Bill Gates endorses Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act
Bill Gates speaks speaks at Goalkeepers 2017, at Jazz at Lincoln Center on September 20, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:09 AM PT – Monday, August 8, 2022
Billionaire Bill Gates is actively promoting the new Democrat-proposed spending bill due to its “climate change” provisions. In an op-ed for the New York Times, Gates claimed the so-called Inflation Reduction Act could be the most important piece of “climate legislation” in American history.
The Microsoft founder argued that the bill would create an “energy future that is cleaner, cheaper and more secure.” Gates also said making solar panels and wind turbines is very important. The Democrat bill would finance that. According to reports, Gates aggressively lobbied in favor of that bill, resulting in Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) changing his mind to support the legislation.
On the contrary, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said the Inflation Reduction Act is a “war on Medicare.” In an interview Sunday, he voiced strong opposition to cutting Medicare funds.
Democrats’ latest reckless tax & spend spree is a War on Seniors & War on American Jobs. It cuts Medicare, raises taxes & pours gas on @JoeBiden’s raging inflation.
I won’t stop fighting against Democrats’ socialist agenda that’s destroying our country.https://t.co/TzvUBml4Vn
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) August 7, 2022
The Florida lawmaker said that a $280 billion anticipated Medicare expenditure will not be spent, impacting research done by drug companies who provide life-saving drugs to seniors. Scott’s comments came just before Vice President Kamala Harris broke the tie in the Senate, pushing the legislation through the upper chamber.
Meanwhile, the 45th President slammed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) while asserting he has been manipulated by the Democrats. In a post on Truth Social Sunday, Trump accused McConnell of caving to the Democrats on the infrastructure bill, compromising on the Second Amendment and not using the debt ceiling for negotiations.
“Mitch McConnell got played like a fiddle with the vote today by the Senate Democrats. First he gave them the fake Infrastructure Bill, then Guns, never used the Debt Ceiling for negotiating purposes (gave it away for NOTHING!), and now this. Mitch doesn’t have a clue – he is sooo bad for the Republican Party!”
— Donald Trump via Truth Social
While at CPAC, Trump said McConnell compromises with Sen. Manchin too much, which led to Republicans suffering since the West Virginia Democrat voted for the Inflation Reduction Act. The former President said, “Mitch doesn’t have a clue.”
President Joe Biden praised the bills passing in the Senate. He released his statement on the legislation on Sunday, just one day after its passage.
Statement by President Biden on Senate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act: pic.twitter.com/Dstk783CNy
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 7, 2022
Before the vote, Biden touted the bill as a means to combat inflation, despite many economists saying it would do the opposite. The legislation will move to the House with a vote expected to take place on Friday.