn't do much for the Forum, Phranny. There is no teeth in it.
It’s not about free stuff.
It’s about moving forward with the modern world.
You can’t have a modern, industrial and communications savvy economy functioning healthily if large groups of the population aren’t logged into it.
Like electricity, running water, roads, healthcare, education and sewers, you need internet to function properly as an element in the current world. Like it or not.
Or just stumbling down that banana republic oligarchy highway, you seem so sure you want.
@phranny saidthe economy is up, the actual individuals are struggling (many of them).
@Mott-The-Hoople read the article. Inflation is down. Employment is up. The chance of a recession is down. Folks need to listen to real news, not the right wing nut jobs.
yes, inflation and employment are important numbers and in a good state. We need to acknowledge those (the republicans won't) but also nod to the people with problems assuring them they aren't forgotten even if they are in red states
@zahlanzi saidinflation is at a 40 year high, wtf are you talking about? employment? wages have DECREASED
the economy is up, the actual individuals are struggling (many of them).
yes, inflation and employment are important numbers and in a good state. We need to acknowledge those (the republicans won't) but also nod to the people with problems assuring them they aren't forgotten even if they are in red states
@averagejoe1 saidJust like ALL of your bullshyt.
Secretary of Commerce Raimondo predicts the future, in a socialistic sense, of course. Go Gina!
Then it says 'Biden's People' say that 72% of our citizens want free stuff.
This article just doesn't do much for the Forum, Phranny. There is no teeth in it.