# Trump and Congressional Democrats tentatively agree to $2 trillion infrastructure bill **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 30, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275 "2019-04-30T19:18:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/1 "2019-04-30T19:18:03Z")
Tentative agreement - but it is very light on details as to just what the bill would be for and how it would be paid for - and Congressional Republicans would have to support it, too. > **[Trump And Democrats Agree On $2 Trillion For Infrastructure, But Not On How...](https://www.npr.org/2019/04/30/718677236/trump-and-democrats-agree-on-2-trillion-for-infrastructure-but-not-on-how-to-pay)** > > Democratic congressional leaders called the White House meeting "very constructive," but the big question remains unanswered. The parties will reconvene in a few weeks to discuss funding options. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/2 "2019-04-30T19:23:27Z")
It will be interesting to see how the Mock Turtle is going to respond to this. Mitch wouldn’t give the Democratic Party a glass of water at noon on the summer solstice, but with Orange Julius Caesar supposedly on board with this bill, how is he going to block it without looking (more) like an idiot? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/3 "2019-04-30T19:43:19Z")
From the article: “The leaders say they’re waiting for Trump to outline his ideas for that in three weeks” Hahahahahahaha! This will never happen. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/4 "2019-04-30T19:57:10Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > From the article: “The leaders say they’re waiting for Trump to outline his ideas for that in three weeks” > > Hahahahahahaha! This will never happen. Once Fox n Friends is through with this, Trump’s “ideas” will morph from “2 trillion infrastructure bill” to a “lock up immigrants in camps and blame the Democrats bill” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/5 "2019-04-30T20:01:03Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > From the article: “The leaders say they’re waiting for Trump to outline his ideas for that in three weeks” > > Hahahahahahaha! This will never happen. Yeppers. Charlie Brown. Lucy. Football. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/6 "2019-04-30T20:15:53Z")
My first thought upon reading the headline was “$2T? That’s a LOT of wall!” On a more serious note though, I hope it doesn’t include more failed high-speed-train-to-nowhere projects. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/7 "2019-04-30T20:17:46Z")
Man, I don’t know about you all, or if it’s just me, but this week has seemed to last _forever_. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/8 "2019-04-30T20:20:04Z")
I think it will happen; it’s just that it will morph into a battle over how much $$ goes where. The Ds and Rs will want as much of the money shifted towards blue and red states, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/9 "2019-04-30T20:49:55Z")
The devil is obviously going to be in the details. When infrastructure came up previously it was clear that both sides had very different ideas of what that meant. With Democrats thinking it meant the government directly hiring contractors to build things where they are needed, while the Republicans seemed to favor giving tax breaks to corporations to would build things that they viewed as profitable, with the understanding that anything that doesn’t result in a direct profit for corporations isn’t worth while. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/10 "2019-04-30T21:07:28Z")
It will never happen. We’ve seen Pelosi and Schumer visit the White House squatter and come away thinking there was a deal, only to find out Donald’s handlers make him renege on it. Dipstick will probably throw in a demand for a wall or else no money for roads and bridges. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/11 "2019-04-30T21:13:54Z")
I think Trump will support an Infrastructure bill. He campaigned on fixing Infrastructure. This is the sort of big project that will appeal to Trump’s desire for a lasting legacy. He’ll have many opportunities to remind everyone what a great job he did. I don’t mind stroking his ego, if it means getting our bridges and dams fixed. It’ll employ a lot of people in manufacturing and construction. I hope stupid political infighting doesn’t ruin this opportunity. It’s encouraging that the Democratic leadership initiated this proposal. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/12 "2019-04-30T21:22:16Z")
How many barbed-wire surrounded camps can you make for $2 Trillion, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/13 "2019-04-30T21:27:03Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I think Trump will support an Infrastructure bill. He campaigned on fixing Infrastructure. > > … I recall Trump campaigning on, in this order, Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall, Wall, repeal and replace Obamacare, Mexicans are rapist gang members, keeping Muslims out. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/14 "2019-04-30T21:28:48Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I think Trump will support an Infrastructure bill. He campaigned on fixing Infrastructure. > > This is the sort of big project that will appeal to Trump’s desire for a lasting legacy. He’ll have many opportunities to remind everyone what a great job he did. I don’t mind stroking his ego, if it means getting our bridges and dams fixed. > > It’ll employ a lot of people in manufacturing and construction. > > I hope stupid political infighting doesn’t ruin this opportunity. It’s encouraging that the Democratic leadership initiated this proposal. This post seems to assume that Trump is a rational and coherent politician. I don’t know why you’d make that assumption, but I see absolutely no reason to believe that Trump saying X about a tentative agreement with the Democrats has anything to do with the likelihood of Trump actually doing X in terms of an agreement with the Democrats. In short, he’s an irrational, incompetent, dishonorable, and incoherent toddler, and there’s no reason that any of us should believe that he as any ability or likelihood to make and execute a reasonable agreement with the other party. Maybe this agreement will buck the trend and actually go somewhere, but it’s a crapshoot and there’s no way to predict the behavior of entirely irrational, incoherent, and dishonorable actors like Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/15 "2019-04-30T21:46:14Z")
Trump might want infrastructure, but that’s irrelevant to what his handlers want. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/16 "2019-04-30T21:57:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Trump might want infrastructure, but that’s irrelevant to what his handlers want. You misspelled “Fox News” there. ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/17 "2019-04-30T22:03:10Z")
They were talking with the Tuesday Trump today. Don’t be surprised if the Thursday or Friday Trump changes course 180 degrees or so. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/18 "2019-04-30T22:26:08Z")
**Smapti** , not all of his handlers are on Fox News. Don’t forget about Putin. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/19 "2019-04-30T22:43:17Z")
All joking aside though, what does the nation really need infrastructure-wise? 1. Big push for clean and renewable energy would be in everyone’s interest 2. At some point, Republicans will probably try to tuck border-wall funding into it, so there’s that 3. I hear many air-traffic control computers and IT systems are multi-decades-old and obsolete 4. Crumbling bridges, etc. 5. Power grid is vulnerable to EMP attack ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275/20 "2019-04-30T23:35:06Z")
Small earthen dams are a major concern. Many were built decades ago and had no maintenance. Sometimes they don’t even know who built it or have any blueprints. Some houses in my hometown neighborhood flooded after a earthen dam failed. Most people didn’t know it was there. People have no idea if their land is protected by something built maybe 80 years ago. It might have been a private project, county, or city. Just finding them all and inspecting is a challenge. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-congressional-democrats-tentatively-agree-to-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/833275.md?page=2)