[BostonCard]

Congress managed to ratify the new version of NAFTA during the impeachment, so the idea that Congress could not walk and chew gum at the same time is silly.  I think if the President had introduced it as a priority before February 24, when the administration asked Congress for $2.5 billion in emergency funding to combat the pandemic, Congress could have passed the supplemental appropriations bill sooner than March 6.  By Congress' standards, turning a bill around in 11 days is pretty fast.

It's not too hard to imagine a different president going to congress on January 21st, when the first case of coronavirus was detected in the US or January 30, when the first person-to-person spread in the US was confirmed or January 31st, when HHS issued it's public health emergency.  I have no idea if it would have made a difference, but having more money for testing and medical supplies on February 11th rather than March 6 would not have hurt.

BC

[BostonCard]

Congress managed to ratify the new version of NAFTA during the impeachment, so the idea that Congress could not walk and chew gum at the same time is silly.  I think if the President had introduced it as a priority before February 24, when the administration asked Congress for $2.5 billion in emergency funding to combat the pandemic, Congress could have passed the supplemental appropriations bill sooner than March 6.  By Congress' standards, turning a bill around in 11 days is pretty fast.

It's not too hard to imagine a different president going to congress on January 21st, when the first case of coronavirus was detected in the US or January 30, when the first person-to-person spread in the US was confirmed or January 31st, when HHS issued it's public health emergency.  I have no idea if it would have made a difference, but having more money for testing and medical supplies on February 11th rather than March 6 would not have hurt.

BC