Much of the Republican Party — despite the deaths of more than half a million Americans — still acts as though the pandemic is more a platform for political grandstanding than the worst national crisis since World War II.
New ideological divides are being exposed with President Joe Biden's huge Covid-19 relief bill coming up in the Senate on Thursday. There's also a fresh rush by GOP governors in Texas, Mississippi and elsewhere to ditch precautions that eased a horrific post-holiday spike in infections — mirroring a similar and ultimately disastrous opening at the urging of ex-President Donald Trump last summer.
These moves follow a weekend in which some governors — and possible 2024 GOP presidential candidates, such as South Dakota's Kristi Noem and Florida's Ron DeSantis — boasted to conservative activists about keeping their states open even while the worst of the virus was raging.
Not all Republican governors have adopted the conservative orthodoxy of mask skepticism and spurning scientific advice. Some, such as Maryland's Larry Hogan and Ohio's Mike DeWine, have won bipartisan praise for their strategies.
But the broader GOP's tendency to put political goals over the recommendations of government scientists, a holdover from the Trump era, is also evident as battle lines are drawn in Washington over the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan.
It is only right that Democrats should face principled Republican arguments on whether they are properly targeting the spending blitz or rewarding pet causes and on whether huge aid to states and cities is needed. And 10 Republicans did seek to make that case in their failed effort to get Biden to sign on to a $600 billion stimulus that the President judged underestimated the magnitude of the health and economic crisis.
But GOP leaders also have a problem. Biden's measure is surprisingly popular, so they need to slow it down and discredit its contents to extract some political gains and deprive the new President of a clean win.
So Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, taking a timeout from his conspiracy-fueled effort to absolve Trump supporters in the Capitol insurrection, is planning days of stunts that threaten to turn debate over the package — with unemployment benefits for millions of Americans set to run out within days — into a made-for-conservative-cable-TV farce.
"We're talking about $1.9 trillion … a stack of one billion dollars that would extend halfway past the distance to the moon. And we want to do this in a matter of hours? I don't think that's right," Johnson said Wednesday.
The senator plans to force a full reading of the bill — that will take 10 hours — and stretch out debate with an array of procedural traps.
#CNN #NewDay #DanaBash
Bash: Real reason GOP senator is fighting Covid-19 relief bill
Its the very reason he should never be re-elected.
I am a health care worker & these so called politicians have no clue what this virus has done. I invite any of them to come work with me one day and see what I see & then make your decision. If you are still against this package then you DON’T need your job & you are heartless bc you could very well be in the same position that most people are in NOW!
@Manny Fernandez Ron Johnson
@Manny Fernandez watch the video
@Joanne Ray So True and we should all be so proud of our health care workers Thank You
I have no respect for Mitch McConnel, Lyndsay Graham, Ted Cruz, Kevin McCarthy and Mike Pence for not prosecuting Donald Trump to the fullest extent of the law by impeaching him. They are in fact morons.
There’s no love in these people for people just pure evil the Lord will recompense Amen
Your Lord won’t do a thing, cuz he’s not a thing.. Just like every single time you magic thinking idiots screamed god will fix it.. Thank science real people are doing real things to solve this real problem.
@Larry Scarr when you stand before him you will have to answer for your words here you have spoken Falsely about him
@468 468 like I never heard that particular stupid😋.. That’s not how dead works.. Grow up.
Which is why they need to be beat up by street punks.
Both sides make a minimum of $180,00 per year …THEY don’t feel the economic pinch !
But one is trying to help, let’s not ignore that part
At least the democrats are doing right bye the average American,that part is the difference!
RON JOHNSON BUYING TIME THAT’S WHAT HE’S DOING BE CAREFUL OF IN CONGRESS INSURGENTS BEING IN THE SENATE.I DON’T TRUST GOP 45 SENATE STILL..
I just called Ron Johnson’s office and left a message that I would be donating to his opponent. Here is his number if you’d like, 608-240-9629.
@FWSC female white senior citizen wtf does that have to do with anything. Demoncrats stealing in our name like we individually came to them about what’s in the bill and what is a prison inmate getting a check for I’ll wait is it his rent oh my bad he’s in prison
@Joe Reaume I’m very well are you Okay what because I’m not pretending to be fake about a situation something is wrong. Oh because I’m black and use my God given brain to use common sense they pump y’all up talking about a relief package like 1.9 trillion was for Americans that’s a $6000 for every American but 9% of 1.9t is what like $270 billion if that so Are You Okay just see check and you happy.
@Radicaleyes you the only one that makes sense I respect your statement but these fake people who think I should not have my own mind can go to hell on a slow fall. I was a Demoncrat until I got tired of their contribution to my community was always a more welfare more food stamps and project public housing. To me that’s insulting to my people and embarrassing of my people to consider that progress. So If we don’t stand up we will be stepped over and stepped on.
“Because he is a Republican…”
You could have stopped there.
