Are the Keystone Cops running Congress?

WASHINGTON -- Just about everyone in the USA understands why many Americans need an economic relief bill.

Everyone, that is, except President Trump, who told us Mexico would pay for his entire border wall. Then he sent Congress (i.e., the taxpayers) the bill.

House Republicans this week helped to send Trump a bill that would quickly deposit up to $2,000 in stimulus checks into the hands of American families who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has eliminated millions of jobs and many businesses across the country.

But Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell of Kentucky blocked consideration of the House bill that would provide economic relief payments to give the economy a major boost.

From the beginning of the legislative skirmish, Trump wasn’t a public supporter of the $900 billion stimulus bill -- which would be sent in $600-per-person direct payments to qualifying taxpayers -- but suddenly agreed to it Sunday and signed it into law.

There was no explanation for why Trump changed his mind on the bill he had held up for most of the week, at one point calling the legislation “a disgrace.”

Nevertheless, he signed it while he was on a weekend golfing trip in Florida after letting unemployment benefits expire for 14 million people.

Then, in a statement Trump put out later, he announced he would be returning a “redlined” version of the bill to Congress, “insisting that those funds be removed from the bill.”

Even so, with less than a month left in his presidency, insiders said his statement would more than likely be ignored by Congress.

But his statement added that there was “much more [relief] money coming, and I will never give up my fight for the American people.”

Soon after the president had signed the relief bill into law, he was attacked by Democratic lawmakers who said his delay in signing had hurt many Americans.

“The president’s pointless delay in approving link it to provisions the Democrats the relief legislation could not accept. cost But the idea of trying to wrap up millions of all of the bill’s prescriptions, including Americans a fat checks for well-to-do families, week’s worth into a single bill is what drove Senate of pandemic-related Minority Leader Charles Schumer over the edge. unemployment assistance that they In a statement, Schumer called desperately need,” House Ways and Mcconnell’s proposal “a blatant Means Committee Chairman Richard attempt to deprive Americans of a E. Neal of Massachusetts said.

$2,000 survival check.”

“His stalling only intensified anxiety

Meantime, a frustrated Trump had and hardship for workers and families

had enough of the back-and-forth who are collateral damage in his political

argumentative debate that was getting games. Now, people will need to

nowhere. He sent off this blistering wait even longer for direct payments

tweet attacking his party’s leaders: and other vital assistance to arrive,” the Democratic lawmaker said. “Unless Republicans have a death

In the end, Congress passed a bipartisan wish, and it is also the right thing to bill last week that was praised by do, they must approve the $2,000 Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. payments ASAP,” Trump wrote.

It was reported that Trump wanted “$600 IS NOT ENOUGH!” spending cuts in the relief package, The Treasury Department said late though he hadn’t raised that idea Tuesday that it had begun issuing before the bill was enacted. He must the first installment of $600 stimulus have been out playing golf. payments, adding that some

As it turned out, Congress didn’t Americans would be receiving them include most of the ideas Trump wanted this week. in the final bill. Mnuchin came up On Tuesday afternoon, a frustrated with the idea of the $600 payments, Schumer went to the Senate floor to and was, in effect, its driving force. request that the Senate take up the

The truth is that Trump was not House-passed bill. a hands-on force behind the $600 “The House bill is the only way checks idea. to deliver these stimulus checks

“I understand he wants to be remembered before the end of session. Will Senate for advocating for a big check, Republicans stand against the House but the danger is he’ll be remembered of Representatives, the Democratic for chaos and misery and erratic majority in the Senate and the president behavior,” Republic Sen. Patrick J. of their own party to prevent Toomey of Pennsylvania said on “Fox

these $2,000 checks from going out News Sunday.” “So I think the best

the door?” thing to do, as I said, sign this and

Mcconnell objected, but made no then make the case for subsequent

further comment. legislation.”

In the end, the enormity of the pandemic Trump’s biggest critic was Sen. that is destroying millions of Bernie Sanders of Vermont on ABC

News, who said Trump was almost lives demands that the $2,000 checks “pathologically narcissistic” in his be sent out as a matter of human charity last-minute criticism of the bill. and decency.

He was right. Sending $2,000 checks to “desperate” families was one thing, but including families who were perfectly, financially comfortable sounded crazy.

That’s when Mcconnell blocked a vote on the House bill Tuesday, though hinting he might hold a vote on the $2,000 check provision, but

(Donald Lambro has been covering Washington politics for more than 50 years as a reporter, editor and commentator.)

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