Joe Biden's flame-retardant pants come in very handy as he promises #BuildBackBetter is 'fully paid for' and 'will actually reduce the deficit' [video]

Sarah D | 12:09 PM on October 28, 2021

Well, color us officially confused!

Just this morning, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain — who many suspect has a much more hands-on role in Joe Biden’s presidency than the administration lets on — tweeted that the Build Back Better agenda is “twice as big, in real dollars, as the New Deal.”

It's twice as big, in real dollars, as the New Deal was. This can be the Congress that goes from 12 years of universal education to 14 years; the makes the largest investment in fighting climate change ever; that cuts what families pay for child care in half. https://t.co/hpK95CYcxD

— Ronald Klain (@WHCOS) October 28, 2021

But now, here’s the president himself reverting to the “it’s fully paid for” argument.

BREAKING: Pres. Biden: "After months of tough and thoughtful negotiations, I think we have an historic—I know we have an historic economic framework."

"It's fiscally responsible. It's fully paid for." https://t.co/kz5CUZVChh pic.twitter.com/pQoZYfQI4w

— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) October 28, 2021

How can something that costs twice as much as the New Deal in real dollars be fully paid for? Is it fully paid for by no tax increases on anyone making under $400,000 a year except for all the tax increases on anyone making over and under and exactly $400,000 a year?

Selling his new framework, Biden leads with:

1. Fiscal responsibility
2. Relieves inflationary pressure
3. Reduces the deficit.

— Jim Tankersley (@jimtankersley) October 28, 2021