House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks outside her office on Capitol Hill, Monday, March 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
As we previously reported, Democrats blocked a virus relief bill that that had basically agreed to on Saturday that would have helped Americans who are now suffering because of virus restrictions. Democrats blew it up, reportedly, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came back into town and convinced them they could get more goodies and more of their pet programs if they held the Republicans over a barrel, hang the Americans who might need the relief right now.
Republicans blasted the Democrats for playing games and tried to get another vote today and once again Democrats blocked it.
Here’s what they blocked.
Here is what @SenSchumer and @SpeakerPelosi are blocking:
$1,200-PP, $2,400-Couple, $500-Child
$250 Billion-Unemployment Insurance
$350 B-Small Business Loan Program
$100 B-Hospitals
$11 B-Vaccines
$4.5 B-CDC
$20 B-Veterans Healthcare
$12 B-K12 Education
$5 B-FEMA
$10 B-Airports pic.twitter.com/MTuUh0ESXt— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) March 23, 2020
My colleague Bonchie touched upon a few of the things that Democrats were trying to hold the Republicans and America for.
Via senior GOP aide, Schumer/Pelosi now pushing these demands amid pandemic-fueled economic collapse:
1) Unprecedented collective bargaining powers for unions
2) Increased fuel emissions standards for airlines
3) Expansion of wind and solar tax credits— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 23, 2020
Townhall has a list of some more of the things that Pelosi and the Democrats want to try to get through. It’s just incredible that the bill is being held up for these ridiculous things.
Rachel Bovard who works at the Conservative Policy Institute, broke down some of the craziness in a Twitter thread.
Corporate pay statistics by race and race statistics for all corporate boards:
Just keep posting pictures of Dem pork like this. pic.twitter.com/kSjEJmdgB5
— EHerring (@HerringLiz) March 23, 2020
Bail out on all current debt at the Postal Service:
It also bails out the postal service. pic.twitter.com/cy9GYoK7zj
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Required early voting:
Ah, yes, requiring early voting will save us all from #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/Gwg4Tcyjx5
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Required same day voter registration:
Same day voter registration, a long-time Dem wishlist item, very relevant to addressing those businesses and working families about to go under from #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/KizGbEYq9O
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Provisions on official time for union collective bargaining
We can agree or disagree about the value of collective bargaining for federal employees but can we all agree that it doesn’t belong in a relief bill DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE WITH #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/bswhj4dMeG
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Full offset of airline emissions by 2025:
I’m just going to throw this out there: Requiring the airlines to fully offset their carbon emissions is not going to save the airlines. pic.twitter.com/WcmHuI5eQr
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Publication and reporting of greenhouse gas statistics for individual flights:
You know what families who can’t work and are struggling to make rent really care about?
Being able to look up greenhouse gas emissions from the flights they can’t afford to book. pic.twitter.com/klGOhE8uOM
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
Retirement plans for community newspaper employees:
I, too, care for community journalism.
But right now none of them have jobs because of #COVID19 so maybe this isn’t the time to modify their retirement plans. pic.twitter.com/fK0OO9VqVQ
— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) March 23, 2020
There was also this little goodie: Federal $15 minimum wage. Of course, if you don’t pass the bill because you jacked it up too much with ridiculous port, then no one gets any wages and people lose their jobs.
Sen. Tom Cotton:
"Here it is again in a bill designed to stop the pandemic. Are you kidding me? $15-an-hour minimum wage. Unfortunately, millions of Americans are learning that the true minimum wage is zero when you lose your job." pic.twitter.com/Cv01SeNEnT
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 23, 2020
Permanent paid leave.
One might note if businesses already hard hit by the virus restrictions are then, on top of it, required to do just those last two things, many more people will lose their jobs, because the businesses will not be able to sustain them.
What does any of this have to do with fighting the virus or helping out workers who have been financially harmed by restrictions?
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) ripped the Democrats for holding up Americans over this.
I can confirm this. This is what Democrats torpedoed the rescue package for.
This will go down as one of the most cynical, disgusting, malevolent actions in history. Millions are losing jobs while they play these games. https://t.co/SUCtYxmXGo
— Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) March 23, 2020
Democrats’ actions are also driving the market down again, after they blocked the bill a second time.
Senate Democrats are voting en masse against the procedural motion on the coronavirus bill. It will fail for the second time in two days. SCHUMER says he’s negotiating with the Trump administration.
Down right now down 500 points, or 2.6%
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 23, 2020
Democrats just blocked it again. https://t.co/sMeIaLCxmy
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 23, 2020
Hopefully, Americans remember this come November, that Democrats were willing to throw us under the bus at this time.
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