Perspectives: Democrats Seek Interparty Compromise as Spending Plan is Cut Back
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Democrats and President Joe Biden are working to downsize their multi trillion-dollar spending plan this week, quelling opposition from key centrist Democrats while preserving top party priorities.
Biden reportedly told members of the progressive caucus Tuesday that the new range for the spending bill's price tag is between $1.75 and $1.9 trillion, roughly half of the original $3.5 trillion plan. Among the planned cuts from the original are two years of free community college and a climate change program that would incentivize utilities to rely more on clean energy. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday night that there was "broad agreement that there is urgency in moving forward" on the plan and that "the window for finalizing a package is closing." All Republican senators oppose the bill out of fear that it will drastically increase the national deficit.
The spending bill has been a top news story across the spectrum for months, and outlets on all sides have followed its recent evolution. Coverage from left-rated outlets often highlighted the items that were cut from the bill and the potential consequences of those cuts, and focused on Democrats' opposition to those cuts. Some reports from right-rated sources honed in on the plan's other spending categories and their estimated cost, often framing the planned spending as exorbitant. Others framed the slow negotiations as a sign of major dysfunction in the Democratic party.
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