Tag Archives: stimulus bill

Trump Continues to Block Stimulus Bill and has now Vetoed Massive $740 billion Defense Pkg.

The 14 day countdown to January 6th “Coup-Day” has begun

After threatening to veto the $900 billion stimulus package that was passed by congress on Monday, Trump has so far not officially done so and has not yet made further comments on the matter. The possibility of an actual veto means that the bill would not go forward without either changes to appease Trump or a vote to override the veto, if it comes to that. 

Representative Peter King, in an interview, not surprisingly called Trump a turncoat, essentially: 

“Why didn’t the president say this before? Why did his administration say it had to be $600? They were the ones driving this. Nancy Pelosi wanted $2,000 all along, and I’m not a Pelosi fan. Bernie Sanders wanted $2,000. The president and his administration refused to give it, and now he’s trying to somehow double back. He’s leaving Republicans out there hanging out to dry after signing off on an agreement and asking us to vote for it.”

Rep. Representative Peter King on the Joe Piscopo Show

Surprise, Trump double-crossed his Republican friends, imagine that.

This chaotic situation, so typical during the Trump years, means that there are three probable outcomes for the stimulus package so desperately needed by Americans.:

1. If Trump vetoes the Stimulus package:

The resolution of the situation could be delayed, indefinitely. The law allows 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto legislation. If he chooses not to act, the bill normally would become law.

However, in this case the stimulus package was attached to the government funding bill. Current funding expires on December 28th. Since the separate defense bill has already been vetoed by Trump (see below), there will likely be a session next week to attempt to override that veto. An additional vote could be added.

2. Trump sides with Democrats and Republicans fight this new (insane) Trump / Democrat coalition. 

In this case it’s possible that the Unanimous Consent request put forth by Democrats would be voted on, even by tomorrow, and passed. Unlikely but perhaps a Christmas miracle? 

3. Trump signs the bill anyway

Third possibility is that the original version of the bill is ultimately not blocked by Trump (he flip-flops), and then could go forward without an over-ride to the threatened potential veto. 

“If the president truly wants to join us in $2,000 payments, he should call upon Leader McCarthy to agree to our Unanimous Consent request” 

—Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Reps. Rashid Tlaib, D-Mich., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., announced on twitter that they have crafted an amendment to raise the amount of the stimulus checks.

“Me and @AOC have the amendment ready,” “Send the bill back, and we will put in the $2,000 we’ve been fighting for that your party has been blocking.”

“We spent months trying to secure $2,000 checks but Republicans blocked it. Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we’re glad to pass more aid Americans need.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 

All of this along with a potential government shutdown on Monday, and today’s veto of the massive $740 billion defense bill that was already announced. The Senate voted overwhelmingly , with a veto-proof majority of 84 to 13, to approve the huge defense package but now face a necessary override vote. 

Trump threatened to veto this bill because there is no repeal of Section 230 in it. A repeal of Section 230 would be huge news, though unlikely, as it is a law shielding internet companies from any liability for third party postings on their websites.


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Trump threatens to Veto $900 Billion Stimulus Pkg. unless payout raised to $2000

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1341566152279879681/vid/1280x720/Vy_MHMChhozX7CCA.mp4?tag=13

Once more defying logic Trump insists the Democrats are right for wanting bigger checks

In yet another bizarre missive, this time via video, the long fought battle over the 2nd coronavirus relief package is suddenly sent into a chaotic last minute re-do. Trump called the $600 check amount and other aspects of the current bill a “disgrace, at once criticizing the paltry sum and also stating: 

“It’s called the Covid relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with Covid, Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people.”

Just how odd this announcement today is underscored by the fact that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who along with Democrats had, for months, pushed similarly sized checks, reacted positively to the announcement:

“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!” she said in a tweet. 

Some have speculated, on twitter and elsewhere, that this was a kind of revenge move by Trump against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for having the temerity to tell the truth and acknowledge that Joe Biden is the president-elect.  After tweets bashing McConnell, this is an escalation of the same tantrum by Trump. 

Although the bill was passed by a large bi-partisan majority, it’s massive size — weighing in at 5,593 pages — as well as the rush with which it was passed  engendered critics on the left and the right, even as it was passed within less time that many in congress could possible have read it.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, likened the rushed vote on so many unread measures to “hostage-taking,” while extreme right wing Senator Ted Cruz, said that it was “ABSURD.”

As has been the case many times in the past, Trump may suddenly sing a different tune at any moment, or the Republican side might defy Trump and refuse to amend the bill. 

Stay tuned for more breaking news, as it will no doubt be  coming down the pike any minute now…


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