thefiscaltimes--2020-08-17--Cities Brace for Coronavirus Budget Cuts

Many U.S. cities are experiencing a revenue crunch due to the coronavirus pandemic , forcing sharp budget cuts that will stretch into next year , according to a new analysis that will appear in the National Tax Journal .
Cities that rely heavily on tourism ( i.e.
, New Orleans ) or assistance from state governments ( i.e.
, Rochester , New York ) will be particularly hard hit , the study found , with budget cuts of up to 20 % in the next fiscal year relative to pre-pandemic spending levels .
And contrary to charges made by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were badly run by Democrats , the drop in revenues is very much a bipartisan affair , with some of the worst-hit cities located in both Democratic-controlled New York and Republican-dominated Florida .
“ The Great Recession was a story of long , drawn-out fiscal pain — this is sharper , ” said economist Howard Chernick , one of the study ’ s authors .
City leaders make the case for a fiscal lifeline .
Reporting on the analysis Monday , Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui of The New York Times said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal to aid cities – an issue that has divided Democrats and Republicans so far – the budget cuts will be “ enough for residents to experience short-staffed libraries , strained parks departments and fewer road projects.
” Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester , New York , explained to the Times why her city needs federal assistance : “ We can ’ t produce money , we can ’ t borrow our way out of this , we can ’ t tax our way out of this .
But our residents expect that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trash day .
They expect that the snow will be plowed when it snows .
They expect that when they call 911 that a police officer will show up .
For Washington to ignore that reality — it hurts.
” Dave Massaron , the chief financial officer for Detroit , argued that dealing with the fallout from an international pandemic is beyond the ability of individual cities .
“ This is really what the federal government was built to do : to handle these events that are bigger than the borders of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state , ” he said .

Many U.S. cities are experiencing a revenue crunch due to the coronavirus pandemic, forcing sharp budget cuts that will stretch into next year, according to a new analysis that will appear in the National Tax Journal.
Cities that rely heavily on tourism (i.e., New Orleans) or assistance from state governments (i.e., Rochester, New York) will be particularly hard hit, the study found, with budget cuts of up to 20% in the next fiscal year relative to pre-pandemic spending levels.
And contrary to charges made by President Trump that cities are suffering because they were badly run by Democrats, the drop in revenues is very much a bipartisan affair, with some of the worst-hit cities located in both Democratic-controlled New York and Republican-dominated Florida.
“The Great Recession was a story of long, drawn-out fiscal pain — this is sharper,” said economist Howard Chernick, one of the study’s authors.
City leaders make the case for a fiscal lifeline. Reporting on the analysis Monday, Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui of The New York Times said that if Congress is unable to make a deal to aid cities – an issue that has divided Democrats and Republicans so far – the budget cuts will be “enough for residents to experience short-staffed libraries, strained parks departments and fewer road projects.”
Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester, New York, explained to the Times why her city needs federal assistance:
“We can’t produce money, we can’t borrow our way out of this, we can’t tax our way out of this. But our residents expect that the trash will be picked up on trash day. They expect that the snow will be plowed when it snows. They expect that when they call 911 that a police officer will show up. For Washington to ignore that reality — it hurts.”
Dave Massaron, the chief financial officer for Detroit, argued that dealing with the fallout from an international pandemic is beyond the ability of individual cities. “This is really what the federal government was built to do: to handle these events that are bigger than the borders of a city and bigger than the borders of a state,” he said.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-13--Trump Indicates He Wants to Block USPS Funding to Stop Mail-In Votes

