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Democrats are NOT gonna let the $2,000 check things go….

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Good move Donald!

It’s Trump’s first point — that the Senate “will start the process for a vote that increases [stimulus] checks to $2,000” — that is by far the most realistic and politically problematic suggestion for Republicans.
Why? Because it puts them in a very small box: Either vote to massively increase the national debt — by giving $1,400 more to every qualifying individual in the country — or vote against what is much-needed money for people who have been devastated by the economic effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
So, either violate a bedrock principle of conservatism (the government is spending us into unmanageable debt!) or be attacked as heartless by Democrats. It’s a lose-lose. Bigly. Especially if you are Sens. Kelly Loeffler or David Perdue, both locked in tight runoff races on January 5. Both incumbent Republicans need base conservatives with them to win, so a vote for more government spending isn’t a good one.
But they also can’t actively agitate the rest of the state — including swing voters in the suburbs who want the government to help those struggling as much as they can. It’s a nearly impossible line to walk, politically speaking.
And Democrats know it. “I will vote for you to have a $2000 relief check,” tweeted Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff. “David Perdue won’t.”
It’s why they immediately began to push Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a vote like Trump wants.
“The House will pass a bill to give Americans $2,000 checks,” tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday night. “Then I will move to pass it in the Senate. No Democrats will object. Will Senate Republicans?” (The Senate gaveled in — and out — of a pro forma session in under 30 seconds Monday morning, blocking Schumer from making any legislative moves.)…

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  1. The US House just voted for Trump’s $2,000 virus/stimulus checks….

    Anybody think Senate Republicans will also?

    • Sen Rubio (R/Fla)

      “I agree with the President that millions of working class families are in dire need of additional relief, which is why I support $2,000 in direct payments to Americans struggling due to the pandemic,” Rubio said in a statement that came shortly before the House voted in support of the increase….

      The Hill…

  2. He boxed them in and Nancy aided and abetted. I think it will now have to pass the senate…If they block it and don’t get in passed before the new year, it just becomes a talking point going into next week and the run-off…Republican controlled senate as the stumbling block for getting more money to the American People…Won’t go over good in Georgia…

    • Well?
      Add this to the soup….

      Sanders to Delay Defense Bill Veto Override
      “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will filibuster an override of President Trump’s defense bill veto unless the Senate holds a vote on providing $2,000 direct payments to Americans,” Politico reports.

      “McConnell and the Senate want to expedite the override vote and I understand that. But I’m not going to allow that to happen unless there is a vote, no matter how long that takes, on the $2,000 direct payment.”

      • I think that McConnell will dance around this….

        Sanders has company on this from a few more Democrats and maybe even Rand Paul….

        But I would think the Defense Bill WILL be get the needed 60 ‘Aye’ vote in the end ….

        I doubt the 2k is gonna make it as long as McConnell is the Senate majority leader…

        • How the bill plays in the Georgia run off election…..

          Republican’s Loeffler and Perdue saying yea we got ya $600!

          Democrat’s Warnock and Ossoff saying we wanted to get ya $2,000!

          …

          The two Republicans tried to claim credit for bringing help to Georgians, despite President Trump’s initial waffling over whether to sign the bill. The Democrats said the $600 payments to Americans were too low….

          More…

      • That’s actually a reasonable or defensible position for Sen. Sanders to take, since he was one of the 13 Senators who voted against the first passage of this bill:

        NAYs —13
        Booker (D-NJ)
        Braun (R-IN)
        Cotton (R-AR)
        Cruz (R-TX)
        Hawley (R-MO)
        Kennedy (R-LA)
        Lee (R-UT)
        Markey (D-MA)
        Merkley (D-OR)
        Paul (R-KY)
        Sanders (I-VT)
        Warren (D-MA)
        Wyden (D-OR)

        Not Voting – 3
        Graham (R-SC)
        Harris (D-CA)
        Rounds (R-SD)

            • The Defense Bill is greater than the defense budgets of the next ten largest budgets of other countries combined. It is wasteful spending on steroids. Democrats should oppose it.

              • The Defense Bill WILL pass as it has every year for DECADES….

                The wasteful ad on’s ARE rhe way you get the thing pasted….

