“I simply want to do this one thing. Also, I want a bunch of other stuff that would kill the deal.” https://t.co/bYUr4raNqL
— George Callas (@George_A_Callas) December 26, 2020
You’d think the GOP would have some respect for their own political futures, if not for their constituents, but apparently their fealty to Dear Leader trumps all. From the Washington Post:
President Trump on Saturday continued to demand changes to the $900 billion stimulus deal that Democrats and Republicans approved on Dec. 21, raising the odds that the government could shut down on Tuesday and the economy could suffer a devastating shock in the final days of his presidency…
The president’s denunciation of the agreement represented a stunning public broadside against his own treasury secretary, who for four years loyally shielded the president’s tax returns, endured repeated presidential tirades in private, and defended even Trump’s most incendiary and contradictory remarks. Through it all, Mnuchin had emerged with the unique ability to walk a tightrope between Trump and congressional leaders, serving as an emissary in difficult negotiations. That all ended on Tuesday, when Trump posted a video on Twitter ridiculing the agreement…
One day before Trump’s video was released, Mnuchin called the relief package “fabulous” in an interview with CNBC. Mnuchin stressed that the administration would send payments of as much as $2,400 to millions of American households as early as this week. It would have amounted to one of the largest federal cash payment transfers in history outside the Cares Act in March.
Instead, Trump decided to risk torpedoing the effort while raging against congressional Republicans on Twitter for not supporting his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump has also expressed anger at congressional Democrats for not agreeing to a stimulus package before the presidential election…
President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday slammed Trump for refusing to sign the agreement into law.
“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,” Biden said in a statement. “This abdication of responsibility has devastating consequences.”…
Not feeling any sympathy for Steve Mnuchin, me. Smart, well-connected money guy like him, he knew exactly what he’d get from the Oval Office Occupant, no matter how sycophantic one’s service. Hope the selfies were worth it, Mnuch!
GOP Venality Open Thread: Trying to Kill the HostagesPost + Comments (159)
