Trump to try going it alone on coronavirus aid after talks with Congress break down

By Richard Cowan

 

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) depart together after a news conference about their coronavirus relief negotiations with the Trump administration on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House officials trying to broker a deal on new coronavirus legislation will advise President Donald Trump to act on his own to deliver relief to Americans suffering from the pandemic, after talks with top Democrats in Congress broke down on Friday.

 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said they would recommend that Trump issue executive orders over the weekend to resume enhanced unemployment benefits, reinstate a moratorium on evictions and address other issues.

 

"The president would like us to make a deal. But unfortunately we did not make any progress today," Mnuchin told reporters after he and Meadows met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer for nearly 90 minutes on Capitol Hill.

 

The global pandemic has taken a particularly heavy toll on the United States, where it has killed more than 160,000 people and thrown tens of millions out of work. Trump initially played down the disease's threat and has drawn criticism for inconsistent messages on public health steps such as social distancing and masks.

 

Friday's talks appeared to mark the end of nearly two weeks of almost daily closed-door negotiations between the four leaders, who have sought to hammer out an agreement on legislation to resume COVID-19 relief programs that expired at the end of July.

 

Democrats said they offered to reduce a proposed $3.4 trillion coronavirus aid package, which the House passed in May but the Senate ignored, by nearly one-third if Republicans would agree to more than double their $1 trillion counter-offer.

 

Trump's negotiators turned them down.

 

"It was a disappointing meeting," Schumer told reporters.

 

Both sides said they remained open to further negotiations.

 

"I will be back here any time to listen to new proposals," said Mnuchin, who identified the roadblocks as funding for state and local governments and an extension of enhanced unemployment payments, a $600 per week lifeline for those who have lost jobs in the coronavirus crisis.

 

Pelosi said she gave him and Meadows a stern parting message: "Come back when you're ready to give us a higher number."

 

Trump has also said he could use an executive order to defer payroll tax payments in an effort to stimulate the reeling U.S. economy, as he seeks reelection in November.

 

But it was unclear how much any president could do by executive order. At a news conference, Schumer said the president could not order any new money spent - as that is the power of Congress - but could only defer costs until they were eventually paid.

 

LIMITS ON EXECUTIVE POWER

 

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress authority over federal spending, so Trump does not have the legal authority to issue executive orders determining how money should be spent on coronavirus.

 

Trump has managed to sidestep Congress on spending before. In 2019, he declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border to shift billions of dollars from the defense budget to pay for a border wall he promised during his 2016 election campaign.

 

Schumer placed some of the blame for the lack of progress on 20 Republicans in the Senate greatly influenced by the conservative Tea Party: "They don't want to spend the necessary dollars to help get America out of this mess. Ideology sort of blinds them."

 

Pelosi said Democrats want the biggest possible number for reviving the expired enhanced unemployment payments. Renewing that benefit has been a leading Democratic demand.

 

The White House at one point suggested $400 a week in federal benefits for the unemployed, but Democrats rejected it and have refused to do a separate deal, saying they wanted a comprehensive package that also included money for state and local governments and other matters.

 

Trump cast the issue of aid to state and local governments in partisan terms, writing on Twitter: "Pelosi and Schumer only interested in Bailout Money for poorly run Democrat cities and states. Nothing to do with China Virus! Want one trillion dollars. No interest. We are going a different way!"

 

More than 300 U.S. mayors this week sent a letter to Trump requesting $250 billion in direct federal aid to cities across the country. U.S. state governors of both parties have asked Congress for another $500 billion.

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Pete Schroeder, David Lawder, Susan Heavey, Lisa Lambert and Susan Cornwell in Washington, and Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Writing by David Morgan and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Scott Malone, Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-08

 

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Uh ho looks like the house layed it on donalds doorstep who’s Donald going to blame for this lol get ready for a tweet storm/blame storm sad and pathetic as well

Edited August 7, 20205 yr by Tug

When I was a young man, my father was not very smart. One day after I explained American politics to him, he simply said "Their all a bunch a yahoos." Funny thing is my father certainly got smarter as I got older.

 

I still don't know what exactly a yahoo is, but it is similar to pornography. I can't really tell you what it is, but I know it when I see it...

41 minutes ago, Tug said:

Uh ho looks like the house layed it on donalds doorstep who’s Donald going to blame for this lol get ready for a tweet storm/blame storm sad and pathetic as well

IMO even if Trump delivers the greatest aid package in American history there are those on here that will say it's terrible and the "other" guy could have done it better.

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

IMO he'll get the best advice he can and try to sign something affordable and reasonable for as many as possible.

From what I gather, the Dems wanted a blank cheque for too much money, and the GOP rightly refused to agree.

Edited August 7, 20205 yr by thaibeachlovers

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO even if Trump delivers the greatest aid package in American history there are those on here that will say it's terrible and the "other" guy could have done it better.

