McConnell says stimulus deal could take 'a few weeks,' putting millions with expiring aid in limbo

[Zorro]

Source: Washington Post

With days to go before enhanced jobless benefits expire, the White House and Senate Republicans are struggling to design a way to scale back the program without overwhelming state unemployment agencies and imperiling aid to more than 20 million Americans.

The hang-up has led to an abrupt delay in the introduction of the GOP’s $1 trillion stimulus package. The White House and Democrats have said they want a deal by the end of the month, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested Friday that reaching an agreement could take several weeks, a timeline that could leave many unemployed Americans severely exposed.

“Hopefully we can come together behind some package we can agree on in the next few weeks,” McConnell said at an event in Ashland, Ky.

Part of the problem stems from a push by administration officials and GOP lawmakers to reduce a $600 weekly payment of enhanced federal unemployment benefits. The White House and the GOP disagree about how to do this, and talks remain highly contentious. They hope to release a proposal early next week.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/24/unemployment-benefits-congress-coronavirus/?hpid=hp_hp-banner-main_bailoutunemployment-450pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

---

Another painful economic clusterfuck brought upon us by Republicans.

[elleng]

1. 'after my paid vacation.'

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

2. Just as long as the legislators keep getting paid, they have no incentive to act.

Cut them off immediately and freeze their accounts. Let's see how they like it.

[elleng]

3. Right.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Two Pubbie priorities with the stimulus bill, both intertwined and playing off one another

1) make the rich richer
2) make income inequality worse

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. They did NOTHING for two months, but hey...

Who could have possibly known that August was going to happen?

[underpants]

6. It will takes states 6-8 weeks to prepare for anything other than flat supplement amounts

If they try this 70% thing it will take forever.

They need to get to some set number. $400. $600. $250 but probably no lower.

[marble falls]

7. Force him to sign it or veto it.

[brush]

8. Repugs are just mean, stingy bastards. That is all.

[diva77]

15. Sadistic, to be more succinct.

[mucifer]

9. There will be more violence if people don't have money to pay for food

It's what happens when people get desperate.

[appalachiablue]

12. Maybe that's what they're counting on, more 'violence'

sorry to say. And many will also be evicted, homeless and very likely to spread the virus even more.

Dems need to push for an evictions and foreclosure moratorium (for months) if they already haven't done so.

[Rebl2]

22. I think

you are right. Should be no evictions or foreclosures like you said until they pass a new stimulus bill that helps the lower and middle class. Nothing for big business or millionaires.

[appalachiablue]

23. That's it, they way it must be.

[customerserviceguy]

24. They probably

think they have nothing to lose at this point. If the theory that UC benefits that are more than a person's paycheck keeps them from going back to work is correct, then there is a resurging economy in the months before the election, and that helps GOP election prospects. If the theory is wrong, then it just makes a deeper mess for Joe Biden to deal with, and Trump takes the blame.

[yaesu]

10. and many more millions that don't qualify for unemployment or on fixed income paying 50% food

increases have been left to rot since that slap in the face 1200 months ago while wall street is still partying on their 9 trillion dollar sugar high.

[Marthe48]

11. yeah, moscow mitch make the pain last

as long as you can, you vicious bastard

[appalachiablue]

13. The GOP also added a provision for fast track cuts

to Social Security and Medicare, the 'Romney Bill' already backed by some Dems. A bad, unpopular move esp. with the election coming up, if it's held.

GOP Covid Relief Pkg. To Incl. Romney Bill That Would Fast Track Social Security & Medicare Cuts, July 24
https://democraticunderground.com/1016263324

[diva77]

14. 12 weeks 'til October if this is one of his October surprises

[BadgerKid]

16. Hmm, a general labor strike would hurt

The lesser among us. What if an election isn’t enough?

[duforsure]

17. This should cost him and trump their jobs.

For intentionally stalling , and for trying to stiff the American people now. People are pissed at trump and all the GOP now, and running from the republican party. They are turning states blue from this.

[Firestorm49]

18. B S ! They could do it in a week.

[BlueIdaho]

19. Is this part of his re-election campaign strategy?

“The beatings will continue until morale improves.”

[machoneman]

20. This will backfire badly and hurt many.

[chriscan64]

21. The republicans disagree with themselves over how hard to stick it to us.

It burns them up how $600 a week is more than many jobs. How about making minimum wage $600 a week? They are concerned with how high the supplement is, not one thought about why the salaries are so low.

The two schools of thought from the gop are both reelection strategies, keep the economy afloat with stimulus or force workers back to the pre-pandemic economy, virus be damned. I am not privy to the conversations they are having, but I would bet my last dollar that the words, "Who's going to pay for this?" were spoken, as if the rich in the form of taxes is not an option.

[marble falls]

25. Why is it taking longer to put together a bill Democrats put together a month ago? Why is it ...

taking longer to put this to law than it took Mrs Moscow's Mitch to get her $350,000 check from the last package?

[totodeinhere]

27. It's taking longer because the Republicans are stalling. They don't care about average Americns.

n/t

[totodeinhere]

26. I think that anyone who was depending on those extended benefits to continue better

start thinking about plan B. I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon as the article indicates. There will be a lot of suffering. I hope that those evil bastards all lose in November.

[Demsrule86]

28. Often there is no plan B...and this will cause economic collapse.

[Hotler]

29. Ya, but, it only takes one day of voting to kick your ass to the crub. Suck it Mitch. nt