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Marsha Blackburn roasted for saying Joe Biden shouldn't spend $400B on 'elder care': 'You're almost 70'

Internet slammed the Republican Senator for her tweets opposing Biden's American Jobs Plan, calling it 'about anything but infrastructure'

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn has attacked President Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan, calling it "anything but infrastructure" in a series of tweets. Earlier on April 7, the Senator put out three tweets attacking Biden's plan and telling her followers how the proposed plan was a "liberal agenda". 

The American Jobs Plan is Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure bill, aimed at getting America's economy back on track while also providing opportunities to shift towards greener sources of energy. The bill has elements of a traditional infrastructure bill, with $621B set aside for roads, highways and bridges. However, the proposal also goes much further than that to provide for various other elements such as elderly care, green energy investment, climate change research, education, jobs and Medicaid.  

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Apart from the high price tag, Republicans are calling out the addition of these other elements, saying they do not come under the definition of infrastructure. Former president Donald Trump's Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought said, "only about 5 to 7 percent of it is actual roads and bridges and ports and things that you and I would say is real infrastructure". Senator Roy Blunt said on Fox News, "Even if you stretch the definition of infrastructure some, it’s about 30 percent of the $2.25 trillion they’re talking about spending." Now, Blackburn has become the latest leader to bring up that argument.

In her first tweet, she said, "Biden’s ‘infrastructure’ proposal is the latest attempt to push through a liberal agenda. Take a look at what Biden wants taxpayer dollars going towards." She called out the money being used for climate crisis studies and green transport initiatives, but it was really her third tweet that got everyone's attention. She tweeted, "President Biden’s proposal is about anything but infrastructure" and shared a graphic with '$400 billion towards elder care'. 

'One hell of a message,' says Twitter

Reacting to her tweet, many users were shocked, angered and disgusted with Blackburn's attempt to highlight elder care. One user tweeted, "Really? Your getting up there Marsha" with an image of her age. Another joked, "i dunno, I think it's good to take care of the elderly, but I'd like to hear elaboration on your "let them die" perspective as well."

One person said, "Fair to quibble about whether to use term "infrastructure" in a traditional way, or a more expansive way to include soft structures that fuel productivity. Building an accessible & affordable "care economy" for elder & child care makes the job force accessible to more workers." Another tweeted, "“We will not allow money to go to the elderly” is one hell of a message for Republicans to run with."

""screw the elderly" doesn't seem like the best hill to die on but you do you, Senator," joked another. One person took a shot at Rep Matt Gaetz, replying "Psssst...most GOPers like kids, not oldies." One said, "ma'am you're almost 70 i would start worrying about elder care if i were you." Another said, "Why do you hate old people."

Trump was targeted too, with one person tweeting, "I see that supporting a president whose mismanagement led to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths isn't sufficient for you to fully express your contempt for the elderly." Another called out the GOP, saying, "Yeah I know, helping people is antithetical to republican ideals."

"Damn right! You keep up the fight against <squints> uh, elder care? Um, okay, we're against caring for elders now, I guess. America. Yeah," another tweeted. One person replied, "Honestly at this point I can't figure out who you think is voting for you."

Despite Republican opposition, Biden's plan is reportedly widely popular with the general public. Data for Progress found that the plan is supported by 93 per cent of Democrats, 57 per cent of Republicans and 67 per cent of Independents. Democrats got a big boost recently when the Senate Parliamentarian ruled that the bill could pass the upper chamber through reconciliation, requiring just 51 votes. Democrats in the House of Representatives want to pass the bill by the fourth of July. If all Democrats get behind the plan, the bill could reach Biden's desk by the winter.