President Trump indicated Thursday morning that he opposes Democratic proposals to provide additional funding to the U.S .
Postal Service because he doesn ’ t want to expand voting by mail ahead of November ’ s presidential election .
Trump has repeatedly railed against mail-in voting , claiming without evidence that it results in widespread fraud and could result in a “ rigged ” election .
On Thursday morning , he told the Fox Business Network ’ s Maria Bartiromo that the postal service funding is one reason his administration and congressional Democrats remain far apart on a broader coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want universal mail-in voting : '' They want $ 3.5 billion for something that will turn out to be fraudulent , that 's election money basically .
They want 3.5 trillion dollars for the mail-in votes , OK , universal mail-in ballots , 3.5 trillion .
They want $ 25 billion — billion — for the post office .
Now , they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots.
” He added : “ Now , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that means they don ’ t get the money .
That means they can ’ t have universal mail-in voting , they just can ’ t have it.
” In an afternoon press briefing , the president denied that he had threatened to veto a deal that included funding to help the Postal Service handle an expected surge in mail-in voting — while repeating his baseless claim that mail-in voting will make the election “ fraudulent.
” The background : The Democratic coronavirus relief package passed by the House in May included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grants ” that Politico reports could be used for a range of measures , including preparing for what ’ s expected to be an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots but also for protecting in-person voting and supplying personal protective equipment for poll workers .
The package also included $ 25 billion for the Postal Service .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that the figure was the amount recommended by the Postal Service ’ s bipartisan board of governors , “ 100 % appointed by Donald Trump.
” Experts say that mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no evidence that mail-in voting favors Democrats , but at a White House briefing Wednesday , Trump argued — again , baselessly — that expanded mail-in voting in this year ’ s election would result in “ the greatest fraud in the history of elections.
” In March , Trump said that making it easier for more people to vote would ensure “ you ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again.
” Politico notes that a Monmouth poll released Tuesday found 72 % of Democrats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail , compared to 22 % of Republicans .
Trump again says the quiet part out loud : Trump is making an explicitly political case for his opposition to Postal Service funding .
As Politico puts it : “ he doesn ’ t want to add funding for the Postal Service in an attempt to kneecap mail-in voting , which he believes will be heavily Democratic.
” Trump ’ s not the only administration figure to make that link .
In an interview with CNBC Thursday , White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of what he described as a liberal wish list of demands for coronavirus relief .
`` So [ many ] of the Democratic asks are really liberal , left wishlists — voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth , '' he said .
`` That 's not our game , and the president ca n't accept that kind of deal , '' Kudlow continued .
This could further complicate negotiations : Trump ’ s comments on Thursday leave some confusion about just what he would or would not accept in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one area where the two sides had made progress , with Democrats reportedly agreeing to $ 10 billion for one year instead of $ 25 billion through fiscal 2022 .
`` What [ negotiators ] are saying is different than what the president is saying , '' Pelosi said .
`` If they came in the room and said the president is never doing this , that 's something we 'd take to the American people .
And the American people want the Postal Service protected and preserved . ''
Pelosi emphasized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American public and is essential for delivering prescription drugs , among other things .
“ The president says he ’ s not putting up any money for absentee voting and he ’ s not putting up any money for the postal service , undermining the health of our democracy , ” she said Thursday .
“ It ’ s a health issue , you shouldn ’ t have to choose between your health and your ability to cast a vote.
” Biden campaign responds : `` The president of the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of people rely upon , cutting a critical lifeline for rural economies and for delivery of medicines , because he wants to deprive Americans of their fundamental right to vote safely during the most catastrophic public health crisis in over 100 years , '' a Biden campaign spokesperson said in a statement .
Asked what he thought about Trump tying his opposition to Postal Service funding to mail-in voting , Biden said it was “ Pure Trump .
He doesn ’ t want an election.
” Election watchdogs slam Trump : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post office to try and win an election is a shameful misuse of presidential power .
Defunding the Postal Service and slowing its ability to deliver mail ballots to Americans will hurt Democratic and Republican voters alike , '' Trevor Potter , the president of the Campaign Legal Center and former Republican chair of the Federal Election Commission , told NPR .
Jana Morgan , director of the Declaration for American Democracy , a coalition of more than 160 organizations , said in a statement : `` President Trump made clear today that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office and blocking election funding to suppress Americans ' votes .
This act is a disgrace and a stain on our democracy .
”

President Trump indicated Thursday morning that he opposes Democratic proposals to provide additional funding to the U.S. Postal Service because he doesn’t want to expand voting by mail ahead of November’s presidential election.
Trump has repeatedly railed against mail-in voting, claiming without evidence that it results in widespread fraud and could result in a “rigged” election. On Thursday morning, he told the Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo that the postal service funding is one reason his administration and congressional Democrats remain far apart on a broader coronavirus relief package, inaccurately suggesting that Democrats want universal mail-in voting:
"They want $3.5 billion for something that will turn out to be fraudulent, that's election money basically. They want 3.5 trillion dollars for the mail-in votes, OK, universal mail-in ballots, 3.5 trillion. They want $25 billion — billion — for the post office. Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots.”
He added: “Now, if we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting, they just can’t have it.”
In an afternoon press briefing, the president denied that he had threatened to veto a deal that included funding to help the Postal Service handle an expected surge in mail-in voting — while repeating his baseless claim that mail-in voting will make the election “fraudulent.”
The background: The Democratic coronavirus relief package passed by the House in May included $3.6 billion for “election resilience grants” that Politico reports could be used for a range of measures, including preparing for what’s expected to be an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots but also for protecting in-person voting and supplying personal protective equipment for poll workers.
The package also included $25 billion for the Postal Service. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that the figure was the amount recommended by the Postal Service’s bipartisan board of governors, “100% appointed by Donald Trump.”
Experts say that mail-in voting fraud has been rare and that there’s no evidence that mail-in voting favors Democrats, but at a White House briefing Wednesday, Trump argued — again, baselessly — that expanded mail-in voting in this year’s election would result in “the greatest fraud in the history of elections.” In March, Trump said that making it easier for more people to vote would ensure “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Politico notes that a Monmouth poll released Tuesday found 72% of Democrats are very or somewhat likely to vote by mail, compared to 22% of Republicans.
Trump again says the quiet part out loud: Trump is making an explicitly political case for his opposition to Postal Service funding. As Politico puts it: “he doesn’t want to add funding for the Postal Service in an attempt to kneecap mail-in voting, which he believes will be heavily Democratic.”
Trump’s not the only administration figure to make that link. In an interview with CNBC Thursday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow lumped “voting rights” in as part of what he described as a liberal wish list of demands for coronavirus relief. "So [many] of the Democratic asks are really liberal, left wishlists — voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth," he said. "That's not our game, and the president can't accept that kind of deal," Kudlow continued.
This could further complicate negotiations: Trump’s comments on Thursday leave some confusion about just what he would or would not accept in a coronavirus relief deal.
USPS funding is one area where the two sides had made progress, with Democrats reportedly agreeing to $10 billion for one year instead of $25 billion through fiscal 2022.
"What [negotiators] are saying is different than what the president is saying," Pelosi said. "If they came in the room and said the president is never doing this, that's something we'd take to the American people. And the American people want the Postal Service protected and preserved."
Pelosi emphasized that the Postal Service remains popular with the American public and is essential for delivering prescription drugs, among other things. “The president says he’s not putting up any money for absentee voting and he’s not putting up any money for the postal service, undermining the health of our democracy,” she said Thursday. “It’s a health issue, you shouldn’t have to choose between your health and your ability to cast a vote.”
Biden campaign responds: "The president of the United States is sabotaging a basic service that hundreds of millions of people rely upon, cutting a critical lifeline for rural economies and for delivery of medicines, because he wants to deprive Americans of their fundamental right to vote safely during the most catastrophic public health crisis in over 100 years," a Biden campaign spokesperson said in a statement. Asked what he thought about Trump tying his opposition to Postal Service funding to mail-in voting, Biden said it was “Pure Trump. He doesn’t want an election.”
Election watchdogs slam Trump: "Trump's brazen abuse of the post office to try and win an election is a shameful misuse of presidential power. Defunding the Postal Service and slowing its ability to deliver mail ballots to Americans will hurt Democratic and Republican voters alike," Trevor Potter, the president of the Campaign Legal Center and former Republican chair of the Federal Election Commission, told NPR.
Jana Morgan, director of the Declaration for American Democracy, a coalition of more than 160 organizations, said in a statement: "President Trump made clear today that he is intentionally sabotaging the U.S. Post Office and blocking election funding to suppress Americans' votes. This act is a disgrace and a stain on our democracy.”


