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Democrats are moving ahead without Republicans on Covid relief
Washington (CNN)Democrats are moving now to fast-track a Covid relief package.
If Republicans want to come along, great. Democrats are arguing Republicans can vote for budget reconciliation. If Republicans don't like the plan, they can keep talking to the White House, but the underlying takeaway from the meeting on Monday night -- and all the messages from the White House in the days before that -- is the President is only willing to negotiate so much. Republicans' $618 billion proposal with no state and local funding is not going to cut it. Period.
Bottom line: President Joe Biden has the House. Biden has the Senate. He has a procedural process that gives him the chance to pass a $1.9 trillion relief package with just Democratic votes and conveniently, it's a process that Republicans used just four years ago to jam through a tax plan and try to repeal Obamacare.
They aren't doing anything Republicans haven't done.
Their plan is going to be popular with voters and no one is going to care how they got there.
We will see on the second point, but when you are talking about giving people direct checks, expanding unemployment insurance, giving people more money to buy food and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, you aren't talking about unpopular ideas. Democratic aides tell CNN over and over again this isn't repealing Obamacare. They are giving people something, not taking something away, and that's emboldened members to act swiftly and decisively and not give in to talk that they have to unify the country by bringing Republicans onboard with a plan.
If Republicans want to come along, great. Democrats are arguing Republicans can vote for budget reconciliation. If Republicans don't like the plan, they can keep talking to the White House, but the underlying takeaway from the meeting on Monday night -- and all the messages from the White House in the days before that -- is the President is only willing to negotiate so much. Republicans' $618 billion proposal with no state and local funding is not going to cut it. Period.
Bottom line: President Joe Biden has the House. Biden has the Senate. He has a procedural process that gives him the chance to pass a $1.9 trillion relief package with just Democratic votes and conveniently, it's a process that Republicans used just four years ago to jam through a tax plan and try to repeal Obamacare.
They aren't doing anything Republicans haven't done.
Their plan is going to be popular with voters and no one is going to care how they got there.
We will see on the second point, but when you are talking about giving people direct checks, expanding unemployment insurance, giving people more money to buy food and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, you aren't talking about unpopular ideas. Democratic aides tell CNN over and over again this isn't repealing Obamacare. They are giving people something, not taking something away, and that's emboldened members to act swiftly and decisively and not give in to talk that they have to unify the country by bringing Republicans onboard with a plan.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/congress-covid-aid-bill-latest/index.html
An estimated 29 million people would lose out on stimulus payments under GOP proposal
Washington (CNN)The Republican counterproposal on coronavirus relief unveiled Monday would potentially leave out 29 million middle- and upper-income earners who would qualify for stimulus payments under President Joe Biden's plan.
The GOP plan would cut off cash for individuals earning more than $50,000 a year and couples earning more than $100,000, according to a fact sheet provided by the office of Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who rolled out the proposal Sunday with nine other Republicans.
About 78% of families would qualify for a relief payment under the Republican proposal, while 95% would be eligible under Biden's proposal, according to analysts at the The Penn Wharton Budget Model, who warned that the figures are preliminary since no formal legislative text is available yet.
Biden has asked Congress to send an additional $1,400 to Americans who are already getting $600 under the package approved by Congress in December, bringing the total to $2,000. People earning less than $75,000 and couples earning less than $150,000 would receive the full amount under Biden's plan and payments would gradually phase out.
The GOP plan would cut off cash for individuals earning more than $50,000 a year and couples earning more than $100,000, according to a fact sheet provided by the office of Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who rolled out the proposal Sunday with nine other Republicans.
About 78% of families would qualify for a relief payment under the Republican proposal, while 95% would be eligible under Biden's proposal, according to analysts at the The Penn Wharton Budget Model, who warned that the figures are preliminary since no formal legislative text is available yet.
Biden has asked Congress to send an additional $1,400 to Americans who are already getting $600 under the package approved by Congress in December, bringing the total to $2,000. People earning less than $75,000 and couples earning less than $150,000 would receive the full amount under Biden's plan and payments would gradually phase out.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/politics/stimulus-check-gop-proposal/index.html
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Response to spanone (Original post)
