Conservatives Continue Blocking Realistic Pandemic Relief Bill

 

The floor vote on Pelosi's COVID-relief package on Thursday was a little close for comfort, as too many cowardly conservative Blue Dogs and New Dems panicked and crossed the aisle to vote with the Republicans against it. This is what happens when the DCCC stomps on progressives and pushes conservatives from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. 16 of the 18 Democrats who crossed the aisle in an outrageous anti-working family stab in the back were New Dems and Blue Dogs:

• Cindy Axne (New Dem-IA)
• Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY)
• Joe Cunningham (Blue Dog-SC)
• Sharice Davids (New Dem-KS)
• Jared Golden (Blue Dog-ME)
• Kendra Horn (Blue Dog-OK)
• Steven Horsford (New Dem-NV)
• Dan Lipinski (Blue Dog-IL)
• Elaine Luria (New Dem-VA)
• Ben McAdams (Blue Dog-UT)
• Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN)
• Dean Phillips (New Dem-MN)
• Max Rose (Blue Dog-NY)
• Kurt Schrader (Blue Dog-OR)
• Elaine Spanberger (Blue Dog-VA)
• Xochitl Torres Small (Blue Dog-NM)

Then I noticed something peculiar. A dozen of these creeps are freshmen and, aside from all having voting records that earned "F" ratings from ProgressivePunch, these are Chamber of Commerce freshmen. Yep... this year, the virulently anti-worker U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and the Democrats willing to work against the legitimate interests of working families-- in other words, Cindy Axne, Anthony Brindisi, Joe Cunningham, Sharice Davids, Kendra Horn, Elaine Luria, Beth McAdams, Dean Phillips, Xochitl Torres Small, Abigail Spanberger...

Pelosi's bill comes in at $2.2 trillion-- a slimmed-down version of the $3.4 trillion relief bill the House passed in May. It includes almost half a trillion dollars in aid to state and local governments, which Trump and the GOP oppose and will never allow to pass; a renewal of $600 weekly payments for unemployment benefits; another round of $1,200 checks for individuals; $75 billion for coronavirus testing; and billions of dollars more for schools, the Postal Service, food stamps, rental assistance and election security. It also contains emergency bailout funds for two industries hit hardest by the pandemic: airlines and restaurants. But, like the last one, McConnell has already said he won't allow the Senate to vote on it. Although Josh Gottheimer (Blue Dog-NJ) and Jason Crow (New Dem-CO) led the conservaDem revolt against it, Pelosi yelled at them and they both voted for it in the end. But some of the simps who always prefer to stick with the Chamber of Commerce refused to back off and voted with the Republicans-- like Cindy Axne and Anthony Brindisi, who always advocate giving in to GOP demands, no matter what the issue.

Kara Eastman responded to her Trumpist opponent's predictable vote against the relief bill on twitter. Here it is as a couple of narrative paragraphs:

Don Bacon just voted AGAINST the Heroes Act! Yes. In the MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, Don Bacon just voted against this vital piece of legislation. This bill included money for COVID testing, it included money for Unemployment insurance, it included the $120 billion for the Restaurant Act (which Bacon SAID he supported but is now abandoning), it included money for child care and food stamp benefits, and education funding but Bacon voted AGAINST it! Here's what Don's excuse will be:

"I want to help families but Nancy Pelosi put a bunch of unnecessary stuff in there!"

Really? Tell us all right here, WHAT you were opposed to with this bill? Was it the money for testing and tracing? Was it the money for working families? Was it the money for small businesses? Don Bacon is bad at his job. He simply doesn't look out for real people. He talks a good game, but it's ALL marketing. Just look at his voting record! He doesn't stick up for you, he sticks up for billionaires and oil companies.

And here's the actual tweet on the same subject from one of the progressives running in Austin, Julie Oliver:

The Republican establishment is adamantly opposed to doing anything that helps actual people and demands everything go through corporations so that it can trickle down to the working class. The House GOP messaging unit has dubbed it "the Pelosi pipedream 2.0" and their clownish minority leader, Kevin McCarthy had one of his stooges, Virginia Foxx (R-NC) deliver the GOP response, referring to the bill as "a $2.2 trillion socialist wish-list. When it comes to spending taxpayer dollars-- hard-earned money-- the Democrats just can't seem to help themselves," willfully unable to comprehend that this is a way of giving the taxpayers back the money.