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These concerns have been conveyed to the administration in a series of meetings and emails over the past few weeks, six people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO. They got stronger after Biden struck a deal with Republican senators on a bipartisan infrastructure framework that cut back what was initially known as the “Jobs Plan” by drastically reducing the climate components of that. proposal.
Climate activists have specifically argued that their initiatives do not fit neatly into the parallel moving ‘Families’ plan – where they should now be placed alongside items such as paternity leave, education and child care – and would therefore be difficult to convey and make easy targets for critics.
There were also greater fears that the litany of initiatives and the enormity of the White House legislative agenda – billions of dollars in spending altogether – would be lost to potential voters, especially since it went from selling from one plan to another, each with a different branding. : the American Rescue Plan (Covid relief, which passed at the start of the year), the Employment Plan (hard infrastructure) and the Family Plan.
In attempting to describe all of this once again as the Build Back Better agenda, Democrats envision a more streamlined framing of the Biden agenda. They also hope to facilitate the adoption of the Families plan, which they will probably have to adopt without the support of the Republicans.
Activists say they have already seen a change on the part of the administration. In a speech last week in Illinois, Biden outlined the second half of his plan under the banner of Build Back Better. Press secretary Jen Psaki referred to BBB in several briefings in July, including one where she said the White House is now calling the “reconciliation” package the “Build Back Better plan.” And Gina McCarthy, the national climate czar of the White House, released a note outlining all the climate initiatives they want to pursue as part of the reconciliation package. Even after the changes, those close to the process noted that some of the old terms may occasionally arise.
“Last week was the first anniversary of the President’s Build Back Better platform, and this plan will deliver on the promises he made during the election campaign with groundbreaking policies for education and child care. children, as well as other crucial and job-creating priorities. on climate and housing which economists believe are among the best ways to propel growth and strengthen America’s middle class, ”White House spokesman Andrew Bates said. “The president is focusing on the benefits that this proposal and the bipartisan infrastructure framework will bring to ordinary people.”
Since Biden took office, Democrats have warned that he should not fall into the same trap as former President Barack Obama in 2009, who admitted he had failed to adequately sell his achievements, for which Democrats paid the price at the polls. The White House and allied outside groups have sought to avoid these missteps by launching advertising campaigns and scouring the country to explain what was in the Covid Relief Bill and what is proposed in the initiatives. infrastructure. But the work did not pay off as expected.
In late June, a Biden-aligned super PAC reported that voters largely had no idea of the president’s accomplishments after they held a series of focus groups in swing states. POLITICO reported last week that Unite the Country PAC issued a warning that Democrats had better recalibrate themselves to focus on selling their achievements if they had any hope of winning the midterm election.
Longtime Democrat Simon Rosenberg said the White House’s decision to bring everything back under Build Back Better was a smart course correction.
“It connects people to the president’s two most fundamental and most important promises – defeating Covid and leading the country through the recovery – and it’s just a clear statement on what he is doing,” Rosenberg said. . “All the different shots have become confusing – it makes everything simple and powerful, again.”
While Unite the Country CEO Steve Schale said renaming everything as Build Back Better was a start, he warned Democrats have their work cut out for them.
“Change the logo, change the brand – I mean, in the end, you still have to have something that sells it and informs it,” Schale said. “We can’t assume that the people on our base know what he’s doing.”
Schale said in focus groups it was clear voters heard negative messages about Biden but were unaware of initiatives such as Biden’s Child Tax Credit, payments which should start this week.
“As people understood it better,” said Schale, “they felt good with the boss.”
With reporting by Sam Stein
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