Michigan Congresswoman and Squad member Rashida Tlaib is gearing up to deliver a fiery speech Tuesday after President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
Her speech will be delivered on behalf of the Working Families Party (WFP), a minor political party focused on multiracial membership and opposing the so-called “one percent.” Fellow progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who joined the Squad last year, spoke on behalf of the WFP in April 2021 after President Biden’s first joint address to Congress.
“No one fought harder for Build Back Better and a pro-democracy agenda than progressives,” argues Tlaib. “The work is unfinished and we’re not giving up on what our communities deserve. We need to get as much done for the people as we can this year, and elect a majority that can deliver for working families in 2023.”
Whereas many Democrats are focused on presenting a united front ahead of this year’s midterms, Tlaib and other progressives view the election as an opportunity to add more like-minded politicians to Congress. Progressives are particularly focused on the March 1st contest between incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and progressive candidate Jessica Cisneros.
“We’re going to be clear about who and why the agenda is incomplete,” adds Maurice Mitchell, head of the Working Families Party. “There are particular political actors – of course Republicans, but then a very small niche, small groups of obstructionist Democrats. And we’re going to name names.”
Politicians expected to be criticized by name include Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Senator Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). These and others have pushed back against the social spending included in Biden’s infrastructure bill and have questioned progressive objectives on climate change, housing, and prescription drugs.
In short, the Build Back Better plan includes more than $200 billion to build and retrofit homes, $40 billion to improve public housing, and more than $100 billion to update water and sewage systems. The plan also calls to end exclusionary zoning laws.
During her speech, Tlaib is also expected to ask Biden to use his presidential authority to forgive student debt nationwide and to restructure the way poverty lines are calculated so that more Americans will be eligible for welfare benefits.
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