President Donald Trump refused to sign a coronavirus relief bill on Saturday, reiterating once more his earlier call that Congress deliver more aid to American families and remove the “pork” out of the relief package meant to help Americans suffering the brunt of the lingering coronavirus pandemic.
“Increase payments to the people, get rid of the ‘pork,’” the Republican President wrote, sharing his video message from last week where he slammed Congress for sending billions in taxpayers money to other countries while slashing the direct payments to Americans by half.
Increase payments to the people, get rid of the “pork”. https://t.co/jq82qFIyUs
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
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“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly US$600 that is now in the bill” Trump added, further saying that it “was China’s fault!”
I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill. Also, stop the billions of dollars in “pork”.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2020
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“US$2000 + US$2000 plus other family members. Not US$600. Remember, it was China’s fault!” he added.
$2000 + $2000 plus other family members. Not $600. Remember, it was China’s fault!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
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Despite the President’s demands, Congress appears unwilling to go back to the negotiating table and is putting the pressure on the chief executive to sign the US$2.3 trillion aid package as unemployment benefits for millions of Americans expired despite larding the bill which was sold to the public as COVID relief with billions of dollars in unrelated spending.
President Trump’s refusal to sign the bill could also trigger a government shutdown by Tuesday after Congress also passed the proposals last minute on December 21 before the Christmas break.
On Christmas Day, President Trump, who is spending his holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, said: “Going now to make a short speech to service members from all over the world,” he said. “It is a celebration of Christmas. Video Conference – Fake News not invited!”
The President and First Lady have released a Christmas message that all of America needs to see: https://t.co/Jb6swz7A6Q
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) December 25, 2020
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Going now to make a short speech to service members from all over the world. It is a celebration of Christmas. Video Conference – Fake News not invited!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2020
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Biden, Democrats criticize President Trump
Meanwhile, Joe Biden slammed President Trump for vetoing the coronavirus relief bill calling his decision not to sign the bill as “abdication of responsibility.”
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” the Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement.
“This abdication of responsibility has devastating consequences. Today, about 10 million Americans will lose unemployment insurance benefits” Biden added.
Other Democrats also rushed to criticize the President.
While the President golfs:
Over 10 million people are going to lose unemployment benefits.
States aren’t getting funding to distribute vaccines.
The eviction moratorium will soon expire.
Families are hungry.
Does he know? Does he care?
Get off the golf cart. Sign the bill.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 26, 2020
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We can pass $2000 relief checks for the people, but we have to win this Senate election.
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) December 27, 2020
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Millions of Americans are in desperate need of help. It’s sickening, disgusting, un-American. Sign the bill. Could it be better? Of course. But it’s going to help real people keep their homes, their businesses, and some flickering hope in the future.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) December 26, 2020
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In just a few weeks, @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris will be sworn in as president and vice-president. We will turn the page on this dark chapter in our nation’s history. And we’ll have the chance to make the big, structural change we need.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 26, 2020
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Reports said between 11 and 14 million people will lose their unemployment benefits on Sunday and “millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks.”
However, the nearly US$900 billion relief bill once signed by the President will only provide US$166 billion for stimulus checks, US$120 billion for an extension of the enhanced unemployment checks, while another US$56 billion is meant for health care items. A majority of the bill provides for business loans (US$284 billion), airlines (US$16 billion), Postal Service debt (US$10 billion) and more than US$1 billion in foreign aid, according to TheHill contributor, Kristin Tate, who is said to be a libertarian author and an analyst for Young Americans for Liberty.
Unrelated coronavirus insertions in relief bill
“The latest coronavirus relief bill is anything but relieving. The US$990 billion monstrosity shows how Congress used an emergency to slip in numerous unrelated items under the cloak of an essential stimulus,” Tate wrote, noting that the debate over the stimulus checks is nothing but a “sideshow.”
“Instead of a bill that tackles our current challenges, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle signed this porkful mess that acts as a reward for their own projects and donors. Congress would have us believe that it is so stalled that it cannot get anything done. But members of the legislative branch have an ability to work swiftly when their actions serve their own interests,” she added, further saying that “Congress is only serving themselves while Americans suffer” in the latest coronavirus relief bill.
The Boston Herald Editorial Staff also wrote how the COVID-19 stimulus package “shortchanges American people.”
“If you thought the bill’s top priority was providing relief to American businesses and individuals struggling under the financial crush of the coronavirus, you would be wrong,” the media staff wrote, citing how the US$2.5 trillion bill — which combines US$900 billion of COVID relief and US$1.4 trillion in government spending — has US$10 million for “gender programs” and US$15 million for “democracy programs” in Pakistan, among others.
President Trump said he is now directly involved in pressuring lawmakers to return to the bargaining table and approve US$2,000 in direct payments to Americans.
Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach, Florida. Why would politicians not want to give people $2000, rather than only $600? It wasn’t their fault, it was China. Give our people the money!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2020
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“Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump wrote on Christmas Day. “Why would politicians not want to give people US$2000, rather than only US$600? It wasn’t their fault, it was China. Give our people the money!”
The post Trump Declines To Sign Terrible Relief Bill With Measly $600 Checks And Millions Of Dollars Of Congress’ ‘Pork’ appeared first on The Scoop.
Source: The Scoop