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

IMO he'll get the best advice he can and try to sign something affordable and reasonable for as many as possible.

From what I gather, the Dems wanted a blank cheque for too much money, and the GOP rightly refused to agree.

It is what it is.

Makes sense the dems want to run up a big tab before the elections. Shame on them.

Just now, EVENKEEL said:

Makes sense the dems want to run up a big tab before the elections. Shame on them.

Thoughts and prayers

31 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

If Trump does 100 things, how many of them are good? 1? Or maybe best case 10?

He was such a bad president for most of the last 4 years. Even if he would be on perfect behavior for the next 3 months he would never be able to compensate for all he did already - or didn't do.

 

But maybe we should see Trump like Covid: It will go away.

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

If Trump does 100 things, how many of them are good? 1? Or maybe best case 10?

He was such a bad president for most of the last 4 years. Even if he would be on perfect behavior for the next 3 months he would never be able to compensate for all he did already - or didn't do.

 

But maybe we should see Trump like Covid: It will go away.

Didn't take long to prove my point.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Democrats said they offered to reduce a proposed $3.4 trillion coronavirus aid package, which the House passed in May but the Senate ignored, by nearly one-third if Republicans would agree to more than double their $1 trillion counter-offer.

 

They stupid. Money not control covid. 

Behavior control covid.

Wear mask, wash hands, social distance, stay home, tracing app. 

Control about 5 weeks same thailand.

 

 

But anti masker, riot and protests, covid party, anti vaxxer, refuse the app= not control, terrible economy, trillion++ waste money. 

 

Listen what doctor say, not politics loon.

i boring this idiots. Selfish. 

 

 

 

Contrary to his own party advice, trump has just put on hold Payroll Tax which pays for Social Security, thereby increasing government debt. Got to give trump credit for his action to stop the firing of US workers to be replaced by cheaper labour from overseas at the Tennessee Valley Authority. Unfortunately trump indulged in further misinformation during his address, at this time text is not available - video...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 20205 yr by simple1

54 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO even if Trump delivers the greatest aid package in American history there are those on here that will say it's terrible and the "other" guy could have done it better.

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

IMO he'll get the best advice he can and try to sign something affordable and reasonable for as many as possible.

From what I gather, the Dems wanted a blank cheque for too much money, and the GOP rightly refused to agree.

Awww poor poor Donald the dude was giving a (what passes for him)a speech at his exclusive golf club today donalds no victim we are of his inept response to covid if he wasent such a incompet idiot we wouldent be in such a bad place and with his (condition)he’s incapable of delegating the responsibility to competent personnel who could manage it

46 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Makes sense the dems want to run up a big tab before the elections. Shame on them.

Ahhh just who ran up the deficit bigley before covid when the economy was good pray tell?

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO even if Trump delivers the greatest aid package in American history there are those on here that will say it's terrible and the "other" guy could have done it better.

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

IMO he'll get the best advice he can and try to sign something affordable and reasonable for as many as possible.

From what I gather, the Dems wanted a blank cheque for too much money, and the GOP rightly refused to agree.

Or is it that the funding in the House proposal had accountability strings attached which is contrary to the interests of  GOP members and their sponsors ?

Even with executive orders Trump can not create new money so where will he divert from to fund some ad- hoc continuance??

 

 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Uh ho looks like the house layed it on donalds doorstep who’s Donald going to blame for this lol get ready for a tweet storm/blame storm sad and pathetic as well

Dems passed their bill in MAY-----Ask Rich Mitch why he waited til now to negotiate it....

 

They know trump is done, they got theirs on fir$t bill, as always, now they clam up.....Party over people GOP

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO even if Trump delivers the greatest aid package in American history there are those on here that will say it's terrible and the "other" guy could have done it better.

Doesn't matter what the Donald does, to some he's always bad.

IMO he'll get the best advice he can and try to sign something affordable and reasonable for as many as possible.

From what I gather, the Dems wanted a blank cheque for too much money, and the GOP rightly refused to agree.

Donald build only "walls" every place! Barrier in south, "wall" between people. Only good thing what he can do now, help people who have suffer from covid. But no , he want open up coundry more and make more suffering! Even hes office has already f...ed up hole covid situation. He want make more mess! Main thing is imo, he want move all money to hes friends pocket's. Not to people who really need help.

 

 

 

I think most of us , can pay this wall !

Edited August 8, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

What a shame. A gigantic stimulus package would have sent the S&P sky high and the dollar would have fallen driving Gold to record highs.

 

It would have been so easy to make money in the markets then.

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

It is what it is.

Starting to look like the housing market crisis and the dot.com bubble burst negotiations. The Whitehouse and fed will have to stuff it down the houses throat again.

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The global pandemic has taken a particularly heavy toll on the United States, where it has killed more than 160,000 people and thrown tens of millions out of work.

just to be clear, the virus didnt threw tens of millions out of work,

elected governments around the world did that part

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

It is what it is.

