- Biden’s infrastructure plan takes aim at Trump’s biggest economic achievement (Politico) – While Democrats cast the tax increases as a matter of fairness, they also hope it will make good politics.
- Gaetz investigation complicated by overture to his father about ex-FBI agent who went missing (The Washington Post) – The messy political drama has in some ways diverted attention from a grim reality for the congressman. He remains under investigation for possible sex crimes, leaving him vulnerable to potentially serious legal jeopardy.
- The one *big* problem with Matt Gaetz’s explanation (CNN) – The Department of Justice isn’t saying anything.
- Republicans go to war over vaccine passports (Yahoo! News) – The fear among some Republicans is that curtailing the ability of nonvaccinated persons to reenter everyday life represents a form of government tyranny.
- America’s next Covid-19 culture war is here (CNN) – It’s not that different from parents showing proof of vaccination typically required to enroll kids in American schools, or those little yellow vaccine cards already required to travel in countries threatened by yellow fever, tuberculosis or other scourges. Yet the idea of “vaccine passports” has become the latest object of right-wing politicians’ outrage.
- Georgia lawmaking ends with citizen’s arrest repeal and big budget (AJC.com) – The citizen’s arrest law has its roots in slavery, passed in 1863 to allow white Georgians to capture enslaved people who were fleeing to fight in the Union Army. The law was later used through the early 1900s to justify the lynching of Black people without repercussions. In a sign of bipartisan force, the measure passed the House on Wednesday on a vote of 169-0.
- President’s infrastructure plan faces criticism over price tag, design (The Washington Post) – While there’s widespread support for a large infrastructure bill, the details, especially Biden’s plan to pay for it, are drawing early fire.
- Biden’s infrastructure plan aims to turbocharge U.S. shift from fossil fuels (The Washington Post) – New standard would mandate renewable-energy use by utilities, while tax breaks and spending would promote climate-friendly technologies.
- Analysis: With Infrastructure Plan, Biden Is Betting on Big Government (The New York Times) – President Biden feels a burning sense of competition, his aides say, to prove that democratic capitalism can work.
