The ladies of The View on Wednesday spent their first segment discussing President Biden’s lavish, multi-trillion dollar spending bill flush with socialist programs. After discussing the two Democrat holdouts whose votes are needed to pass the bill, Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, co-host Sara Haines suggested a possible compromise to bring the price tag of the bill down:
Well, one thing though that Senator Manchin is doing that I actually agree on, which we’re not hearing as much about the nuance of the pushback, one of the things he's talking about is the free community college tuition, he believes we don't need to make it free for everyone across the board, we should make that somewhat need based, because to hand out college to just everyone, you could lower that price tag by saying, if you prove you need it then of course you can have it. And I think those types of things make that the more moderate take to bring that price down.
Fellow co-host Joy Behar immediately pushed back on this idea, claiming: “That is not something that's done in the most democratic countries in this world, where they have free college, period.”
Haines was not deterred, taking a surprisingly conservative position on the issue while firing back: “This is where I will just ideologically disagree with you, because I also think when you hand things out like that and there's nothing earned, the reason we test so low, internationally, is, there are countries that make you earn high school.”
Sunny Hostin chimed in to argue with Haines, reinforcing the liberal agenda behind the spending bill: “If this country were truly a meritocracy, what you’re saying makes complete sense, but it just doesn't make sense with the history of this country. This bill has been put forward to make the playing level just a little more even.”
According to Hostin, America can’t be a meritocracy, because of the nation’s “history of systemic racism.” She went on to say that the colleges hardest hit by cuts to spending in the bill are “historically black colleges and universities,” or HBCUs:
“$45 billion were being promised to HBCUs, historically black colleges and universities. Now that number is 2 billion. So, those colleges that need it the most, to again, right some of the systemic wrongs –“
Haines cut in to ask a clarifying question, but Hostin’s argument was clear: she thinks colleges need funds from the government to fight the leftist bogeyman of systemic racism, and believes that Congress should pass a multi-trillion dollar spending bill to accomplish those liberal goals.
Whoopi Goldberg then suggested that Congress should just pass the bill now and fix any issues later.
Make no mistake, the hosts of The View want Joe Biden’s agenda passed in Congress, and they’re not trying to hide their partisan lobbying effort.
This segment of The View was sponsored by Carvana and Oreo.
You can read the full transcript of the referenced segment below by clicking Expand:
10/06/21
11:03:07 AMWHOOPI GOLDBERG: Let's get to what's been going on in the rest of the world, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin sounds a bit like he's warming up to President Biden's social spending bill, saying he's open to negotiating the price tag if he gets onboard, Senator Kyrsten Sinema would be the lone Democratic holdout, she actually is serving in your home state, so, Cindy, what's your take on this, how this is playing out?
CINDY MCCAIN: Well, you know, it's complicated to watch laws being made or bills being passed, et cetera, but what is beginning to happen I'm happy to say, is compromise, that brings civility back into government. It’s always, it's always tough, this is especially with this particular piece of legislation, it's huge, but I think Kyrsten is following her heart and I also think that Senator Manchin is following his, they're doing it for the right reasons and that's what we can ask for, we may not agree with them but as long as they're talking to each other on both sides of the aisle, then we’re better off for that.
JOY BEHAR: Well, it's kind of interesting, there was a recent survey from a nonpartisan, nonprofit group called WorkMoney that says that 86% of those surveyed in West Virginia believe that Manchin should vote for the budget bill. Do you think that has something to do with his change of heart? The West Virginians are now saying, do it. And you know, it's all about being re-elected and so he's worried about that.
SUNNY HOSTIN: And on that point, also, 66% of Arizona likely voters also support this bill, so when you say Senator Sinema is following her heart, shouldn't she be following her constituents?
MCCAIN: Well, that too. Yes, of course.
SARA HAINES: Well, one thing though that Senator Manchin is doing that I actually agree on, which we’re not hearing as much about the nuance of the pushback, one of the things he's talking about is the free community college tuition, he believes we don't need to make it free for everyone across the board, we should make that somewhat need based, because to hand out college to just everyone, you could lower that price tag by saying, if you prove you need it then of course you can have it. And I think those types of things make that the more moderate take to bring that price down.
BEHAR: That is not something that's done in the most democratic countries in this world, where they have free college, period, they don't say, oh, Sara can afford it and Sunny can't.
HAINES: No, but I actually, this is where I will just ideologically disagree with you, because I also think when you hand things out like that and there's nothing earned, the reason we test so low, internationally, is, there are countries that make you earn high school. You have to test into those schools to be good.
HOSTIN: But, but, Sara, you're implying that this country is a meritocracy. And it just simply isn't. Because of the history of racism in this country, the history of legacy in this country, the history of systemic racism. If this country were truly a meritocracy, what you’re saying makes complete sense, but it just doesn't make sense with the history of this country. This bill has been put forward to make the playing level just a little more even.
HAINES: Right, but why are we pushing even just free college? Why aren’t we emphasizing some trade schools? I think even the conversation there’s nuances here, it's not a one size fits all.
BEHAR: That would be good too.
HOSTIN: That would be good too, and, and, unfortunately, you know, some of the colleges that are going to be hit the hardest are the HBCUs, $45 billion were being promised to HBCUs, historically black colleges and universities. Now that number is 2 billion. So, those colleges that need it the most, to again, right some of the systemic wrongs –
HAINES: But will that be hit in this bill? Cause I thought it was just community colleges.
HOSTIN: No, it was gonna be in this bill. Some of those colleges that need the money, that need forward-thinking people, those are the colleges that are going to be hit the hardest. And that’s a shame.
GOLDBERG: I kinda think that –
BEHAR: What I’m – well, go ahead.
GOLDBERG: I just feel like we've done this before, we know that stuff needs to be done, we do it and we pass it and then we do the nuance. You know, pass it and then let people say, we need to tighten this up here and tighten this up there.
HAINES: But I think that’s what, that’s what you were saying about the complexity, it has to be done right now.
MCCAIN: Well, it's very complex, and, and, and, more importantly each community is different. So, at some point community standards have to be part of this and considered in all of this. And I think that’s why at least I'm hopeful, and I’m hopeful because they're talking to each other like I said, they're beginning to communicate, they're working a little bit across the aisle, it's not perfect yet, but these things we're moving towards that and this particular piece of legislation is going to be very interesting when it's passed.
