Congressional leaders add stimulus checks to $900 billion relief package as they near deal

[demmiblue]

Source: WaPo

Congressional leaders are near an agreement to add a new round of stimulus checks to a roughly $900 billion relief package as they rush to complete a deal before the end of the week, according to three people familiar with the talks granted anonymity to share internal deliberations.

A bipartisan proposal released earlier this week by a group of moderate lawmakers excluded another round of $1,200 stimulus checks. But as congressional leaders tried to resolve differences in recent days, they decided to try and include a round of direct payments in the emerging legislation.

They are rushing to complete a deal because they must pass a new spending bill Friday night at midnight in order to avoid a government shutdown. House Democrats had sought a much larger stimulus package before the election but have softened their position since President-elect Biden’s victory in hopes of securing some immediate relief.

The inclusion of these direct payments comes as congressional leaders appeared likely to cut new aid for states and cities out of the bill, giving lawmakers more money to work with while keeping the total cost of the package under $1 trillion. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had proposed including $600 stimulus checks in the package last week, but Democrats opposed the measure then because the White House wanted to slash unemployment aid as well.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/12/16/congress-stimulus-checks-relief/

[Autumn]

1. $600 is a rather pathetic number put forth by a pathetic creature.

[NotHardly]

2. Yup.Congress giving "chump change" to all us little poor chumps out here...disguesting face slap

to all the 'poors' after watching us go hungry, getting kicked out of home & hearth', and condemened as we die from their wanton neglect and disregard.

[Autumn]

3. The Dems would do better to do nothing. A small amount will piss off a lot of hurting people.

[My Pet Orangutan]

5. Oh wow.

I was being sarcastic.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2649323

[Autumn]

8. I wasn't. nt

[NurseJackie]

6. Ridiculous.

A small amount will piss off a lot of hurting people.

Ridiculous. People may be disappointed that they didn't receive MORE... but no reasonable person will be upset over receiving SOMETHING instead of NOTHING.

Lord.

[Turin_C3PO]

9. Not true.

There's people who need any type of aid NOW. With the extension of unemployment and a $600 check it will be a lifeline to millions. We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Luckily, I think this bill will pass.

[Autumn]

12. A $600 and only 300 more on UI for 16 weeks when people are hurting is ridiculous. nt

[Polybius]

19. A half a loaf of bread is better than none

Any number helps.

[Autumn]

20. Sure it is. If you don't mind eating moldy bread while the people giving you that moldy bread

are having steak and sharing it with their friends. Over the past 5 months nearly 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty because they can't find jobs, their UI had ended and government aid has run out.

[Polybius]

23. Flawed analogy

Moldy bread is useless. $600 isn't useless, it's a week's pay of more for tens of millions of Americans. I'll take a free $600 any day.

[Autumn]

27. Flawed is your opinion. Like the saying goes, nothing is free. A week is nothing to people who are

behind months in rent and utilities and lining up at food banks.

[Polybius]

29. No, it's not an opinion it's a fact

Molded bread is useless to nearly everyone. $600 is completely different. It's not useless at all, it helps, even if not enough.

[Autumn]

33. I's your fact. You brought up half a loaf. I brought up moldy bread. Both are useless in

this pandemic when so many are suffering and an insult to people who are doing without and through no falut of their own.

[Polybius]

34. It's your fact too, and everyone else's

$600 is not completely useless, molded bread is.

[Autumn]

35. And half a loaf of bread to a family is useless in feeding that family. nt

[Polybius]

36. One person in the family could benefit

I want the bill to pass, because I am flat broke and $600 will be something.

[Autumn]

37. Here's the thing. It doesn't have to fucking be that way. Our government can easily afford to

take care of it it's people. The fucking politicians we have elected make the choice not to. You know why? They aren't fucking broke. We people make sure of that. The last stimulus was an insult, this one is a fucking slap in the face.

[riversedge]

24. It is barely a very thin slice

[George II]

14. In other words if there aren't enough lifeboats let's not use any of them.

[Autumn]

15. No. In other words if we can't help the people who need help for $900 billion trim the fat

elsewhere at this point in time other than a pittance and a stingy 300 addition to an already lowered UI for 16 lousy weeks when nearly 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty in the last 5 fucking months.

[liskddksil]

25. Yes its a hot garbage but pass it anyway, and make Perdue and Loeffler take the blame

that they couldn't deliver more than a measly $600 to their constituents, and they are defunding police and firefighters by not including state and local funding. Then pivot that only Ossoff and Warnock will deliver the goods.

[Autumn]

28. Yes, it's terrible optics. Billions for the wealthy and big business, billions for churches and

$600 for people on the verge of losing everything. The priorities our politicians have are so fucked up.

[My Pet Orangutan]

4. Reject the package unless it's 1,800 per person.

Nothing is better than something

[NurseJackie]

7. I see that YOU are being sarcastic, but there are some making the same statement...

... who are dead-serious. Emphasis on the "dead" part. It's just astounding to me how cruel politicians can be, especially those who think that "all or nothing" is a legitimate bargaining strategy. It must be nice to have the personal luxury of being able to walk away with nothing, while others are in desperate situations. (And with the full knowledge that Biden will be taking office in just over a month.)

All I'm trying to say is that your sarcasm is quite sharp and pointed... well aimed at those politicians who are most deserving.

[William769]

22. Think of republicans that refuse to believe President-elect Biden actually did win

And you have your answer.

[yaesu]

16. Compared to the $7 trillion stimulus check wall street banksters got its a boot n the ass & a slap

in the face all at the same time.

[Autumn]

18. It's bad optics. I'm leery about what else is in the bill and who else it might benefit.

[liskddksil]

10. Not good, but pass it and then filet Perdue and Loeffler like a fish that they couldn't deliver

more than a measly $600 to their constituents, and they are defunding police and firefighters by not including state and local funding. Then pivot that only Ossoff and Warnock will deliver the goods. That's more effective messaging than any of our economic messages in the general which utterly sucked.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. The corporate immunity has been stripped, so any stimulus is better than nothing. Nt

[turbinetree]

13. Let's think about this......Bullshit, we are in a pandemic and austerity is being used ....

this is just outrageous.........

[yaesu]

17. They are calling it "survival checks" now. nt

[634-5789]

21. $600? That's not going to help much.

[Polybius]

30. Yes but just last night it was $0

I want more, but I'll take it.

[634-5789]

32. Can't argue that.

Just hope that Geoirgia does their job so we can get this fiasco under control

[NotHardly]

26. They wanted us INFECTED... Fed policy to kill us off... now they offer PALTRY CHICKEN FEED

... never forget, never forgive these Republican murderers who want your silence for the pennies they offer.

Never forget the grifing Republicans and their corporate masters get the billions and the American people are left to die and take their 'grateful' pennies to the bank... but only if you are not already dead, ill, homeless, jobless, and destitute.

THANKS MITCH

[blue-wave]

31. $600 is an insult

but at least it's something. I hope people can hold on until January 20th. Biden's first week will have to be very busy. Hopefully he will pass a much more substantial relief package quickly.