As White House Floats Skimpier Relief Bill in Bid for GOP Support, Progressives Warn

[turbinetree]

Going Small Would Be 'Catastrophic'

Published on Thursday, January 28, 2021
by Common Dreams

"Congress should err on the side of offering generous relief to a larger pool of people, rather than too little."

by Jake Johnson, staff writer

With the Biden White House reportedly weighing the possibility of splitting its proposed coronavirus relief package into two parts in an effort to attract some Republican support, leaders of the Congressional Progressives Caucus are warning that anything less than the president's $1.9 trillion opening offer would represent an unacceptable betrayal of economically desperate Americans.

In a letter (pdf) to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Calif.) on Wednesday, more than two dozen members of the CPC Executive Board wrote that "if we aim too low, the financial consequences will be catastrophic, long-lasting, and borne by the American families who can least afford it."

The letter was signed by CPC chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), deputy chair Katie Porter (D-Calif.), caucus whip Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and 21 other lawmakers.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/28/white-house-floats-skimpier-relief-bill-bid-gop-support-progressives-warn-going

[Demsrule86]

1. Common Dreams...huh...sorry not credible.

[gab13by13]

8. Are you saying the letter is fake news?

President Biden has been impressive beyond belief. He has been a Teddy Roosevelt, speaking softly and carrying a big stick.

I am far from an expert but I listen to economists and doctors and the ones that I listen to say that cutting the relief package would be disastrous.

If President Biden isn't considering cutting the package in half then no harm done in emphasizing the need for the 1.9 trillion is there?

[FBaggins]

14. Common Dream's depiction of the letter is pretty close to fake news

"anything less than the president's $1.9 trillion opening offer would represent an unacceptable betrayal of economically desperate Americans." is pretty harsh language not found in the letter.

[EndlessWire]

17. I often wonder

what DU deems acceptable news sources. Is there a list somewhere? When I see a DU mod state that a news source is unacceptable, I try to learn, but then I end up thinking that maybe it is just a matter of taste.

[SlogginThroughIt]

20. Used to be more strict

Now anyone counts as a news source.

[Autumn]

21. Might not be a credible site to you but what is written there is a fact.

Sorry. Dems start backing off on what they have been saying is needed voters may very well back off in 2022. That would be a fucking disaster. That being said I don't think Biden will allow it.

[Thekaspervote]

2. Oh go away!! When you have the kind of knowledge, experience and empathy Biden has

For leading and governing..come back and maybe we’ll talk!

[comradebillyboy]

3. Common Dreams, the people who would rather have nothing

than half a loaf.

[Happy Hoosier]

4. I'm in favor of going big.... BUT....

Ya gotta get the votes. It's that simple. I want Joe to push for the most he can get. But 75% of what you want is better than 0%.

[Turin_C3PO]

9. Shoot high but compromise if necessary.

[notinkansas]

15. Yeah. Compromise. As in the ACA negotiations

where the bill was seriously watered down in an attempt to get republican votes. They never got those votes.

[Happy Hoosier]

23. So... your plan?

We did get an ACA to help people. Not everything we wanted or everything we need, but it WAS better than nothing at all.

I want to push for whatever we can get. But if we take a "no compromise" position, then you must accept that a potential outcome of that is you get nothing at all. Is that an acceptable outcome? Not to me it isn't.

[notinkansas]

24. We're not going to get repub votes -

regardless of how much compromise we are willing to do. So what's the point?

[Happy Hoosier]

26. Who cares if we get Repub votes?

We can pass what we want in House, but we need EVERY member of OUR caucus to win in the Senate... and that's only if we are willing to eliminate the filibuster (or bypass). I am in favor of that, but in case, you must get your own caucus on board to do ANY of that. And right now Manchin is saying he opposes eliminating the filibuster.

We have to do more that just get mad, IMO.

[notinkansas]

27. If we don't care or expect to get repub votes,

what incentive is there for compromise?

Manchin isn't the only one gumming up the works. Sinema from Arizona is doing the same.

[Arne]

5. Remember how we have been in opposite upside down land for 4yrs.

It's time to turn that table and flip the script.

If a republican says he wants this or they think that,
the exact opposite should happen, in triplicate.

[Demsrule86]

7. You have to have the votes...period.

[Arne]

11. Should happen,

It was just wishful thinking.

[luv2fly]

6. The most awesome Jen Psaki says this isn't true

MSNBC reporting Jen said there is no plan to split the relief package. Found her tweet

Link to tweet

[gab13by13]

10. Great news,

because half a loaf in this case will be disastrous.

[Billytee]

12. We elected the majority in...

the House, the Senate and elected Pres Joe and VP Kamala in the White House.

ACT LIKE IT!

[liskddksil]

13. Schumer seems to agree

Link to tweet

[JustAnotherGen]

19. +1

As a voter and a tax payer - it's time to go big.

[BlueIdaho]

16. I trust President Biden

More than I trust Common Dreams. Enough said.

[JustAnotherGen]

18. Jayapal and Porter

Aren't playing around.

And they are absolutely correct.

[liskddksil]

22. We won the Senate on those checks, so that cannot be negotiable - Sen. Ossoff agrees

Last edited Thu Jan 28, 2021, 05:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

[Turin_C3PO]

25. Agree.

I’m for compromise, generally, but not on the relief check amount. As you said, that’s what GA voters were promised in the January election.