US President Joe Biden wants to invest $ 2,000 billion in his country's infrastructure, especially roads.

This work should in part be financed by a 21% to 28% increase in corporate tax.

Enough to make the Republicans jump, including his former rival Donald Trump.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday proposed investing some $ 2,000 billion in infrastructure, with the stated goal of creating “millions of jobs”, standing up to China and fighting climate change.

"It's ambitious! It's daring! And we can do it!", Launched the president from Pittsburgh, who has demonstrated, since coming to power less than three months ago, his will to reform.

"This will create the most resilient, strongest and most innovative economy in the world," he added, stressing the need to "win" against China.

Increase in corporate tax

The first phase of its “Build Back Better” program involves investments that would be spread over eight years and financed by a corporate tax increase from 21% to 28%.

“This is not about penalizing anyone,” said Joe Biden, hammering “believe in American capitalism” and have “nothing” against millionaires and billionaires.

But the White House tenant was outraged that a firefighter or teacher pays 22% income tax and that groups like Amazon pay no federal tax.

"I'm going to end this," he thundered.

His plan includes injecting $ 620 billion into transportation, modernizing more than 20,000 miles of roads and highways, and repairing some 10,000 bridges across the United States.

"Insufficient" sums 

This new legislative offensive comes shortly after the adoption by Congress of a recovery plan focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, also estimated at nearly 2,000 billion dollars.

But this Pittsburgh speech is only the beginning of a bitter battle in Congress, the outcome of which is uncertain.

The Democratic majority there is indeed narrow and the negotiations promise to be formidable.

Already, the first dissonant voices have come from the left wing of the Democratic Party.

For the elected of New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the proposed sums are quite simply "insufficient".

“The envelope has to be much bigger,” she tweeted.

For the Republican senator of Wyoming John Barrasso, on the other hand, this project is only a "Trojan horse" to allow the Democrats "to spend more and to raise the taxes".

The only certainty is that the coming months will test the negotiating qualities of the Democratic president, former senator and connoisseur of the workings of Washington.

"Dangerous" error

Former rival of Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries and now Minister of Transport, Pete Buttigieg, who will be on the front line on this issue, ensures that everything will be different this time, that the stars are aligned.

"I think we have an extraordinary opportunity to have the support of both parties to think big and be daring on infrastructure," insists the young minister.

"Americans don't need to be explained to them that we need to act on infrastructure, and the reality is you can't separate the climate dimension" from this challenge.

If Pete Buttigieg's enthusiasm and political capital are real, the task will be daunting.

Tellingly, the American Chamber of Commerce, which had so far welcomed many of Joe Biden's decisions, from the return to the Paris climate agreement to the bailout of the economy, expressed its clear disagreement on Wednesday. If she approves of the desire to make infrastructure a priority, she believes that the Democratic president is "dangerously" wrong on the way to finance his program.

"We are fiercely opposed to the proposed tax hikes, which will slow the economic recovery and make the United States less competitive on the international stage, the exact opposite of the goals of this plan."

In an aggressive and uninhibited press release, Donald Trump accused his successor of proposing a strategy of "total economic capitulation".

Denouncing a "monstrosity", he estimated that the increase in the corporate tax would be "a huge gift" to China.

"Joe Biden's cruel attack on the American dream must never become law (...). Our economy will be destroyed!", He concluded, using a phrase regularly used in the campaign when he spoke of the possible victory of his opponent.