Steve Mnuchin says a Coronavirus relief bill is unlikely to pass before the election. What happened?
Summary
As both parties push for a deal, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said yesterday that Republicans and Democrats are “far apart” on a relief bill.
- Following rumors that a second stimulus check was in the works, and the proposal of two bills (one Republican, one Democrat) with relief plans, the passage of either bill remains murky.
- Last week, Trump called for an end to negotiations on the bills, Tweeting that Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith.” A few days later, negotiations resumed as Trump performed an about-face and Mitch McConnell said that Americans “need another rescue package.”
- On Tuesday, Mitch McCoonnell said that the Senate would vote on 19 October on a “targeted relief” bill, likely much smaller than originally proposed. In response, President Trump tweeted, “go big or go home!”
- Yesterday, Steve Mnuchin said that reaching an agreement on a stimulus package before the election “would be difficult.” He has been negotiating with Nancy Pelosi for several weeks.
- Around midnight this morning, Trump blamed Pelosi for the delayed passage of a relief bill, saying that she “couldn’t care less about the American People or the great American Worker.” Trump said that he is ready to sign a bill immediately.
- Portrays Republicans, especially Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell, as stubborn, uncompromising, and uncaring, and implies that Republicans are not taking the concerns of the democrats, like living wages and unemployment benefits, seriously.
- Points out that Nancy Pelosi is in an incredibly difficult situation: as pressure mounts from within her own party to pass any bill that will provide some relief to Americans, she is hesitant to compromise on the needs and values that she and her party have outlined for coronavirus relief.
- Sees the stimulus stalemate as a symptom of larger dissidence between Democrats and Republicans as the election looms. Generally, the Left reports that the GOP looks worse than ever, both on the Senate and Presidential side, and are likely to lose seats in November.
- Portrays the Democrats, especially Nancy Pelosi, as stubborn, uncompromising, and uncaring, and writes that her stubbornness could cost the country trillions of dollars.
- Points out that Senators should be focused on Americans and outcomes, rather than politics: while Republicans and Democrats have debated the minutia of the relief bill for the past five months, many American voters have gone without income.
- Unpacks specific issues in the Democratic relief proposal, like how the bill offers significant federal assistance to states and cities and could provide relief to illegal immigrants.
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© Evelyn Torsher, 2020
