McConnell to drop new stimulus plan as some in GOP balk at cash payments

[babylonsister]

McConnell to drop new stimulus plan as some in GOP balk at cash payments
"It will help position our economy to thrive once again after this public health menace is behind us," McConnell says of the plan.
By MARIANNE LEVINE and JOHN BRESNAHAN
03/19/2020 02:15 PM EDT
Updated: 03/19/2020 04:47 PM EDT


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is preparing Thursday to introduce a $1 trillion-plus economic stimulus plan to deal with the fallout out of the coronavirus crisis, but some Republicans are balking at a White House proposal to send hundreds of billions of dollars in checks directly to American families.

McConnell has vowed to keep the Senate in session until the chamber passes some kind of legislation to deal with growing economic fallout from the pandemic. And some White House officials are downplaying the GOP opposition to the direct payments initiative.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has been the most vocal opponent of the cash payments plan pushed by President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other senior administration officials. Graham told Senate Republicans on Thursday that he had called Trump to lobby against the plan, adding that Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) — soon to take over as White House chief of staff — agreed with him.

"Direct payments make sense when the economy is beginning to restart. It makes no sense now cause it's just money," Graham told reporters. "What I want is income, just not one check. I want you to get a check every week, not just one week."

Graham, like some other Republicans, wants to beef up the unemployment insurance system instead, as well as boosting loans for small businesses. Mnuchin and administration officials have floated providing $300 billion or more for small businesses, while direct payments to individual American families in April and May could cost $500 billion or more.

more...

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/19/senate-negotiates-third-coronavirus-package-137607

[Wellstone ruled]

1. You could see this coming miles away.

We are seeing the death troughs of the GOP and their far Right Gang of Idiots.

[Hassler]

2. Moscow Mitch doing what he does best--nothing.

[jpak]

3. Idiots

Fools

Throw them all out.

[customerserviceguy]

4. In this case

I agree with Graham. Why give money to people who don't need it, when so many who really do need it due to job loss need much more than the crumbs being tossed at us (to buy us off) which big business gets BILLIONS?

[WhiteTara]

6. well, this will help the boomer removal squad

stocks are in the toilet and SS payments are pathetic. If the oceans weren't warming, sending us out on ice floes would be their answer.

[kysrsoze]

5. We need to shovel oodles of money to corporations and the 1% so they can create more jobs!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. How much money is going towards dealing with the pandemic?

Without that any stimulus plan is just pissing in the wind.