If Donald Trump wanted to get revenge on Sen. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans for not going along with his hare-brained schemes to have the election overturned—and to boost the Democrats' chance of a win in the Georgia runoff election for the Senate—he couldn't have done any better than demanding $2,000 direct payments to all the people. Because in swoop House Democrats, ready to push that bill and send it to the Senate where McConnell so far has no intention of dealing with it.
The House is coming into session at 4 PM ET Monday to try to pass the $2,000 direct payment bill. They need a two-thirds majority in order to pass the bill under suspension of the rules and not have to come back in in regular order, which would take more time to get accomplished. They might get it done since so many House Republicans are just doing what Trump wants. The House will also vote to override Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act. And the Senate? So far McConnell is showing no interest in helping people. As usual.
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McConnell's spokesperson declined to comment on whether the Senate will be taking up the $2,000 direct payments, or anything else Trump said "Congress" told him Congress would do, like repeal Section 230 of the Communications Act, or investigate voter fraud, or accept the cuts he is demanding to the foreign aid spending in the bill he just signed. By "Congress," Trump probably meant the House maniacs he met with last week who promised him they would help him overturn the election. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer will try to bring the bill up in the Senate. He says: "No Democrats will object. Will Senate Republicans?" Probably.
However, it puts a lot of pressure on Georgia Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, who won't have any excuses anymore to oppose the $2,000 direct payments, an issue that has been key in both races. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have both seized on the issue, happily accepting that unintended gift from Trump.
It remains a good argument for them, especially if McConnell does as predicted and refuses to take up that critical aid for people. It will provide more evidence of how much President-elect Joe Biden is going to need a Democratic Senate to get the critical assistance people need.