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-17--As Economists Warn About Faltering Stimulus, McConnell Not Sure There Will be Another Coronavirus Re

As Economists Warn About Faltering Stimulus, McConnell Not Sure There Will be Another Coronavirus Relief Bill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) said Monday that while he thinks the country needs another coronavirus relief package , he ’ s not sure it will happen .
`` We do need another bill and I 'm hoping that this impasse will end soon , ” McConnell said at an event in Kentucky , The Hill reported .
But he also said that , “ as of the moment , today , I ca n't tell you with certainty we 're going to reach an agreement , ” while noting that the coming elections will only make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lack of fiscal support .
Economists have expressed concerns about the withdrawal of federal stimulus spending over the last few weeks , especially the abrupt end in July of the $ 600 per week payments Congress had provided to the unemployed .
Ernie Tedeschi of Evercore ISI said Monday that by his calculations , total unemployment payments have dropped by about $ 15 billion per week since the enhanced benefits expired .
“ That 's the equivalent of almost 4 % of GDP , ” he tweeted .
Analysts at the Peterson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the failure of lawmakers to agree on a new coronavirus relief package that renews expiring programs “ threatens to undo the stimulus effect of the programs and exacerbate the economic damage from the lockdown.
” Assuming no further federal assistance is provided , the analysts estimated that the recession would be deeper than otherwise , with “ a loss of GDP of 4 to 5 percent , and an associated 4 to 5 percent increase in the unemployment rate.
” “ US policymakers should at least maintain the earlier levels of income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the analysts argued .
“ In the current depressed state of the economy , destimulation is a very poor policy choice .
”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Monday that while he thinks the country needs another coronavirus relief package, he’s not sure it will happen.
"We do need another bill and I'm hoping that this impasse will end soon,” McConnell said at an event in Kentucky, The Hill reported. But he also said that, “as of the moment, today, I can't tell you with certainty we're going to reach an agreement,” while noting that the coming elections will only make the negotiations more difficult.
Warnings on the lack of fiscal support. Economists have expressed concerns about the withdrawal of federal stimulus spending over the last few weeks, especially the abrupt end in July of the $600 per week payments Congress had provided to the unemployed. Ernie Tedeschi of Evercore ISI said Monday that by his calculations, total unemployment payments have dropped by about $15 billion per week since the enhanced benefits expired. “That's the equivalent of almost 4% of GDP,” he tweeted.
Analysts at the Peterson Institute for International Economics warned last week that the failure of lawmakers to agree on a new coronavirus relief package that renews expiring programs “threatens to undo the stimulus effect of the programs and exacerbate the economic damage from the lockdown.” Assuming no further federal assistance is provided, the analysts estimated that the recession would be deeper than otherwise, with “a loss of GDP of 4 to 5 percent, and an associated 4 to 5 percent increase in the unemployment rate.”
“US policymakers should at least maintain the earlier levels of income support to prevent further induced economic damage,” the analysts argued. “In the current depressed state of the economy, destimulation is a very poor policy choice.”