CNN ELECTED a Prez that is almost B rain D ead with Dementia…has Opened our border, kept our Schools closed to placate the Teachers Unions, etc…..Democrats and the MSM Own Anything and Everything that happens under BYDEN….After this, a DEM will not be elected to the WH for 3 terms, lose the House and Senate….they are ‘Doner than a $3 Waffle House steaks’.
@C NN is a Super PAC for the Democrats cool story bro..
Lol These guys that are concerned about Biden maybe having dementia after 100s of medical professionals collectively wrote a letter about Trump’s mental health.
@C NN is a Super PAC for the Democrats hoes mad
Ron Johnson really brings out America’s distrust of everything Wisconsin. I know I’m looking for cheese from other States now.
I buy CABOT’s Vermont Seriously Sharp Cheddar, less than 3 bucks an 8 oz. block at Wal-Mart, and it is some seriously tasty cheese.
@andyray9 Thanks.
😂😂👏🏽
@Marshall J Happy to help, may the Force with us.
Don’t harm the farmers of Wisconsin, but find out where Ron Johnson has his money and boycott.
Ron Johnson must have lost the person who reads for him, so he’s making the senate do it. He should learn to read. It’s saves everyone time.
Yea, maybe Johnson could get that mindless, no talent Jen Psaki to read it out loud.
@Noogman so you agree, johnson can’t read.
@Noogman Ooh, bitter butt burn. That does seem painful.
was never that great in math but … USA has little less than 350 million in population.1 billion is = 1000 times a million. So we each citizen can each get 1million and there is some left out of the billion… But this bill is talking about TRILLIONS and we citizens are getting only a little over than 1thousand dollars. Now 1 trillion is = to 1000 billions TO WHOM ARE ALL THIS TRILLIONS GOING??? This bill Will benefit big corporations. Brainless 🧠 humans
I’m a Wisconsin voter. Bye-Bye Ron Johnson.
Won’t get any bipartisanship when the democrats are raping the American taxpayer to give money to illegals and felons behind bars
Don’t cnn viewers care about inflation? 1.9 trillion dollars printed up with no backing that means the hundred in your wallet won’t be worth a hundred
1400 dollar checks so these Congressman can pocket millions
S .
Mlm
M. Ml.
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M … ml
Thank you @DebraNyman.
Here’s the short version: “Because he’s a narcissist who is putting his career ahead of the lives of human beings.”
That’s what the left is doing with this moronic bill. Only a tiny portion actually going towards COVID relief.
@T So you are new to this.
A narcissist is as a narcissist does.
Sounds all so familiar , one term LOSER IN FLORIDA 😂😂😂😂
was never that great in math but … USA has little less than 350 million in population.1 billion is = 1000 times a million. So we each citizen can each get 1million and there is some left out of the billion… But this bill is talking about TRILLIONS and we citizens are getting only a little over than 1thousand dollars. Now 1 trillion is = to 1000 billions TO WHOM ARE ALL THIS TRILLIONS GOING??? This bill Will benefit big corporations. Brainless 🧠 humans
And who is paying the price for these political games? That’s right, you and me people.
@juujhg You mad, Brah?
Most of the people that comment on here have blinders on with their hand out and then they come along and take it right back FOOLS
If Donald Trump died tomorrow from something, his followers would never believe it saying its more fake news.
@dls951 That’s BS and you know it!
THANK GOD someone did SOMETHING , even while republicans did less than nothing!
5 percent…pfft….LIAR!
Dana Bash was right. The politicians were trying to stimulate “their own bank accounts.”
I’d like to stimulate their asses by unleashing a pack of black bears on them.
@Jay Ritch Right on! 😂👍
Thanks.
Well, hopefully Wisconsin voters are paying attention to his games.
From your mouth to God’s ear.
A Morfus,
Sure they are. And Wisconsin Republican voters will love him for it. They will rush to the polls to re-elect him. To them it’s worth the delay in getting the check, just as long as they can see one of their Senators pulling political stunts to block or delay any Democratic initiative.
He’s a grade-A scumbag..that’s why
The motto: “what’s in it for me” is universal; but maybe more so for American politics? America is on the decline and perhaps rightly so since the Trump era. So pitiful.
I can’t imagine anyone who would vote for Johnson
Somebody did!
Many of them did which is why he’s is a position of authority but too dumb and selfish to utilise this to better the lives of Americans
His term is up in 2022, let’s vote him out if he has the guts to run again. And I really have to laugh when I hear he wants to be President. Unbelievable!!
It would be a frightening prospect. Vote him out, please. These obstructionists are disgusting because they are willing to sacrifice the welfare of the people for their own selfish and partisan interests.
We need to begin to play by the radical rights rules, we are in charge and we will call all the shots…just like they do when they are in power.
YES
THIS DUDE HAVE NERVES. HE USED TO BE A FACTORY WORKER WHO WENT TO GOVERNMENT TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP. YOU WILL THINK HE WOULD HUMBLE HIMSELF BECAUSE HE WAS ONCE A MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN REPUBLICANS LOVE TO HATE.
No honor, no integrity, betrayed his oath to defend the Constitution, good riddance.