Senate Republicans and their Trump Zone-Fox Island Allies in the White House are showing they have the right priorities for the American People.
First, they waited until the last moment in July to conduct negotiations with the Democrats on the latest COVID 19 relief bill.
Democrats in the House passed the Coronavirus Relief Heroes Act in May.
Then they could not agree among themselves on how much the Coronavirus aid measure should cost.
Then the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows became involved and negotiations fell apart.
Mr. Trump signed Executive Orders that proved to be either too short term, ineffective, or not worth the paper it was written on (kind of like his recent order on Pre Existing Conditions.)
Senate Republicans finally unveiled their own ideas on COVID 19 relief but it catered too much to the frugal fringe right.
Senate Republicans and their Trump Zone-Fox Island allies in the White House, in a stunning demonstration of hypocrisy and a blatant power grab, have not taken the same timid approach with proceeding with the confirmation process for the successor to Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.
Make no mistake, this move to put the conservative anthesis to Ginsburg (Amy Coney Barrett, reportedly a brilliant jurist but too far to the right in legal philosophy) will hurt the American People given the prospects for rulings on:
- Health Care like the pending hearing on the Affordable Care Act.
- Women's Rights, especially the right to choose.
- Environmental Regulation
- Voter Rights
- Worker Rights
Putting her on the court will probably set social progress and justice back generations.
Meanwhile, while Senate Republicans attempt to Ram through their ultra-right Back to the Past Supreme Court Nominee, House Democrats, and some Republicans, have been crafting another legislative proposal toward COVID Relief for the People.
House Democrats and their allies in the Senate have the right priorities for the American People.
The Problem Solvers Caucus Proposal attempts to bring both sides Together.
About two weeks ago, a group of centrist Democrats and Republicans (50 in all) including Arizona's Congressional District One Representative Tom O'Halleran, composed a COVID 19 Relief plan.
There is a lot in its features to recommend it. The plan includes:
- "Testing & Healthcare ($100B)
- Direct Assistance to Individuals & Families ($316B)
- Unemployment Assistance ($120B)
- Small Business & Non-profit Support ($290B)
- School & Child Care ($145B)
- State & Local Aid ($500.3B)
- Election Support ($400M)
- Broadband, Agriculture, USPS, & Census ($52B)
- Worker & Liability Protections
- Automatic Boosters & Reducers"
It is also refreshing and welcoming to know that at least bipartisan good government legislation is possible.
Suzanne Hug, running for one of the Arizona State House seats in Legislative District 25, commented on the bipartisan measure:
"I support the Problem Solvers Caucus in its work to pass a bill to help Americans. The need for state funding and direct cash payments is critical. Every day without a bill is a disservice to Arizonans."
Delina DiSanto, the Democratic Nominee for Arizona Congressional District Four wrote:
"The Problem Solvers Caucus tries to find bipartisan solutions and is trying hard to push forward a bill for much-needed COVID19 relief for struggling citizens, small businesses, and local government, as they are listening to their constituents. But the rest of the Republicans in the House are not listening to their constituents. If they are, then they have sold their soul to Trump, lobbyists, and large corporations. There is no compromise. And Mitch McConnell has his own agenda, he's not working for Americans."
Moving Forward
Both leading Democrats and Republicans were initially lukewarm towards the Problem Solvers Proposal.
Pelosi wanted a more expensive bill that encompassed more needed areas (like combatting Food Insecurity which she did some funding for in this week’s Budget Continuing Resolution.)
McConnell is more preoccupied with stacking the courts instead of caring about the American People.
The attitude changed on September 24, 2020, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi, because of both the stagnant economy and the concern for Moderate Democrats in swing districts, announced her pursuit of a new Coronavirus Relief bill that costs around $2.4 trillion.
She has been in contact with Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin.
The bill is being written and may be voted on next week.
Centrist Democrats are currently in disagreement on whether the bill should be passed along a strict party-line vote or support from both parties.
Democrats should not fight among themselves on COVID 19 relief legislation.
People are still out of work because of the pandemic.
Some of the people that have returned to work have done so at either reduced hours, wages, or both.
There are people waiting in car lines for hours to get food.
Small businesses need assistance.
The airline industry needs help.
States and cities need more aid.
So will schools and the health care sector as they need more resources to combat the spread of the Coronavirus.
Democrats should come together and pass a bill that meets the needs of the American People.
If it the Problem Solvers Caucus Bill, great.
If it is the new one that Nancy Pelosi has asked to be written by next week, wonderful.
Either way, there is going to be a need for more relief with whoever is President on January 20, 2021.
Remember it is most Republicans putting their fringe plutocratic conservative needs ahead of the American People.
It is the Democrats fighting for the people and the country while the other side hurts them.
Democrats in the House should not lose sight of that and stop the bickering.
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