Trump Administration and House Face Reckoning on Virus Relief

[left-of-center2012]

Stimulus talks between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats will reach a fork in the road on Tuesday as both sides either quickly seal a deal or the House moves to pass a Democratic proposal and leave town for pre-election campaigning.

The House released its $2.2 trillion proposal Monday night and the White House greeted initially it with silence. Its reaction will likely come in a morning call between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that largely determines whether another coronavirus stimulus gets done.

Should no deal be forthcoming, House Democrats have said they intend to proceed on their own in voting on the new plan, allowing the party’s candidates in the Nov. 3 elections to highlight a recent vote on coronavirus relief. The last vote was on the bigger, $3.4 trillion Heroes Act back in May.

Pelosi said earlier Monday that the White House would have to agree to “much more” spending for a fresh round of stimulus if there is any hope of striking a deal before the election. “We can get this done,” Pelosi said Monday on MSNBC, while emphasizing the need for more money.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-29/trump-administration-and-house-face-reckoning-on-virus-relief?srnd=politics-vp

[gratuitous]

1. Nice headline, Bloomberg

It makes it sound like the House has fallen down on its responsibility along with the administration. In fact, the House has been the only organ of government that's been doing its job while the Senate and the White House play games with people's lives.

[left-of-center2012]

2. Everyone can read into it differently

[gratuitous]

3. I hope you realize I was criticizing Bloomberg, not you

I know you have to work with the headline you're given, not the one you wish to write. For the casual news consumer of headlines only, I think it would be easy for such a reader to figure the story had harsh words for the administration and the Democrat-controlled House. The "both sides" game is just aggravating anymore.