So Trump went from "no negotiations till after the election, nope, not one, not even a little" to "how about I raise my offer?" in about 36 hours. So I guess progress can still--
"The GOP blocked it."
What?
"The Senate GOP, not calling them Party of Trump due to current context, said $1.8 trillion was still too high. So, they're taking a bullet on this one."
Huh. Well, at least the GOP is being professional about this, not handwaving relief millions need with a profane state--Senate Republicans raised concerns about the $1.8 trillion price tag of the White House's latest offer to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), multiple sources familiar with the call told The Hill.
One source familiar with the call said that there were "significant concerns raised with the price tag."
"There’s an openness to continue negotiating, but the current top line is an obstacle," the source added.
Concerns about the White House's offer came from across the conference, underscoring the work the White House and President Trump face to get any potential deal across the finish line in the GOP-controlled Senate even as the president has publicly urged negotiators to "go big."
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), who chairs the Senate Health Committee, told Meadows and Mnuchin that there was "no appetite" within the Senate Republican Conference for a $1.8 trillion bill, a second person briefed on the call told The Hill. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) warned that it could be a "death knell" for the party in November, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told Meadows and Mnuchin, "I don't get it."
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who recently tested positive for the coronavirus, also expressed concern that it would cost the party support in the election and would take the focus off of the caucus's top priority: confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Okay, wow. But at least the GOP is united behin--“This bill makes sex look like church,” Lee said on the call, according to a source.
Okay. Interesting. But if Trump is saying $1.8 trillion, surely the GOP have an offer in the same general ballp--In response to the GOP criticism, Meadows told Republicans that "you all will have to come to my funeral" once he delivered their concerns to Trump, who has appeared eager in recent days for a large deal on coronavirus relief, a GOP aide confirmed to The Hill.
"So that's the deal. In kind of a stunning swap set, McConnell is no longer stanind back and letting Trump do the negotiations. Instead, he's pushing a proposal so much a lowball, it bounces before the plate. There's not going to be a COVID relief bill, because the Republican Party is willing to go on record saying no. Pelosi still goes on public record of wanting to help the American people, and even Trump gets a bit of a win by offering to negotiate...before McConnell slammed the door."Republicans initially offered a $1.1 trillion package in late July, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned that up to 20 GOP senators could vote against it.
Fifty-two GOP senators later backed a scaled-down $500 billion bill, with several expressing hope at the time that the White House would use the legislation as the basis of its negotiations with Pelosi.
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As much as I don't want to say "winners get to punish the losers" we have so many IGs coming forward in the last four years, flanked by whistleblowers, that ignoring an entire term filled with deceit, lies, fraud and Trump over party and country, that an example must be made.
This cannot happen again.