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-17--Pelosi Looks to Deliver $25 Billion for USPS

The House is set to vote Saturday on legislation that would block operational cutbacks to the United States Postal Service and add $ 25 billion in funding to help prop up the service ahead of the November elections , which is expected to see a surge of mail-in ballots .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows dismissed the Democratic plan as `` partisan , '' according to Politico .
`` It 's not only unrealistic , it 's unnecessary , '' he told reporters Monday .
Other Republicans have expressed support for providing the Postal Service with emergency funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political flashpoint as President Trump has railed against voting by mail , which he has claimed without evidence could lead to widespread fraud .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , a Republican donor appointed to the position by Trump , has sparked controversy by instituting operational changes that he has described as necessary cost-reduction efforts .
Critics suggest ulterior motives , and ethics watchdogs have raised concerns that DeJoy may have conflicts of interest since he hasn ’ t divested a multimillion-dollar stake in his former company , XPO Logistics , which processes mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country have reported delays in mail delivery in recent weeks , and the Postal Service recently sent letters to 46 states and the District of Columbia warning that it can not guarantee all ballots cast by mail for November ’ s elections will arrive in time to be counted , The Washington Post reported Friday .
Trump last week acknowledged that his efforts to block funding to the Postal Service would leave it unable to handle the increase in mail-in voting .
Democrats and others pounced on Trump ’ s comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sabotage ” the election and disenfranchise voters for political reasons , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the House to return from its August recess to vote on the Postal Service legislation .
The $ 25 billion Democrats are looking to provide the USPS is the same amount they included in a coronavirus relief bill that passed the House in May .
Democratic leaders and White House negotiators had reportedly agreed to $ 10 billion in USPS funding during discussions about the next coronavirus relief package , but those talks broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal .
Pelosi has emphasized that the Postal Service ’ s bipartisan , Trump-appointed board of governors had requested an emergency cash infusion of $ 25 billion earlier this year .
Trump indicated Friday that he would be open to providing more funding for the Postal Service , and more than $ 3 billion for mail-in balloting and other “ election resilience ” measures — but that ’ s if Congress agrees to his administration ’ s coronavirus relief plans .
On Monday , Trump told “ Fox & Friends ” that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service .
“ This has been one of the disasters of the world , the way it ’ s been run , '' he said .
In a tweet later on , he added : “ The U.S. Post Office ( System ) has been failing for many decades .
We simply want to MAKE THE POST OFFICE GREAT AGAIN , while at the same time saving billions of dollars a year for American Taxpayers .
Dems don ’ t have a clue !
” What ’ s next : Any legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to clear the Senate .
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) on Monday said Republicans are willing to provide more money to the Postal Service , even as he made clear he doesn ’ t share the concerns about election security raised by Trump .
But he also gave no indication that he ’ s going to give in to pressure to have the Senate return from its recess to address the issue .
`` The Postal Service is going to be just fine , ” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the ability to function going into the election is not adversely affected and I do n't share the concerns that the president ... has mentioned.
” McConnell noted that the Trump administration has already indicated it is willing to provide $ 10 billion to shore up the Postal Service .
While the fate of the legislative effort is unclear , Democrats are also pursuing oversight investigations .
DeJoy and Robert Duncan , the chairman of the U.S .
Postal Service Board of Governors , have agreed to testify next week before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The House is set to vote Saturday on legislation that would block operational cutbacks to the United States Postal Service and add $25 billion in funding to help prop up the service ahead of the November elections, which is expected to see a surge of mail-in ballots.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows dismissed the Democratic plan as "partisan," according to Politico. "It's not only unrealistic, it's unnecessary," he told reporters Monday. Other Republicans have expressed support for providing the Postal Service with emergency funding.
The Postal Service has become a political flashpoint as President Trump has railed against voting by mail, which he has claimed without evidence could lead to widespread fraud.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Republican donor appointed to the position by Trump, has sparked controversy by instituting operational changes that he has described as necessary cost-reduction efforts. Critics suggest ulterior motives, and ethics watchdogs have raised concerns that DeJoy may have conflicts of interest since he hasn’t divested a multimillion-dollar stake in his former company, XPO Logistics, which processes mail for the Postal Service.
Post offices across the country have reported delays in mail delivery in recent weeks, and the Postal Service recently sent letters to 46 states and the District of Columbia warning that it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for November’s elections will arrive in time to be counted, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Trump last week acknowledged that his efforts to block funding to the Postal Service would leave it unable to handle the increase in mail-in voting.
Democrats and others pounced on Trump’s comments as evidence that he is trying to “sabotage” the election and disenfranchise voters for political reasons, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the House to return from its August recess to vote on the Postal Service legislation.
The $25 billion Democrats are looking to provide the USPS is the same amount they included in a coronavirus relief bill that passed the House in May. Democratic leaders and White House negotiators had reportedly agreed to $10 billion in USPS funding during discussions about the next coronavirus relief package, but those talks broke down without the parties reaching a broader deal. Pelosi has emphasized that the Postal Service’s bipartisan, Trump-appointed board of governors had requested an emergency cash infusion of $25 billion earlier this year.
Trump indicated Friday that he would be open to providing more funding for the Postal Service, and more than $3 billion for mail-in balloting and other “election resilience” measures — but that’s if Congress agrees to his administration’s coronavirus relief plans. On Monday, Trump told “Fox & Friends” that he’s just trying to fix the Postal Service. “This has been one of the disasters of the world, the way it’s been run," he said. In a tweet later on, he added: “The U.S. Post Office (System) has been failing for many decades. We simply want to MAKE THE POST OFFICE GREAT AGAIN, while at the same time saving billions of dollars a year for American Taxpayers. Dems don’t have a clue!”
What’s next: Any legislation passed by the House would also have to clear the Senate. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday said Republicans are willing to provide more money to the Postal Service, even as he made clear he doesn’t share the concerns about election security raised by Trump. But he also gave no indication that he’s going to give in to pressure to have the Senate return from its recess to address the issue.
"The Postal Service is going to be just fine,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky. “We're going to make sure that the ability to function going into the election is not adversely affected and I don't share the concerns that the president ... has mentioned.” McConnell noted that the Trump administration has already indicated it is willing to provide $10 billion to shore up the Postal Service.
While the fate of the legislative effort is unclear, Democrats are also pursuing oversight investigations. DeJoy and Robert Duncan, the chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, have agreed to testify next week before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-19--Supreme Court to Hear Obamacare Challenge a Week After Election

The Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will hear arguments in the case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable @ @ @ @ @ , a week after Election Day .
Why it matters : The case , brought @ @ @ @ @ and supported by the Trump administration , could invalidate the Obama health-care law and its @ @ @ @ @ conditions .
It could create chaos in the health-care system , resulting in millions of @ @ @ @ @ The announcement comes as Democrats have made health care a main focus of their election @ @ @ @ @ for his response to the Covid-19 pandemic and his efforts to repeal Obamacare without proposing @ @ @ @ @ even as millions of workers have lost their jobs and risk losing their insurance .
@ @ @ @ @ that arguments will come only after November ’ s ballots have been cast .
A @ @ @ @ @ expected by June 2021 .

The Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will hear arguments in the case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act on November 10, a week after Election Day.
Why it matters: The case, brought by Republican state attorneys general and supported by the Trump administration, could invalidate the Obama health-care law and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. It could create chaos in the health-care system, resulting in millions of Americans losing their coverage. The announcement comes as Democrats have made health care a main focus of their election messaging, hitting President Trump for his response to the Covid-19 pandemic and his efforts to repeal Obamacare without proposing a plan to replace it even as millions of workers have lost their jobs and risk losing their insurance. But the hearing date means that arguments will come only after November’s ballots have been cast. A decision in the case is expected by June 2021.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-18--Trump’s Payroll Tax Plan and Unemployment Boost Run Into Resistance

From the moment President Trump unveiled unilateral actions that he claimed would provide economic relief to those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic , there were questions about just how effective those moves would be .
Ten days later , two of the key steps Trump announced are running into some stiff resistance .
Business groups warn about Trump ’ s payroll tax plan : More than 30 industry associations and business groups — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , the National Retail Federation , the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Restaurant Association — warned Tuesday that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s plan to defer employee payroll taxes through the end of the year .
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , the groups said that Trump ’ s suspension of the payroll tax could leave workers facing large tax bills once the deferral ends in 2021 .
A worker earning $ 35,000 would see an $ 83.46 boost per pay period , they wrote , but could then owe $ 751 in deferred taxes .
Someone earning $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in every paycheck , but could face a $ 1,609 tax hit in 2021 .
Trump has said he will push to have those taxes permanently forgiven , but that would require an act of Congress .
Lawmakers in both parties have expressed concerns about a payroll tax cut and it ’ s not clear how likely lawmakers might be to ultimately forgive any deferred taxes .
“ Many of our members consider it unfair to employees to make a decision that would force a big tax bill on them next year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would also be unworkable to implement a system where employees make this decision .
Therefore , many of our members will likely decline to implement deferral , choosing instead to continue to withhold and remit to the government the payroll taxes required by law.
” States hesitant on Trump ’ s unemployment payments : Trump said his plan would provide $ 400 a week in supplemental benefits covering lost wages , but $ 100 of that was required to come from the states , a structure that drew complaints about the costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a new payment system .
In the end , the Trump administration said that the federal government would pay a fixed $ 300 and states could choose whether to add another $ 100 or not .
Still , the Trump plan “ has found little traction , ” the Associated Press reports based on a survey of states : “ [ A ] s of Monday , 18 states have said they will take the federal grants allowing them to increase unemployment checks by $ 300 or $ 400 a week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said they ’ re still evaluating the offer or have not said whether they plan to accept the president ’ s slimmed-down benefits .
Two have said no.
” The AP reports that most states that have signed on to the program have chosen the $ 300 option , but even once they ’ ve agreed to take part , states still face implementation issues : “ New Mexico was the first state to apply for the aid last week and one of the first to be announced as a recipient by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill McCamley , secretary of the state ’ s Department of Workforce Solutions , said it ’ s not clear when the money will start going out , largely because the state needs to reprogram benefit distribution systems to make it work .
”

