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AZProgressive

(29,322 posts)
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:28 PM Oct 2021

Biden tells House Democrats tuition-free community college is out of economic package

Source: CNN

(CNN) President Joe Biden informed House progressives Tuesday afternoon that the final bill to expand the social safety net is expected to drop tuition-free community college, a major White House priority, according to multiple sources familiar with the mater.

Moreover, he indicated that the child tax credit -- a key Democratic priority -- would likely be extended for one additional year, much shorter than what many in their party wanted, one of the sources said. The child tax credit will also likely be means tested, keeping with what West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin had wanted.

Biden also indicated to the group that they would reduce the proposed funding for so-called homecare for the elderly and disabled -- down to less than $250 billion, sources said. Democrats had wanted to keep the funding at $400 billion.

The President told progressive lawmakers that negotiators are weighing reducing the duration of the paid leave benefit outlined in the package to four weeks, down from a proposed 12 weeks, according to three sources familiar with the meeting.

Read more: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/10/19/politics/biden-house-democrats-tuition-free-community-college/index.html

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Biden tells House Democrats tuition-free community college is out of economic package (Original Post) AZProgressive Oct 2021 OP
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck cilla4progress Oct 2021 #1
Old trick. Put something in the bill that you can "sacrifice" and then be able to say "You see, I'm CTyankee Oct 2021 #2
Many States Already Have Programs That Provide Free Community College Education n/t Indykatie Oct 2021 #15
I think CT has. I once took an Italian 101 and 102 course at a community college because my little CTyankee Oct 2021 #20
You are correct. That's how politics works. Sausage-making isn't pretty... NurseJackie Oct 2021 #17
Pass what we can & GOTV 2021/2022 to increase Democratic majority. CottonBear Oct 2021 #3
This 1000% padah513 Oct 2021 #10
You gotta do what you gotta do bucolic_frolic Oct 2021 #4
In 2020 the income limit to receive child tax credit was $400,000 per couple questionseverything Oct 2021 #5
60k might be a good level in West Virginia, but Deminpenn Oct 2021 #19
If it was $60 grand per parent or $120,000 per household it would not be as bad questionseverything Oct 2021 #21
From WaPo BumRushDaShow Oct 2021 #6
19 states already have free community college, and others are working toward it, too. George II Oct 2021 #7
Most do JohnSJ Oct 2021 #9
Blame it on the GOP, and use it in 2022 to get college folks to the polls. C Moon Oct 2021 #8
Since 19 states already have free community college, those students/parents won't really care MichMan Oct 2021 #22
so future students will continue to be economic slaves to the banksters. nt yaesu Oct 2021 #11
Do you have any idea what tuition in a community college costs? George II Oct 2021 #12
if they drop FREE CColle and drop forgiving college debt, THEY WILL LOSE THE YOUNG VOTERS Trueblue1968 Oct 2021 #13
Can anyone explain exactly how free community college would be funded? MichMan Oct 2021 #14
These Cuts Are the Price Dems Have to Pay for Failing to Flip Winnable Senate Seats in 2020. Indykatie Oct 2021 #16
How can we keep our democracy without educated citizens? Irish_Dem Oct 2021 #18
Damn shame. That was one of the best provisions of the package. honest.abe Oct 2021 #23

CTyankee

(63,769 posts)
2. Old trick. Put something in the bill that you can "sacrifice" and then be able to say "You see, I'm
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:36 PM
Oct 2021

giving up something!" I had a feeling that item would be more easily sacrificed since education at a
community college is not deemed "urgently" needed.

CTyankee

(63,769 posts)
20. I think CT has. I once took an Italian 101 and 102 course at a community college because my little
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 10:44 AM
Oct 2021

grandson was learning Italian and I wanted to speak to him in it. The courses were free.

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)
17. You are correct. That's how politics works. Sausage-making isn't pretty...
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 06:25 AM
Oct 2021

... but there's ALWAYS going to be give-and-take, negotiations, deal-making, compromise, and finding common-ground.

I don't mind it. As long as something gets done, and as long as there's progress.

The extremist "all or nothing" politicians need to stop.

