Reason Roundup

Biden Seeks $1.8 Trillion for Public Child Care, Preschool, College

Plus: ACLU opposes menthol cigarette ban, student Snapchat case comes before Supreme Court today, and more...

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covphotos128114 | Stefani Reynolds/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages/Cover Images/Newscom
(Stefani Reynolds/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages/Cover Images/Newscom)

Biden spending spree continues. After consigning America to a $1.9 trillion tab for a Democratic policy wish list disguised as pandemic relief, and pushing for $2.25 trillion in "infrastructure" spending (under which anything Democrats like is defined as infrastructure), President Joe Biden is now seeking another $1.8 trillion for an "American Families Plan."

The new spending will allegedly go toward health care, child care, and education—though if it's anything like Biden's previous spending proposals, some of the funds will go toward those things and some will go toward whatever the hell Democrats think will get them votes.

The plan will reportedly expand publicly funded schooling by four years—two years of government-funded preschool, and two years of government-funded community college—for anyone who wants it, regardless of family income. The plan is also expected to subsidize child care entirely for low-income families and partially for middle earners, expand child tax credits, expand the federal government's investment in paid family leave, and set a $15 minimum wage for child care workers.

In addition, "the president also will propose more money for Pell Grants, and lowering tuition at some colleges, including historically Black colleges and universities," and "make permanent the temporary tax credits for health insurance in Obamacare exchanges that were part of the American Rescue Plan," Axios says.

As always, Biden's plan to pay for it (and his infrastructure/American Jobs Plan)—which together come to a total of around $4 trillion—is to raise taxes on businesses and people earning above a certain income threshold. The proposal would "nearly double the capital gains tax from a 20% rate to 39.6% for households making more than $1 million," USA Today reports.

Biden plans to pitch it to Congress today.

With this request, notes Axios, "Biden will have asked Congress for approximately $6 trillion in new spending, outside of his annual budget request" since taking office a little more than three months ago.

FREE MINDS

Cheerleader Snapchat case comes before Supreme Court today. The case explores the limits of schools' ability to punish students for off-campus speech. From CBS News:

Marked by a string of obscenities beginning with the letter "F" and a raised middle finger, the post from Brandi Levy, the cheerleader at the center of the case, has paved the way for the high court to clarify the reach of school officials in policing the conduct of their students.

"The seminal importance of this case is the Supreme Court will determine how far the arm of school authority extends off campus," David Hudson, a professor at Belmont Law who works on First Amendment issues, told CBS News. "That's a vitally important question because right now, school officials, students, parents — really, anyone interested in this issue — really doesn't know. The court needs to provide some guidance."

FREE MARKETS

The American Civil Liberties Union opposes Biden's proposed ban on menthol cigarettes:

QUICK HITS

• Republicans keep trying to pass abortion restrictions that have been ruled unconstitutional in other states. The latest is Idaho's Fetal Heartbeat Preborn Child Protection Act, which would make abortion illegal as soon as fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which occurs a few weeks after conception.

• The Real ID deadline has been extended once again:

• Arizona bans abortions spurred by parents' desire to avoid having a baby with genetic abnormalities, making it a felony crime for doctors to perform abortions for this reason. Such legislation has become popular among state Republicans despite lacking any meaningful impact since no one is required to state a reason for seeking an abortion.

• Sen. Josh Hawley (R–Mo.) is beyond parody:

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