From the moment President Trump unveiled unilateral actions that he claimed would provide economic relief to those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, there were questions about just how effective those moves would be. Ten days later, two of the key steps Trump announced are running into some stiff resistance.
Business groups warn about Trump’s payroll tax plan: More than 30 industry associations and business groups — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Restaurant Association — warned Tuesday that many employers won’t take part in Trump’s plan to defer employee payroll taxes through the end of the year.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the groups said that Trump’s suspension of the payroll tax could leave workers facing large tax bills once the deferral ends in 2021. A worker earning $35,000 would see an $83.46 boost per pay period, they wrote, but could then owe $751 in deferred taxes. Someone earning $75,000 would get a $178.85 boost in every paycheck, but could face a $1,609 tax hit in 2021.
Trump has said he will push to have those taxes permanently forgiven, but that would require an act of Congress. Lawmakers in both parties have expressed concerns about a payroll tax cut and it’s not clear how likely lawmakers might be to ultimately forgive any deferred taxes.
“Many of our members consider it unfair to employees to make a decision that would force a big tax bill on them next year,” the business groups wrote. “It would also be unworkable to implement a system where employees make this decision. Therefore, many of our members will likely decline to implement deferral, choosing instead to continue to withhold and remit to the government the payroll taxes required by law.”
States hesitant on Trump’s unemployment payments: Trump said his plan would provide $400 a week in supplemental benefits covering lost wages, but $100 of that was required to come from the states, a structure that drew complaints about the costs being imposed and the complexity of setting up a new payment system. In the end, the Trump administration said that the federal government would pay a fixed $300 and states could choose whether to add another $100 or not. Still, the Trump plan “has found little traction,” the Associated Press reports based on a survey of states:
“[A]s of Monday, 18 states have said they will take the federal grants allowing them to increase unemployment checks by $300 or $400 a week. The AP tally shows that 30 states have said they’re still evaluating the offer or have not said whether they plan to accept the president’s slimmed-down benefits. Two have said no.”
The AP reports that most states that have signed on to the program have chosen the $300 option, but even once they’ve agreed to take part, states still face implementation issues:
“New Mexico was the first state to apply for the aid last week and one of the first to be announced as a recipient by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But Bill McCamley, secretary of the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions, said it’s not clear when the money will start going out, largely because the state needs to reprogram benefit distribution systems to make it work.”


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-18--Postmaster General Says He’ll Suspend Controversial Changes

Facing an outcry over his operational changes to the U.S .
Postal Services and questions about the political implications of those changes , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Tuesday said he would halt the initiatives until after the election .
`` To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded , '' DeJoy said in a statement .
DeJoy said that the Postal Service “ is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall.
” He added that retail hours at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processing equipment and collection boxes will remain where they are and no mail processing facilities will be closed .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the pause isn ’ t enough .
“ This pause only halts a limited number of the Postmaster ’ s changes , does not reverse damage already done , and alone is not enough to ensure voters will not be disenfranchised by the President this fall , ” she said in a statement .
DeJoy is set to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reform Committee on Monday .

Facing an outcry over his operational changes to the U.S. Postal Services and questions about the political implications of those changes, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Tuesday said he would halt the initiatives until after the election.
"To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded," DeJoy said in a statement.
DeJoy said that the Postal Service “is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall.” He added that retail hours at post offices will not change, mail processing equipment and collection boxes will remain where they are and no mail processing facilities will be closed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the pause isn’t enough. “This pause only halts a limited number of the Postmaster’s changes, does not reverse damage already done, and alone is not enough to ensure voters will not be disenfranchised by the President this fall,” she said in a statement.
DeJoy is set to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday and before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Monday.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-20--Map of the Day: Coronavirus ‘Testing Deserts’

As of July 15 , more than 67 million Americans , or 20 % of the U.S. population , lived @ @ @ @ @ at least 10 miles from a Covid-19 testing location , according to a new analysis @ @ @ @ @ drug discount site .
All 50 states had at least one such “ testing desert @ @ @ @ @ , while Texas , Ohio and Michigan had the largest number of them .
Testing @ @ @ @ @ low-income counties , the report finds .
The good news : Data collected by GoodRx @ @ @ @ @ to July 16 , more than 1,300 new testing sites were added nationwide , with @ @ @ @ @ adding 121 .
The bad news : Even after months of increasing testing , the @ @ @ @ @ experts say it needs to be to combat the pandemic .
Get more details at @ @

As of July 15, more than 67 million Americans, or 20% of the U.S. population, lived in census tracts that are at least 10 miles from a Covid-19 testing location, according to a new analysis by GoodRx, a prescription drug discount site. All 50 states had at least one such “testing desert,” the site reports, while Texas, Ohio and Michigan had the largest number of them. Testing deserts are more common in low-income counties, the report finds.
The good news: Data collected by GoodRx show that from June 13 to July 16, more than 1,300 new testing sites were added nationwide, with Texas adding 293 and Arizona adding 121.
The bad news: Even after months of increasing testing, the U.S. isn’t where experts say it needs to be to combat the pandemic.
Get more details at GoodRx.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-20--Unemployment Claims Jump Back Above 1 Million

