Senate Majority Leader McConnell has finally apparently dropped one demand for coronavirus relief, a big destructive one, in return for another. McConnell told reporters Tuesday that "We cannot leave without a Covid package." He suggests that "the two most contentious items be set aside." That would be his insistence on a liability shield for businesses in return for Democrats dropping, for the time being, insistence on state and local government funding. The $908 billion package senators have been working on would provide $160 billion for state and local governments.
The proposal still doesn't have any direct aid to people. That's a problem and a growing source of resistance among Democrats and one loud Republican. Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon, is circulating a letter among colleagues, demanding direct payments. The senators say that the current proposal "does not go anywhere near far enough" to help people. "Please join us in demanding that any new COVID-relief proposal includes a $1,200 direct payment to adults and $500 to their children," the senators write. "Further, please work with us to make certain that there is no language in this bill to give a liability shield to corporations who threaten the health and safety of workers and customers." McConnell has bent on that one at the moment, making this a potentially hopeful time for aid.
Campaign Action
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has also been lobbying Trump for the aid, asking that he threaten to veto any bill that doesn't have the aid. The White House hasn't gone that far, but has asked Republican leadership to include $600 direct payments. Which, for the 12 million renters who are an average $5,850 in arrears on rent and utilities is an insult. But it's further than McConnell and Republicans have been willing to go. According to sources to the Post, Trump himself has said he is willing to see another round of checks and would go as high as $2,000.
As of now, Republicans are pooh-poohing it. Look at Sen. Collins, who wants businesses to get away scot free with endangering and killing their employees. She told reporters about direct aid "I know there's considerable public support for it, but right now we're targeting struggling families, failing businesses, health care workers and we don't have a stimulus check to every single person, regardless of need." The struggling families need the money as well as everything else in the bill that will help them. Give them the money! Get it back from the people who don't need it as much next year by raising taxes on them! What a perfectly obnoxious Susan Collins kind of position to take.
Aside from that, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer was lukewarm to McConnell's offer. He said McConnell is "sabotaging" the bipartisan negotiations. "State and local funding is bipartisan unlike the extreme corporate liability proposal Leader McConnell made which has no Democratic support," Schumer told reporters. "Sen. McConnell is trying to pull the rug out from beneath the Gang of Eight" senators.