                American Government 101….

                • Zreebs was stating his opinion.One shared by many ..He said nothing about the chances of defeating it.

                  And as to knowledge of “American government?”Everyone who posts here has a far superior knowledge of such than the likes of you.

                  • Thanks for telling me what i KNOW Z wrote…

                    As u have said knowledge of how things work should be a factor in things…

                    I was ONLY pointing out the reality that u are saying our guy knows….

                    I’m glad Z has someone who can help him explain things here

                    • Well james, If you can’t take the time to write something more lucid then “The wasteful ad on’s ARE rhe way you get the thing pasted”, then don’t expect people to waste their time responding to you.

                      The defense bill sucks even without “the wasteful ad on’s”. The deficit is out of control and defense spending is the major contributor.

                    • Yea Z….

                      Ur probably right….

                      Most likely i’d add…

                      But the process for passage has been and continues to be the same as it has been for almost a half a century….

                      The train stops at each lawmaker and most if not ALL ask and receive something to keep it rolling to the station…

                      It IS the way things work in this place…

                      And it IS a effective buffer against a tyrant like Trump….

                      There own self interests finally deviate from Trump’s….

                      It’s fine if the military getting money dies it since Trump has tried to subvert it for his own
                      Advantage…

                    • Beware when James “agrees” with you.

                      It is certain to be followed by a mass of words indicating his total disagreement.

                      Why he would have said ,””Yea Z ur probably right.”

                      Than, “ur view is your view Z,I have MY view” only makes sense to him I presume.

  3. I don’t necessarily agree with Sanders’ point of view, since I don’t know (who does?) what exactly in such a mammoth bill, nor do I know his objections or alternatives; but on the other hand, it’s not hypocritical or inconsistent for him to oppose an override.

    P.S. The first day of Christmas was Saturday the 26th (Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day), so Tuesday will be the fourth day of Christmas. Perhaps you could add a countdown or count-up to the Christmas greetings on the countdown box. The 12th day of Xmas, or Epiphany (Jan. 6th), is when the Three Wise Men visited Jesus, and coincidentally the day when Congress opens and counts the Electoral College votes.

    • Ah?

      Adding all that stuff might be a bit overkill?

      If the GOPer’s can try on the EC final?

      Why can’t Bernie embarrass some Republicans for a few?

      • Sorry; I wasn’t suggesting all that, which would indeed be overkill.

        I was thinking of replacing the Merry Christmas with some suitable message saying something like “today is the Nth Day of Christmas”

            • That’s what I was thinking, James. I have no idea what my true love might give to me on the 13th day of Xmas.

              Which suggests you could note just that day’s gift (without all the others), e.g. “Today is the Fourth day of Christmas (4 calling birds) …” )

              For reference (not to include each day)

              Twelve drummers drumming (Jan. 6th)
              Eleven pipers piping (Jan. 5th)
              Ten lords a-leaping (Jan. 4th)
              Nine ladies dancing (Jan. 3rd)
              Eight maids a-milking (Jan. 2nd)
              Seven swans a-swimming (New Year’s Day)
              Six geese a-laying (Dec. 31st)
              Five golden rings (Dec. 30th)
              Four calling birds (Dec. 29th)
              Three french hens
              Two turtle doves, and
              A partridge in a pear tree

              • Dave, Maybe it is just me, but I think your true love is more than a little eccentric. What can he possibly do with one leaping lord, never mind ten?

                • Just wait, Zreebs, until the tenth day of Xmas, on the eve of the Georgia runoffs…. maybe they could knock on doors or man campaign phone calls mid-air.

                  And as for the eleven pipers piping for those runoffs, let alone twelve drummers drumming when Congress Counts the Votes, their usefulness in drowning out certain disharmonious, discordant noises from the departing public-housing tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. should be obvious. Let Democracy do its work in peace.

  4. Actor George Clooney makes a great point as to why Joe Biden will have difficulty reaching across the aisle to Republicans:

    “The world is different now.I mean, Ted Cruz,think about what a yutz this guy is!I don’t care what your political view is:if a guy said that my wife was ugly and my father killed Kennedy,there is no way in the world you could have me come out and say,’I’ll deny you.’”