New jobless claims ticked higher last week , the Labor Department announced Thursday , with 1.1 million people filing for state unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjusted basis .
Another 540,000 filed for claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance , a program that provides aid to the self-employed and to workers who have exhausted their state benefits .
The increase comes after two weeks of declining first-time claims , which dropped below 1 million last week for the first time since March .
It also comes as the IRS warns that millions of jobs could be lost for years , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than at this beginning of this year , before the coronavirus pandemic .
A blip or something more alarming ?
Today ’ s numbers were worse than expected , but most experts say it ’ s too early to conclude that the economy has taken another significant stumble .
“ It ’ s not going to be simply a straight-line recovery , ” said Brett Ryan of Deutsche Bank .
At the same time , the data make it clear that the “ labor market is a long way from being healthy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a note to clients .
And despite an improving trend on unemployment , it ’ s worth remembering that the numbers are still shocking by historical standards , with new jobless claims exceeding the pre-Covid record set in 1982 for 22 weeks straight .
“ While there has been a steep decline from crisis peaks , the fact that five months into the crisis initial claims are running at 1.1 million per week is , in absolute terms , very bad news , ” Joshua Shapiro of the forecasting firm MFR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the progressive Economic Policy Institute said Thursday that the data present a strong argument for Congress to revive the enhanced unemployment benefits that expired at the end of July .
“ We remain 12.9 million jobs below where we were before the virus hit , and the unemployment rate is higher than it ever was during the Great Recession .
Now isn ’ t the time to cut benefits that support jobs , ” she wrote .
Looking ahead , some economists emphasized that the failure to reach an agreement on additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we continue to see the pullback and nothing is done by Washington , for state and local government as well , the headwinds going in to the fall are going to be huge and they could easily be a riptide that pulls us under again , ” said Diane Swonk , chief economist at Grant Thornton .

New jobless claims ticked higher last week, the Labor Department announced Thursday, with 1.1 million people filing for state unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjusted basis. Another 540,000 filed for claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a program that provides aid to the self-employed and to workers who have exhausted their state benefits.
The increase comes after two weeks of declining first-time claims, which dropped below 1 million last week for the first time since March. It also comes as the IRS warns that millions of jobs could be lost for years, with 37 million fewer jobs expected in 2021 than at this beginning of this year, before the coronavirus pandemic.
A blip or something more alarming? Today’s numbers were worse than expected, but most experts say it’s too early to conclude that the economy has taken another significant stumble. “It’s not going to be simply a straight-line recovery,” said Brett Ryan of Deutsche Bank.
At the same time, the data make it clear that the “labor market is a long way from being healthy,” Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics said in a note to clients. And despite an improving trend on unemployment, it’s worth remembering that the numbers are still shocking by historical standards, with new jobless claims exceeding the pre-Covid record set in 1982 for 22 weeks straight. “While there has been a steep decline from crisis peaks, the fact that five months into the crisis initial claims are running at 1.1 million per week is, in absolute terms, very bad news,” Joshua Shapiro of the forecasting firm MFR said in a note.
Heidi Shierholz of the progressive Economic Policy Institute said Thursday that the data present a strong argument for Congress to revive the enhanced unemployment benefits that expired at the end of July. “We remain 12.9 million jobs below where we were before the virus hit, and the unemployment rate is higher than it ever was during the Great Recession. Now isn’t the time to cut benefits that support jobs,” she wrote.
Looking ahead, some economists emphasized that the failure to reach an agreement on additional stimulus could be a serious problem. “If we continue to see the pullback and nothing is done by Washington, for state and local government as well, the headwinds going in to the fall are going to be huge and they could easily be a riptide that pulls us under again,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-19--Pelosi, White House Eye Smaller Coronavirus Aid Deal

