Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's 'everything is infrastructure' tweet may have backfired
![Kirsten Gillibrand.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ck5jV39ZJgGZ3YUaiyw4vh-1024-80.jpg)
The Biden administration's latest $2.3 trillion spending proposal designates a lot of money to improving roads, bridges, and airports, and expanding broadband. But many Republicans think it should solely focus on infrastructure, and bristle at the inclusion of what they consider separate issues. In an apparent effort to counter that argument, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) tweeted Wednesday that child care, caregiving, and paid leave are, in fact, infrastructure. The message didn't land the way she hoped, it seems.
A few folks on the right, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) speech writer, had some fun with Gillibrand's tweet, painting it as devoid of any serious meaning. "If everything is infrastructure, is anything really infrastructure?" was a common response.
Others predicted Gillibrand's words would backfire and actually give momentum to Republican lawmakers fighting against Biden's plan. Lo and behold, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) quickly jumped on it, arguing Gillibrand's "framing" would pave "the road to socialism."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The senator didn't just get heat from conservatives, however. "We don't have to pretend every good thing is 'infrastructure,'" Slate's Jordan Weissman tweeted. Weismann has previously made the case that "agonizing about the exact proportion of infrastructure spending and what counts" in Biden's "infrastructure, energy, and jobs plan" is "not productive," though he added that Biden himself played a role in creating the debate.
At the moment, the Biden administration is content to move forward with the proposal without any Republican support in Congress, instead relying on its popularity with American voters across the political spectrum, but they likely don't want to give the GOP any opportunities to refocus the debate.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Data blunders put Japan's after-work boozing culture in the spotlight
Under The Radar Excessive alcohol consumption and an analogue work culture combine to create a recipe for disaster when it comes to sensitive files
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - February 17, 2025
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - knife edge politics, yucky Ye, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Germany's elections: from dull to high drama
The Explainer Surge of far-right AfD threatens to upend mainstream coalition politics
By The Week UK Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published