from w nyc studios it's brian lear a daily politics podcast it's monday august first democrats in washington apparently decided

that it's getting close enough to the November election, that they had to get more

serious about trying to hold the House and Senate. So they finally came to a deal on what used to be

called Joe Biden's build back better bill. Remember that? Now it's rebranded as the

Inflation Reduction Act. And I think we can say no longer aims to make Biden the new FDR or the new

LBJ. But it does make potentially transformative investments in preventing climate change,

adds incentives for more fossil fuel production too in the short run, makes corporations pay

at least a minimum amount of tax and allows Medicare

to begin negotiating the price of prescription drugs for seniors. That's all if the bill passes,

which we still don't know because even though Joe Manchin got on board, we don't know yet

about Arizona Democrat Kirsten Cinema. But we'll talk about the politics of cinema and the

bill and the midterms. We'll also talk about what's in and what's out of the original build back

better. And we'll do this with USA Today, Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page. She's also author of the

books, Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi

and The Lessons of Power, and the Matriarch, Barbara Bush, and the making of an American

dynasty. And she's got a new one coming soon on TV journalist Barbara Walter. Susan,

we always appreciate when you come on. Welcome back to WNYC. Hey, Brian, it's always my pleasure.

So let's start with Watson and what's out of this inflation reduction act compared to build back better.

I think most of the press since Joe Manchin signed on is that it's going to be a big climate change bill.

But I'm interested in what's in it.

Is childcare, there was going to be the seeds of a national child care program in the

original build back better.

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