>>> FOR THIS WEEK’S "RISE UP," I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSED
INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE.
IT’S OFFICIALLY CALLED THE
AMERICAN JOBS PLAN.
BUT SOME DEMOCRATS ARE CALLING
IT THE NEW NEW DEAL AS A TRIBUTE
TO ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
PROGRESSIVE SUCCESSES IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT’S NEW
DEAL.
>> I PLEDGE YOU, I PLEDGE
MYSELF, TO A NEW DEAL FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
LET US ALL HERE ASSEMBLED
CONSTITUTE OURSELVES PROPHETS OF
A NEW ORDER OF COMPETENCE AND OF
COURAGE.
THIS IS MORE THAN A POLITICAL
CAMPAIGN.
IT IS A CALL TO ARMS.
GIVE ME YOUR HELP, NOT TO WIN
VOTES ALONE, BUT TO WIN IN THIS
CRUSADE TO RESTORE AMERICA TO
ITS OWN PEOPLE.
>> THAT WAS FDR’S 1932
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH AT THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
AND WHILE THAT SPEECH WAS NEARLY
A CENTURY AGO, THE UNITED STATES
WAS DEALING WITH MANY OF THE
SAME ISSUES WE FACE TODAY,
INCLUDING A DIRE ECONOMIC
CLIMATE.
THOUGH CONTEMPORARY FOOD LINES
ARE MORE SOCIALLY DISTANCED THAN
THEIR 1932 COUNTERPARTS, AND
ROOSEVELT KEPT HIS CONVENTION
PROMISE.
HIS NEW DEAL PUT MILLIONS OF
UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS BACK TO
WORK BUILDING THOUSANDS OF MILES
OF ROADS AND SOME OF THE MOST
CRUCIAL AND ENDURING
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OF THE
20th CENTURY.
MANY OF WHICH STILL STAND TODAY.
BUT NOW NEARLY A CENTURY LATER,
A LOT OF THAT CRUCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS FALLEN INTO
DISREPAIR, AND THE VAST MAJORITY
OF IT NEEDS SOME SERIOUS
UPGRADES FOR THE 21st CENTURY.
SO JOE BIDEN MADE A CAMPAIGN
PROMISE OF HIS OWN TO BUILD BACK
BETTER.
AND HE ELABORATED ON THE
LEGISLATION NEEDED TO KEEP THAT
PROMISE ON WEDNESDAY.
>> AND IT’S A PLAN THAT PUTS
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS TO WORK TO
FIX WHAT’S BROKEN IN OUR
COUNTRY.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES OF
ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, THOUSANDS OF
BRIDGES IN DESPERATE NEED OF
REPAIR.
BUT IT ALSO IS A BLUEPRINT FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR
TOMORROW, NOT JUST YESTERDAY,
TOMORROW.
FOR AMERICAN JOBS, FOR AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS.
>> AND THE AMERICAN JOBS PLAN
WOULD HAVE BILLIONS TO RESTORE
THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT BEYOND REPAIRING OUR PAST,
WE ALSO HAVE THE CHANCE TO LOOK
FORWARD INTO THE 21st CENTURY
AND BEYOND WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO
OUR ELECTRIC GRID, EXPANSION OF
RURAL INTERNET ACCESS, AND MAJOR
CRITICISM OF THE NEW DEAL IS
THAT IT DIDN’T DO ENOUG TO
ADDRESS RACIAL INEQUITIES OF THE
TIME THAT IT WAS.
WELL, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
HAS ASKED FOR INPUT AND IDEAS
FROM A DIVERSE COALITION, SO
THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE THIS
TIME HOPEFULLY.
INCLUDING INPUT FROM AMERICANS
LIKE YOU.
HERE’S HOW YOU MAKE YOUR VOICE
HEARD.
IT’S GOING TO START WITH A
LITTLE HOMEWORK.
GET ONLINE OR OUT IN YOUR
COMMUNITY AND FIND OUT WHICH NEW
DEAL PROJECTS STILL FEATURE IN
YOUR LIFE.
YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED HOW MANY
HIGH SCHOOL GYMS AND PUBLIC
LIBRARIES WERE FUNDED BY THAT
FDR CAMPAIGN PROMISE.
THEN ASK YOUR LOCAL STATE AND
NATIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS HOW
THEY’RE PLANNING TO PROTECT AND
EXPAND THAT VITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, TELL THEM, WE
CALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO BUILT
NEW DEAL AMERICA THE GREATEST
GENERATION.
AND ITS RELEVANCE NEARLY A
CENTURY LATER IS A MONUMENT TO
THEIR COLLECTIVE STRENGTH.
THE ABILITY TO RISE UP TOGETHER
FOR THE COMMON GOOD ISN’T JUST A
HISTORICAL RELIC FROM A BYGONE
ERA.
CONTEMPORARY AMERICANS LIKE YOU
AND ME ACROSS THE GENERATIONS
NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO RISE UP
AGAIN TO CEMENT OUR OWN LEGACY
OF GREATNESS AND TO IMPROVE OUR