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Makes sense the dems want to run up a big tab before the elections. Shame on them.

This big tab wouldn’t be necessary if Trump acted early and responsibly to contain the virus. He has been given adequate early warning in January and procrastinated. He still don’t have a comprehensive plan nor change his behavior to contain this run away virus currently. He is playing golf over the weekend and seem disinterest in the country dire situation.

https://www.vox.com/2020/4/12/21218305/trump-ignored-coronavirus-warnings

9 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

This big tab wouldn’t be necessary if Trump acted early and responsibly to contain the virus. He has been given adequate early warning in January and procrastinated. He still don’t have a comprehensive plan nor change his behavior to contain this run away virus currently. He is playing golf over the weekend and seem disinterest in the country dire situation.

https://www.vox.com/2020/4/12/21218305/trump-ignored-coronavirus-warnings

Not up to him really. Each person has there own morale responsibility but want to blame someone else for there woes and selfishness. But that's my fellow Americans, well a few at least.

9 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Not up to him really. Each person has there own morale responsibility but want to blame someone else for there woes and selfishness. But that's my fellow Americans, well a few at least.

That's an anarchistic attitude 

11 minutes ago, stevenl said:

That's an anarchistic attitude 

Wow, really?. So the excuses that my dad did not tell me or my mother never warned me what could happen and so its there fault and the governments fault I have covid. Not buying it for even one second. Personal responsibility is key.

The stupidity of the overspending of certain Governors has, in the main, caused this problem. Typically both the Democrats and Republicans add their own extras into a bill and refuse to budge if those extras are not in the bill. It is stupid to pay unemployment benefits of US$600 a week as that is more money than many of the unemployed would get if they returned to work. The Democrats are sticking to this us$600 and asking for bail outs of various Governors who have overspend in the past years. Some new Green Deal rubbish has been added into the covid19 bill.

 

No wonder they won't agree. They will blame Trump to score points in the upcoming election. Dam the poor people out of work this is no more than political infighting!

33 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Not up to him really. Each person has there own morale responsibility but want to blame someone else for there woes and selfishness. But that's my fellow Americans, well a few at least.

I can agree with you if he is just a normal citizen like you and me. He is the President, head of state and commander in Chief that has power different from you and me to implement and legislate policies and duty bound by the constitution to defend and keep the country safe. With the pandemic spiking and his attitude has not changed; the blame will fall on him. 

8 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I can agree with you if he is just a normal citizen like you and me. He is the President, head of state and commander in Chief that has power different from you and me to implement and legislate policies and duty bound by the constitution to defend and keep the country safe. With the pandemic spiking and his attitude has not changed; the blame will fall on him. 

I could agree if there were not others in congress on both sides whose problems are bigger apparently than those of the average citizen and continue to muck it all up as well as the man in the Whitehouse, this is where personal responsibility comes in.

47 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Wow, really?. So the excuses that my dad did not tell me or my mother never warned me what could happen and so its there fault and the governments fault I have covid. Not buying it for even one second. Personal responsibility is key.

We all have our personal responsibilities, but general care of the population is in hands of the government. And Trump has failed there.

 

Your statement 'its there fault and the governments fault I have covid.' is based on nothing, and the reasoning that it is all up to oneself is an anarchist attitude.

Edited August 8, 20205 yr by stevenl

"Trump has managed to sidestep Congress on spending before."

First with regard to diverting Congessionally approved budget from Defense to build the border wall, the USSC decision was only a temporary decision and did not decide the case. The administration must file a formal appeal seeking review of the ruling, maybe next year. However, meanwhile use of those funds can continue until final ruling.

Second, the USSC said that lawmakers and ordinary citizens do not have standing to sue to challenge unconstitutional spending. So who or what qualifies?

The budget law was limited in that Congress had to specifically authorize lawsuits over military spending, so no one may go to court to challenge an alleged illegal transfer.

https://latimer.com/politics/story/2020-07-31/supreme-court-trump-border-wall-construction

 

19 minutes ago, stevenl said:

We all have our personal responsibilities, but general care of the population is in hands of the government. And Trump has failed there.

 

Your statement 'its there fault and the governments fault I have covid.' is based on nothing, and the reasoning that it is all up to oneself is an anarchist attitude.

So in your words anyone who does not believe the government should be in control of a pandemic is an Anarchitic individual and one who advocates or believes in anarchy,  or anarchism. And my view on personal responsibity is that I am seeking to overturn by violence all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed.

I find it hard to believe that by living with personal responsibility I am a person who promotes disorder or excites revolt against any established rule, law, or custom.if the government can't meet in the middle and do what's right, it up to us to care for ourselves. It's not just one person's responsibility.

Edited August 8, 20205 yr by ThailandRyan

A troll post and a reply have been removed