CottonBear

(21,596 posts)
3. Pass what we can & GOTV 2021/2022 to increase Democratic majority.
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:40 PM
Oct 2021

I’m phone banking for our local election in my city this week here in Georgia.

bucolic_frolic

(42,663 posts)
4. You gotta do what you gotta do
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:40 PM
Oct 2021

Paid leave 4 weeks? It's a solid start. And some companies will extend that as employees have far more options to work elsewhere, at least nowadays. For example, benefits have been fattened up at many companies. I think companies found that once they offered them the cost was far lower than they expected. For example, my guess is they could add a vision or dental rider for around 50 cents an hour on an insurance plan. So $1,000 a year. Not a lot of money to retain good employees, and it's probably all deductible as a business expense.

questionseverything

(9,631 posts)
5. In 2020 the income limit to receive child tax credit was $400,000 per couple
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:42 PM
Oct 2021

Manchin was talking about lowering that to sixty grand

If all those people lose the child tax credit I think democrats can kiss future elections good bye

Deminpenn

(15,246 posts)
19. 60k might be a good level in West Virginia, but
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 09:36 AM
Oct 2021

it's poverty wages in high cost areas of the country.

Rather than dollar-testing the credit, I'd rather see it adjusted on the number of children. Maybe the credit declines for every child over 3 children. Do we really need to subsidize Rick Santorum's household? Or the Duggars? Or those whose religious beliefs encourage maximum procreation?

questionseverything

(9,631 posts)
21. If it was $60 grand per parent or $120,000 per household it would not be as bad
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 03:17 PM
Oct 2021

But

Technically the pledge to not raise taxes on people making under 400 grand will be broken if they take this long existing credit away from parents that make over the sixty grand of poverty wages

I agree limiting how many children are eligible would be a better way to save

BumRushDaShow

(127,289 posts)
6. From WaPo
Tue Oct 19, 2021, 08:44 PM
Oct 2021
Biden tells Democrats that package of up to $1.9 trillion should be new target of talks


By Tony Romm, Marianna Sotomayor, Seung Min Kim and Jeff Stein

Today at 8:11 a.m. EDT|Updated today at 8:18 p.m. EDT

President Biden told Democrats during a private meeting Tuesday that he believed they could secure a deal on a new tax-and-spending proposal between $1.75 trillion and $1.9 trillion, far less than some in the party initially sought even as some lawmakers later maintained it would allow them to accomplish broad swaths of their vast economic agenda.

(snip)

By the White House’s calculations, a package up to $1.9 trillion would allow them to accomplish some of their most significant priorities. That includes at least some expansion of Medicare to offer new benefits to seniors, the introduction of universal prekindergarten, and billions of dollars to address climate change, the sources said, cautioning that many of the details must still be worked out.

But slimming down the package also is sure to force Democrats to make some sacrifices. The plan presented by the White House would extend new, expanded child tax credit payments recently adopted by Congress, but only for one additional year, three sources said. It would offer new money to make housing more affordable, but far less than Democrats once envisioned. And it would provide paid leave, but perhaps only four weeks of benefits, rather than the 12 weeks some had proposed, according to the people in the room. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Exiting the meeting, liberal lawmakers offered early praise for what they had heard, acknowledging some of the cuts while stressing that many of their policy priorities in health care, education and social spending remained intact. “All our priorities are there in some way, shape or form,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/10/19/biden-democrats-reconciliation/

MichMan

(11,786 posts)
22. Since 19 states already have free community college, those students/parents won't really care
Thu Oct 21, 2021, 04:35 PM
Oct 2021

Depends on the voter makeup of the remainder

Trueblue1968

(17,138 posts)
13. if they drop FREE CColle and drop forgiving college debt, THEY WILL LOSE THE YOUNG VOTERS
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 01:24 AM
Oct 2021

WE WON'T HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING ELECTIONS ..... just my opinion.

When I heard this tonight on CNN with Don Lemon, I could not stop crying.

MichMan

(11,786 posts)
14. Can anyone explain exactly how free community college would be funded?
Wed Oct 20, 2021, 01:50 AM
Oct 2021

In my state, there are 29 Community Colleges with tuition ranging from $3300 to $10,700 with the average being $6250. I'm sure the same situation exists all over the country.

According to a search...
"The least inexpensive state for community college tuition is New Mexico, with an average tuition of $3,352. The most expensive state for community college tuition is Pennsylvania, with an average tuition of $14,501." US Public CC Average is $5,155


Would the Federal government pay whatever the individual schools charge? If Pennsylvania was getting $14k, why wouldn't all the other CC across the US raise it that high?

If instead, the Feds said, we are only going to pay $5000, how the heck would the higher priced ones be able to slash costs to meet that threshold ? Cut salaries and building maintenance ? Cut programs?

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