Let’s make a coronavirus deal?
Latest on the relief negotiations is here. Short version, Pelosi and Mnuchin are still negotiating over a $1.9 trillion bill; McConnell is floating the idea of a $500 billion dollar bill, but it is far from clear he can or even wants to pass anything.
If Pelosi can get to a deal with Mnuchin, that’s great. I still think that the House should pass a bill with or without sign off from Mnuchin and challenge Trump and Senate Republicans to pass it.
But I would add now that the House should consider passing a $500 billion bill and calling McConnell’s bluff. Part of the impetus for hanging tough on a big bill was to limit the ability of Senate Republicans to sabotage a Biden presidency by withholding any further relief (which they would surely do). But it looks increasingly likely that the Democrats will take the Senate and be able to pass their own bill in January. Of course this is not guaranteed, but we need to play the probabilities. If the polling holds up on the Senate, the main aim should be to get through the next 3 months without too much human suffering and economic damage. $500 billion is not enough, but properly targeted it would be a lot better than nothing. Passing an inadequate bill would not help the Republicans politically, and it might help the Democrats drive home how intransigent and destructive Republicans are being on coronavirus relief.
Erik,
You’re asking them to do something they already did.
“House approves $2.2 trillion coronavirus-relief bill
Oct 2, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $2.2 trillion coronavirus-relief bill today that’s designed to help tens of millions of families and small businesses that are struggling to stay afloat amid the ongoing pandemic.
The legislation – known as Heroes Act 2.0 – would, among other things, restore the $600-per-week in enhanced unemployment benefits through January 2021 and provide nearly all Americans with a second round of direct economic impact payments of $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent.”
https://degette.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-approves-22-trillion-coronavirus-relief-bill-0
Yes, I know they have passed a bill. My thought is that they can / should pass a bill that makes some (perhaps token) concessions to Mnuchin and challenge Trump to show leadership and get it passed by the Senate, and if/when that fails, pass a $500 billion bill to counter McConnell’s messaging bill, and also to (perhaps) get some interim relief.
eric
i think you are naive to think that token concessions would do anything to gain cooperation of R’s.
in any case the issue is “targeted” … what targets?
give the R’s what they want in separate bill, you sill never get what you want.