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…