Commentary

Reportedly, former President Trump plans to impound funds, or refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress if elected, promising to assert more control over the federal budget than any president in U.S. history.

I will use the president’s long-recognized impoundment power to squeeze the bloated federal bureaucracy for massive savings.  This will help to quickly stop inflation and slash the deficit.” – Donald Trump

With the Constitution giving Congress control over spending, it will require a Republican takeover of the Senate and the party’s maintaining the majority in the House, if he hopes to seek their authority to take a fresh look at the progress of funded projects, or cease projects all together.

President Biden continues to tout a number of projects that have stalled, primarily due to red tape.  Here are a few that need to be examined:

EV Charging Stations

On December 12, 2021, Vice President Harris announced an action plan that fast tracks bipartisan infrastructure law investments that including the development and deploying of chargers across the country.

The law includes $5 billion in formula funding for states to with a goal to build a national charging network.  It also provides $2.5 billion for communities through a grant program to support innovative community approaches.

Today, two and a half years later, just eight chargers have been put in place.  That’s what the Biden administration calls “fast tracking.”  They blame it on “wanting to get it right.”

The Biden administration has placed strict requirements on publicly funded chargers, resulting in red tape delays.  I understand that each station must be able to charge 150 kw of power 97 percent of the time and be located no more than a mile from an interstate.

The administration still believes it can fund 500,000 charging points by 2026, according to Brad Anderson of the magazine Carscoops. No chance.

Biden has “invested” billions of taxpayer dollars to prop up the EV industry, arm twisting the CEOs of Ford and GM, while the average American family is priced out of an EV, they’re forced to foot the bill for EV infrastructure.

Do you suppose those CEOs noticed, as the Auto Channel did, that “EV Policy Takes Back Seat in Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address,” March 8, 2024? No mention.

Lead Pipe and Paint Plan

“Removing poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk or brain damage,” did make the address, but with that line only. 

It was December 16, 2021 that Vice President Harris announced an action plan that Accelerates Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments to Replace All Lead Pipes in Next Decade.

Biden claimed there were up to 10 million homes in America and more 400,000 schools with lead pipes.

It wasn’t until January 27, 2023, however, that a summit with state and local officials, along with water utility, labor union and nongovernmental partners was held to discuss the risk posed by lead pipes.

The administration announced that it is “delivering tangible progress” on the action plan, but it was all about developing partnerships and appropriating funds.

“Get the Lead Out” may have been a cute slogan, but what happened to the need to accelerate the effort?

Finally, last month, expectations were raised when it was announced that Biden would be travelling to Wilmington, North Carolina to talk about a successful lead pipe removal project, but it was not to be.  He went to announce $3 billion to replace lead pipes; part of the historic $15 billion dedicated for replacement, of which just $76 million for lead pipe replacement across the state.

He announced that Wilmington had already received $4 million to identify and replace 325 lead pipes with a plan to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes.  There was no information relating to the number of feet of pipe involved.

Biden claims that some 200,000 jobs have been created by the administration’s investments in drinking water infrastructure alone. C’mon, Joe.

Projects in seven other states were announced with an EPA-issued proposal to replace pipes within 10 years. Ten years! That’s acceleration?

National High-Speed Internet

How often have we heard Biden spin the tale of a mother parking her car in a McDonald’s parking lot so her child could to do homework on a laptop?  Presumably to use the fast-food facility’s internet. Too many.

In his April 28, 2021 State of the Union Address, Biden he promised high-speed Internet would no longer be a luxury, but a necessity for every home, business, and institution, paid for by $45.45 billion funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

He asked Vice President Harris to lead the effort, “because I know it will get done.”

But it wasn’t until June 26, 2023 that he announced the state-by-state funding, for 8.5 million household and businesses in areas where there is no high-speed Internet.

In a wild analogy, Biden compared this effort to the FDR’s Rural Electrification Act that brought electricity to nearly every home and farm in America.

But, again, here we are in 2024 and not a single home or business has been connected to new broadband networks since Biden signed the funding into law.

Again, lawmakers and internet companies complained of red tape tied to burdensome requirements for obtaining funds, including climate change mandates, preference for hiring union workers (scarce in rural areas) and the requirement that eligible companies prioritize the employment of “justice impacted” people with criminal records to install the equipment.

The slow pace of approvals is pushing project start dates to 2025 and 2026, with 2030 the projected realization of completion.

Is it any wonder that Biden supporters are unable to say what he has done in his first three years?  He’s all talk, no action.

Other Biden Promises

In my next blog I will cover a few other Biden ill-fated promises.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.