NEW YORK--Transportation Secretary and former South Bend Pete Buttigieg is upset with Republican lawmakers who voted against last year’s big infrastructure plan, but then accepted the money within the plan for their districts.
On CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Monday night, Buttigieg said there is nothing better than seeing a skeptic become a convert and it is the “most sincere form of flattery.”
“I would have loved nothing more than to have a debate between the Democratic Inflation Reduction Act and a Republican one in the House and Senate to argue over which one was better. There was only one and it was ours. Luckily, it passed,” said Buttigieg.
He says President Biden will keep helping transform economic opportunities for communities across America for the better.
“But this is part of a pattern we’ve often seen where Congressional Republicans take stances that seem to be more about the problem than the solution,” said Buttigieg.
Many Republicans, however, argue that the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal cause more problems than solutions because of their high costs.
Inflation fears are growing again this month. The University of Michigan’s latest reading on consumer sentiment shows a rebound in inflation expectations for the next 12 months. The survey’s chief economist notes “continued uncertainty” over prices and the global economy. The five-year outlook for inflation expectations also increased in October despite a slight rise in overall consumer sentiment.
