[BostonCard]

First, the politicians on both the left and right essentially refuse to work together for the good of the country, and it's been moving in that direction for a very long time, basically as long as it was clear that entitlements would one day sink the economy.  I'd like to figuratively knock their heads together, same with their respective supporters. The days of Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan compromising are long gone (with a few exceptions, such as prison reform).  As each generation has performed poorly compared to the prior generation, and as it's become clear that entitlements will sink us, politicians have shifted from "compromise" to "blame" and have implemented policies to enforce "blame" as their primary contribution, on both the left and right.  Society and politics has become polemicized.  

This seems very odd given that we have passed four major coronavirus bills in near record time on a bipartisan and nearly unanimous basis in little over two months.  Yeah, you hear partisans sniping, which is as old as Hamilton and Jefferson, but by and large the idea that our politicians cannot work together is not borne out by the facts.

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 provided $8 billion in supplemental appropriations to combat the spread of COVID-19.  It passed the House 415–2 on March 4 and the Senate 96–1 on March 5, 2020, and was signed the same day.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act The act provided funding for free coronavirus testing, 14-day paid leave for American workers affected by the pandemic, and increased funding for food stamp.  It was introduced to the House on March 14.  It passed the House 363–40–1 the next day, and passed the Senate 90-8 four days later.  Trump signed it the same day.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was the big one.  It provided nearly $2 trillion in spending between direct payments to individuals, enhanced unemployment insurance, bailouts for industries heavily affected by the pandemic and forgivable loans funneled through the small business administration.  Although it failed early procedural votes in the senate in late March, an agreement was reached three days later and it was passed three days later on a unanimous 96-0 vote.  Two days later it passed the House on a near unanimous, unrecorded voice vote.  It was signed into law a few hours later.

Two days ago, the fourth major coronavirus bill was signed by President Trump.  It shored up the small business loan program with an additional $300 billion, $75 billion for health care providers to support COVID-19 expenses and lost revenue due to the canceling of many elected procedures, and $25 billion to develop mass testing, with $11 billion earmarked for states and localities.  It passed the Senate on Tuesday by voice vote and the House voted for it 388 to 5 two days ago.  Trump signed it later Friday.

A fifth coronavirus bill that would provide more payments to individuals, aid to states and local goverments, and infrastructure spending is now being negotiated.  Mitch McConnell's comments (and the reactions to them notwithstanding), I think it too will pass.

BC

[BostonCard]

First, the politicians on both the left and right essentially refuse to work together for the good of the country, and it's been moving in that direction for a very long time, basically as long as it was clear that entitlements would one day sink the economy.  I'd like to figuratively knock their heads together, same with their respective supporters. The days of Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan compromising are long gone (with a few exceptions, such as prison reform).  As each generation has performed poorly compared to the prior generation, and as it's become clear that entitlements will sink us, politicians have shifted from "compromise" to "blame" and have implemented policies to enforce "blame" as their primary contribution, on both the left and right.  Society and politics has become polemicized.  

This seems very odd given that we have passed four major coronavirus bills in near record time on a bipartisan and nearly unanimous basis in little over two months.  Yeah, you hear partisans sniping, which is as old as Hamilton and Jefferson, but by and large the idea that our politicians cannot work together is not borne out by the facts.

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 provided $8 billion in supplemental appropriations to combat the spread of COVID-19.  It passed the House 415–2 on March 4 and the Senate 96–1 on March 5, 2020, and was signed the same day.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act The act provided funding for free coronavirus testing, 14-day paid leave for American workers affected by the pandemic, and increased funding for food stamp.  It was introduced to the House on March 14.  It passed the House 363–40–1 the next day, and passed the Senate 90-8 four days later.  Trump signed it the same day.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was the big one.  It provided nearly $2 trillion in spending between direct payments to individuals, enhanced unemployment insurance, bailouts for industries heavily affected by the pandemic and forgivable loans funneled through the small business administration.  Although it failed early procedural votes in the senate in late March, an agreement was reached three days later and it was passed three days later on a unanimous 96-0 vote.  Two days later it passed the House on a near unanimous, unrecorded voice vote.  It was signed into law a few hours later.

Two days ago, the fourth major coronavirus bill was signed by President Trump.  It shored up the small business loan program with an additional $300 billion, $75 billion for health care providers to support COVID-19 expenses and lost revenue due to the canceling of many elected procedures, and $25 billion to develop mass testing, with $11 billion earmarked for states and localities.  It passed the Senate on Tuesday by voice vote and the House voted for it 388 to 5 two days ago.  Trump signed it later Friday.

A fifth coronavirus bill that would provide more payments to individuals, aid to states and local goverments, and infrastructure spending is now being negotiated.  Mitch McConnell's comments (and the reactions to them notwithstanding), I think it too will pass.

BC