August 7th 2020

By Laura Clawson

Daily Kos

Unemployment. Schools. The U.S. Postal Service. Food aid. State and local government budgets. These are just some of the areas where Democratic congressional leaders and White House representatives have been unable to reach a deal as they negotiate the next coronavirus stimulus package. Negotiations stalled and the Senate went home for the weekend without a deal.

“They didn’t take the virus seriously in the beginning, they’re not taking the consequences of the virus seriously at this time,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of Republicans. “And that’s why it’s hard to come to terms.” The question now is whether a jobs report that shows a major slowdown in the jobs recovery will light a fire under Republicans to get something done.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, leading negotiations for the Trump administration, are using executive orders by Donald Trump as a threat to force Democrats to cave and accept smaller than needed funding—less than $600 a week unemployment supplement, $150 billion in aid to state and local governments rather than the needed $1 trillion, nothing for election security or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or child care.

“Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn,” Pelosi said. “That’s the problem. See, the thing is, they don’t believe in governance.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer even called on Republicans to “meet us in the middle,” which suggests a willingness to make significant concessions—concessions that would harm people struggling in the COVID-19 economy and the U.S. economy if we see the alternative as the full House HEROES Act. But Republicans have made clear that they will not accept anything that fulfills the vast need created by the coronavirus pandemic.

The HEROES Act, remember, was passed back in May, and Senate Republicans sat around doing nothing until the expanded unemployment benefits were on the verge of expiring. At that point they leaped into action, if by action you mean “started blaming Democrats for not accepting their last-minute terrible offer.”

Trump has been dangling the prospect of executive orders suspending the collection of payroll taxes—a priority for him that’s been dismissed by members of both parties—blocking evictions, and providing some form of unemployment aid and student debt relief. But as is often the case with Trump, it’s not clear what he can actually do vs. what he’s going to brag about while doing very little, and this is a case where the results or lack thereof will be quickly visible. While Pelosi said she would welcome some forms an eviction moratorium could take, any executive order Trump signs is likely to face litigation in addition to quickly being revealed as an inadequate face-saving measure.

Without a major new stimulus, we’re looking at a major recession. But Donald Trump and Senate Republicans aren’t willing to agree to what’s needed to prevent that. They just want to spread blame around for the consequences of their refusal.

Posted with permission