President Trump unleashed on Senate Republicans Tuesday afternoon, demanding they approve his call for $2,000 stimulus checks for the American people unless they have a “death wish.”
The President responded to a Washington Post report indicating Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had blocked an attempt by Democrats to hold an immediate vote on increasing the stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000.
“Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP,” Trump tweeted. “$600 IS NOT ENOUGH!”
The President also demanded a repeal of Section 230 – which provides liability protections for Big Tech companies – and a review of fraud in the 2020 election.
The New York Times reports that McConnell “provided vague assurances that the Senate would ‘begin the process’ of discussing $2,000 checks” along with election security and protections for social media companies.
Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP. $600 IS NOT ENOUGH! Also, get rid of Section 230 – Don’t let Big Tech steal our Country, and don’t let the Democrats steal the Presidential Election. Get tough! https://t.co/GMotstu7OI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2020
RELATED: 130 Republicans Vote Against Trump On $2,000 Stimulus Checks For Americans
President Trump: Republicans Have a Death Wish If They Don’t Approve Bigger Stimulus Checks
President Trump has been pushing for the $2,000 stimulus checks ever since the passage of a $900 billion COVID relief bill that included checks for a mere $600 per person.
Trump had initially threatened to veto the relief package due to wasteful spending and stimulus checks that he contends would amount to less than what even illegal aliens would get.
The President abruptly backtracked and signed the bill over the weekend, still demanding Congress take action to increase the stimulus checks.
The House voted on Monday evening to increase the size of the stimulus checks to $2,000, but 130 Republicans defied Trump by voting in opposition.
Over 100 Republicans voted to override Trump’s veto on the NDAA and voted against raising the stimulus checks to $2,000 pic.twitter.com/dC31yXx1Fu
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 28, 2020
RELATED: Trump Signs COVID Relief Bill, Continues to Demand $2,000 Stimulus Checks For Americans
Are They Going to Self-Destruct?
While resistance to larger handouts is a legitimate concern with an ever-skyrocketing national deficit, President Trump’s “death wish” tweet seems to be an indicator that he understands the political peril Republicans are facing right now.
Senate runoffs in Georgia – between Republican Sen. David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff and between Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock – will determine which party has control of the Senate.
Being the party that kills higher stimulus checks leading up to such a pivotal vote on January 5th would be a party seemingly with a “death wish.”
Both Senators Perdue and Loeffler support increasing stimulus checks to $2,000.https://t.co/ng4kXvEEc1
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 30, 2020
Both Loeffler and Perdue have sided with President Trump on the larger stimulus checks.
“President [Trump] is right — I support this push for $2,000 in direct relief for the American people,” Perdue tweeted.
President @realdonaldtrump is right — I support this push for $2,000 in direct relief for the American people. https://t.co/Al3USM7zPr
— David Perdue (@Perduesenate) December 29, 2020
Likewise, Loeffler also tweeted, “I agree with [President Trump] — we need to deliver $2,000 direct relief checks to the American people.”
I agree with @realDonaldTrump — we need to deliver $2,000 direct relief checks to the American people.
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) December 29, 2020
It looks like these Republicans at least don’t have a death wish.
McConnell, meanwhile, has attached President Trump’s other demands to the COVID relief legislation, making it far more difficult to pass.
Legislation with Section 230 repeal language and election integrity review, while noble, has no chance of getting the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate, nor will it clear the Democratic-controlled House.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “If Senator McConnell tries loading up the bipartisan House-passed CASH Act with unrelated, partisan provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country, it will not pass the House and cannot become law.”
An ironic accusation since the initial relief bill was loaded with “partisan provisions that will do absolutely nothing to help struggling families across the country.”
And while opening the economy is the best, most obvious economic solution for struggling families, McConnell must ask himself if it is worth it to toy with the American people like this regarding stimulus checks.
Does the GOP have a death wish?