      • BTW Jack?

        The GOPer’s sure DO look like they ARE having problems rowing together these days?

        And Donald Trump does NOT look like he’s leading a damn thing….

        How could all this happen ?

        Sire doesn’t look like a giy who could coast to the 2024 Republican nomination right now?

        And just think?

        The lawsuits and leaks on him haven’t started in earnest!

        • Somehow, I am on a list and am getting at least 20 emails a day purportedly from Donald Trump and just about every other Trump Republican you can think of warning that all indications are that the two Georgia candidates are behind and are certain to face defeat unless I give money at ONCE!

          Last week, I received about 40 emails from the Trump children who were growing more concerned by the hour why I had not signed a Merry XMas card for President Trump (along with donation to help him stop the steal) and how much the absence of my name greatly is concerning to him and how as his children they very much need to make sure I sign the card and give money so he will be ok.

          • CG?

            All sorts of crazy fundraising figures are floating around in the media for the two runoff elections from $200 mil to $800 mil….

            We do know that the Trump connected Pac allows the big guy to keep and spend hundreds of millions of the Pac money for almost anything he wants…

            Could there be some false advertising ?

            Could Trump & Co be pimping Republicans?

            Well?

            U give ant money?

  5. As we know, Congress is sworn in next week. There is still amazingly a race in New York that has yet to be called because they cannot finish counting almost two months later,

    In a bit of a different situation though, in the 2nd District of Iowa, Republican Marianette Miller Meeks was certified as the winner by 6 votes in an open seat. She has the official credentials to be sworn in. However, her Democrat opponent is appealing the election result to the House of Representatives itself, which of course is controlled by Democrats. They could take the step to refuse to seat MMM and eventually seat the Democrat instead.

    I hope that all of you Democrats who rightfully express the need for honest elections and the importance of democracy will call on House Democrats to do the right thing and seat the person who was certified as the winner of the election.

    • Yeah I’ll say they should go ahead and seat the “winner” here. With 6 votes it’s incredibly close, but a House seat is only for 2 years so it’s better to go ahead and seat someone and the “loser” can run again in 2022.

      The Republicans sang a different tune in 2008-2009 with Norm Coleman and Al Franken, but a Senate seat is for 6 years so a little different stakes.

        • Anybody who has lost should give up when there are no more legitimate options to contest.

          Going to the House itself and hoping for a partisan result, instead of going through the official process of contesting an election done under the jurisdiction of state law is not right.

          • This article from the Des Moines Register breaks down the disputed race.
            https://dailyiowan.com/2020/12/18/breaking-down-iowas-6-vote-2nd-district-u-s-house-appeal/

            Sounds like Rita Hart is within her right to do this, personally I think she should concede and focus on running in 2022.

            I understand CG is trying to play “both sides” here again but extremely close congressional races sometimes drag into the new year, that’s nothing new.

            Al Franken and Norm Coleman in 2008-2009, The 1974 New Hampshire Senate race that came down to a 2 vote margin between
            Democrat John Durkin and Republican Louis Wyman that resulted in a rerun of the race in September 1975 (which Durkin easily won)

            Then in 1996-1997 you had B-1 Bob Dornan who lost his Orange County California House seat by 800 or so votes but refused to concede claiming “illegals” voted.

            Back then even Republicans laughed off Dornan as a joke. Now the whole damn party save a couple here and there are full blown committed to pretty much the same rhetoric from another blowhard loser at the Presidential level. Sad.

          • I wonder about these alternate elections of GOP Electors: what kind of legitimacy can they claim as representing their states’ voters ?

            Those who remember the 1960’s and 1970’s remember when some on the Left wouldn’t accept a court verdict, a political decision or an election result and set up People’s Courts or People’s School Boards or People’s City Halls with wildly unrepresentative members (Huey Newton, Benjamin Spock, Ralph Nader, Angela Davis, Linus Pauling) to supplant the illegitimate Pig Courts, Police Depatrments, School Boards, State Departments, etc.

            Today’s People’s Electors are just about as representative, just about as serious and just about as legitimate as the counter-institutions of the 60’s and 70’s.

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