The hosts discuss the Biden administration's track record of ending pandemic welfare programs, the consequences of ending these programs, the messaging surrounding COVID-19, the analysis of Biden's actions and the Build Back Better package, the relief packages implemented during the pandemic, controversy over funding for direct welfare supports, and the hosts express gratitude and promote their books.
Biden's actions and lack of leadership indicate his lack of effort to preserve pandemic welfare programs.
Biden's budget and actions contradict the narrative that he strongly supported the largest expansion of the welfare state.
The retrenchment of pandemic welfare expansions under the Biden administration shows a lackluster and disinterested approach to supporting vulnerable populations.
Deep dives
Biden's Record on Pandemic Welfare Expansion
The podcast delves into recent attempts to rewrite Biden's record on pandemic welfare expansion. Despite claims that Biden wanted to preserve the pandemic welfare state, evidence suggests otherwise. Looking at Biden's budget and statements of administration policy, there is no indication of his desire to make Medicaid expansion permanent. Furthermore, Biden allowed the Republicans to push for the undoing of Medicaid expansion in the year-end appropriations package, showing his lack of effort to preserve the program. The podcast argues that blaming just Republicans or Congress ignores Biden's actions and lack of leadership on this issue.
The Flawed Narrative of Biden's Preference
The podcast challenges the narrative that Biden wanted to enact the largest expansion of the welfare state through the Build Back Better plan. While the laundry list of programs in the plan may seem ambitious, the analysis looks beyond the surface. Biden's budget and actions reveal a different story. There was no evidence in his budget that he wanted to keep Medicaid expansion going permanently. Additionally, the podcast highlights that Biden's strategic moves and negotiation tactics with Congress made it nearly impossible for him to pass the bills he purportedly desired.
The Mischaracterization of Biden's Economic Policies
The podcast exposes the mischaracterization of Biden's economic policies and the attempt to rewrite history. While some argue that Biden was a champion for working people and families, evidence suggests otherwise. Poverty for children has increased, homelessness is prevalent, and millions have lost Medicaid coverage. The podcast asserts that actions speak louder than words, and the Biden administration's lack of effort to protect and preserve pandemic welfare programs contradicts the narrative that Biden strongly supported these initiatives.
The Medicaid unwinding and its impact on home and community based services
The podcast episode discusses the Medicaid unwinding and its impact on home and community based services. One example highlighted is how small changes enacted in 2020 to Medicaid, tied to the continuous enrollment provision, disrupted the availability of services that allowed people to stay in their homes and alleviate the waitlist pressures. Despite claims by the Biden administration of transformative disability policies, even liberal mainstream organizations like the National Centers for Independent Living (NCIL) pushed back against the unwinding and expressed dissatisfaction. The episode suggests that the Democratic Party, which claims to support working people and the poor, has played a role in diminishing citizen entitlements.
The retrenchment of pandemic welfare expansions
The podcast also examines the retrenchment of pandemic welfare expansions under the Biden administration. It highlights two examples: the expiration of the eviction moratorium and the winding down of pandemic unemployment insurance. The episode criticizes the administration for its lackluster and disinterested approach, including the failure to unilaterally extend the eviction moratorium and comments suggesting that it was the right time to end the benefits. The discussion focuses on how these retrenchments were tied to the narrative of returning to normal and the peeling back of welfare state expansions, despite the need for continued support. It also suggests that Biden's adherence to deficit reduction logic hindered the ability to build a political coalition and limited the ambition of his policies.
Beatrice, Artie, and Phil discuss how recent claims that Biden has tried to bring about “the largest expansion of the welfare state in a half century” ignore his track record of ending every last pandemic welfare program.
Transcript: https://www.deathpanel.net/transcripts/biden-unmaking-welfare
Find our book Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism
Pre-order Jules' new book here:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/733966/a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny-by-jules-gill-peterson/
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As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod
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