The White House is looking to refine its sales pitch for the newly passed infrastructure bill in a bid to boost the administration’s standing …
The White House is looking to refine its sales pitch for the newly passed infrastructure bill in a bid to boost the administration’s standing with voters after a difficult election for Democrats and as President Biden has seen his approval ratings sink. Officials have argued for months about the need for infrastructure investments to maintain the nation’s economic competitiveness. Now, with one bill passed and another spending package working its way through Congress, Biden and his top aides are seeking to convince the public that the White House agenda is tangibly benefiting voters. The president will head to Baltimore on Wednesday to tout new investments in ports that will alleviate supply chain issues. The White House has also assigned a handful of Cabinet secretaries with messaging the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill to the public. Ensuring the public is aware of how the bill is benefiting their communities will be crucial for the White House as it seeks a bump in approval after a difficult few months. Poll after poll has shown Americans concerned about inflation and the economy, and Democrats suffered key losses in state elections earlier this month, punctuated by a defeat in the Virginia governor’s race. “I think it’s important for us day in and day out to make the connection to what has been done here and the day-to-day improvements in people’s lives,” said Tom Perez, former Democratic National Committee chairman and a candidate for Maryland governor. Perez noted a swath of Americans still don’t realize the child tax credit they’ve received this year was part of the American Rescue Plan, which Biden signed in March, an example that underscores the importance of making sure the public connects improvements in their lives to what the administration is doing. “We need to be the implementers-in-chief, we need to be the explainers-in-chief, and we need to be the marketers-in-chief. That is how we will succeed,” Perez said. The Biden administration intends to engage a broad coalition of outside organizations and government officials to help educate the public about the infrastructure bill, according to a White House official. The White House will collaborate with labor groups, business coalitions and state and local leaders to reach Americans at the local level.
