Maher/Biden
© Real Time/The WrapTalk show host Bill Maher • US President Joe Biden
On Friday, October 8th, HBO's Real Time host, Bill Maher posed the question many are asking themselves, how the Build Back Better bill will help the economy when there is a shortage of workers and building supplies are being held up in supply chain issues.

Maher said:
"It's interesting because I keep reading about the Build Back Better bill. They want — we can't — we don't have enough workers, even if we passed it tomorrow. And because all of these supply chain problems, we don't have building supplies. So, how are we going to build back better if we have no workers and no supplies? It's a good idea, though. It's always a good idea."

For months, President Joe Biden has been touting his false claim that his multitrillion-dollar spending agenda, that is the Build Back Better bill and his infrastructure bill, would cost the country "zero" dollars. In an appearance in Michigan, as he gave a speech promoting both, he said:

"Best of all, the cost of these bills, in terms of adding to the deficit, is zero. Zero. Zero."

The president repeated his widely-mocked "zero" cost talking point, even though fact checkers from the establishment media have called him out on the dubious claim.

Even the Washington Post's Glenn Kessler gave Biden "Two Pinocchios" for his claim, point out that the Congressional Budget Office reported the infrastructure bill alone would add $256 billion to the deficit over 10 years.

Politifact also questioned Biden's assertion, noting that the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget had estimated the infrastructure plan would add $400 billion to the deficit.



Biden's proposed $3.5 trillion entitlement spending agenda is not yet set, especially since the administration is already floating lowering the proposed spending levels closer to $2 trillion. Left-wing Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) also stated that the $3.5 trillion piece of legislation will cost "nothing." She said:
"The first thing I would say is, it's actually not. Whatever the number is, it's not that number because we're paying for the whole thing and so you could say it's a $0 bill because we're going to actually tax corporations and the wealthiest individuals to pay for those things."
Jayapal went on to say that it is essential to put Biden's agenda in place and every Democrat should make sure that happens. She added:
"I think it's absolutely unthinkable to vote no on the president's agenda and that's the Build Back Better Act. And that's why we're saying, let's get this done. We need a couple, a little but more time, just maybe two weeks, three weeks. But, we can do this.

"And we can show that we, as the Democratic Party, can deliver for the people when they gave us the House, the Senate and the White House based on a set of promises we made."
At the end of September, the Build Back Better legislative agenda stalled as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) delayed the House vote. Pelosi's roadblock for passing the bill came from House progressives, who said they would block the bill if it came to a vote that Thursday, September 30th.

Despite Biden's proposed tax hikes on corporations and families making over $400,000 a year, it remains highly unlikely the final legislation will raise enough revenue to make his record spending levels end at zero.