Glimmers of hope emerged Wednesday for progress on a new coronavirus relief package .
Negotiations have been deadlocked for nearly two weeks , with Democratic and Republican negotiators still at least $ 1 trillion apart in their proposals .
With House Democrats returning to Washington from their summer break for a vote Saturday on a $ 25 billion bill that would boost funding for the U.S .
Postal Service and beef up delivery of first-class mail , including the millions of ballots that will be sent by mail in the upcoming election , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pare back their demands in order to cut a deal now and then consider another package after the November elections .
The Trump administration , meanwhile , is saying it would be open to a narrower deal .
“ I think the outlook for a skinny deal is better than it ’ s ever been , and yet we are still not there , ” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters on Wednesday .
“ If Speaker Pelosi moves forward a single bill on postal ... let ’ s add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Democrats looking to expand Postal Service bill : Led by members of the moderate New Democrat Coalition , a group of 117 House Democrats sent a letter to Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) requesting that the post office bill include new funding for unemployment benefits .
The letter calls for the House to consider the Worker Relief and Security Act , which would extend a $ 600 per week federal boost to jobless benefits for the duration of the coronavirus crisis , and revise the unemployment system by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates .
The White House said Wednesday that it would consider the Democrats ’ bill , as long as additional relief provisions are included .
“ We ’ re certainly open to looking at the $ 25 billion , but we want included in there relief for the American people , ” White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said .
A new Republican bill .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) expressed doubts Tuesday about the House plan for the post office .
`` I do n't think we ’ ll pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill , '' he told the Louisville Courier Journal .
But Republicans are reportedly working on a “ skinny ” coronavirus relief bill that would cost about $ 500 billion and would omit some provisions that negotiators have been unable to agree on , such as student loan relief and aid to states and cities .
A draft bill circulated by Senate Republicans would provide enhanced unemployment benefits of $ 300 per week through December , more aid for small businesses and protections for businesses from Covid-related lawsuits .
It would also provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by converting an existing loan into a grant .
Pelosi may alter her stance .
The draft Republican bill is far smaller than the $ 3.5 trillion package passed by the House in May , and well below the $ 2 trillion that Democratic leaders have cited as a minimum during the negotiations .
But Pelosi suggested Tuesday that she might agree to a smaller relief package in order to get funds for the Postal Service and a new round of unemployment payments , while postponing other major parts of the relief package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saying she didn ’ t want the relief package to clash with potentially contentious government funding negotiations in September , Pelosi told Politico that , “ We have to try to come to that agreement now .
We ’ re willing to cut our bill in half to meet the needs right now .
We ’ ll take it up again in January .
We ’ ll see them again in January .
But for now , we can cut the bill in half .
”

Glimmers of hope emerged Wednesday for progress on a new coronavirus relief package. Negotiations have been deadlocked for nearly two weeks, with Democratic and Republican negotiators still at least $1 trillion apart in their proposals.
With House Democrats returning to Washington from their summer break for a vote Saturday on a $25 billion bill that would boost funding for the U.S. Postal Service and beef up delivery of first-class mail, including the millions of ballots that will be sent by mail in the upcoming election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) indicated that Democrats might be willing to pare back their demands in order to cut a deal now and then consider another package after the November elections.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, is saying it would be open to a narrower deal.
“I think the outlook for a skinny deal is better than it’s ever been, and yet we are still not there,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters on Wednesday. “If Speaker Pelosi moves forward a single bill on postal ... let’s add in the things we can agree upon.”
Democrats looking to expand Postal Service bill: Led by members of the moderate New Democrat Coalition, a group of 117 House Democrats sent a letter to Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) requesting that the post office bill include new funding for unemployment benefits. The letter calls for the House to consider the Worker Relief and Security Act, which would extend a $600 per week federal boost to jobless benefits for the duration of the coronavirus crisis, and revise the unemployment system by linking it to national and local unemployment rates.
The White House said Wednesday that it would consider the Democrats’ bill, as long as additional relief provisions are included. “We’re certainly open to looking at the $25 billion, but we want included in there relief for the American people,” White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said.
A new Republican bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressed doubts Tuesday about the House plan for the post office. "I don't think we’ll pass, in the Senate, a Postal-only bill," he told the Louisville Courier Journal. But Republicans are reportedly working on a “skinny” coronavirus relief bill that would cost about $500 billion and would omit some provisions that negotiators have been unable to agree on, such as student loan relief and aid to states and cities. A draft bill circulated by Senate Republicans would provide enhanced unemployment benefits of $300 per week through December, more aid for small businesses and protections for businesses from Covid-related lawsuits. It would also provide $10 billion for the Postal Service by converting an existing loan into a grant.
Pelosi may alter her stance. The draft Republican bill is far smaller than the $3.5 trillion package passed by the House in May, and well below the $2 trillion that Democratic leaders have cited as a minimum during the negotiations. But Pelosi suggested Tuesday that she might agree to a smaller relief package in order to get funds for the Postal Service and a new round of unemployment payments, while postponing other major parts of the relief package until January, after the election.
Saying she didn’t want the relief package to clash with potentially contentious government funding negotiations in September, Pelosi told Politico that, “We have to try to come to that agreement now. We’re willing to cut our bill in half to meet the needs right now. We’ll take it up again in January. We’ll see them again in January. But for now, we can cut the bill in half.”


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-24--Just 31% of Americans Approve of Trump’s Handling of Coroanvirus Pandemic

Republican officials from President Trump on down say they ’ ll deliver an “ uplifting and positive ” message at their convention this week .
Take that forecast with a heaping dose of salt – you can expect plenty of negative attacks this week ; Trump made several in remarks to the convention Monday after formally securing the GOP nomination .
“ What they ’ re doing is using COVID to steal an election , ” Trump said of Democrats .
“ They ’ re using COVID to defraud the American people — all of our people — of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Republicans , as NBC News ’ s Shannon Pettypiece notes , is that “ selling a success story to an electorate where the vast majority believe the country on the wrong track may be a heavy lift.
” A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research highlights the challenge .
Overall , the poll finds , just 31 % of Americans approve of Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , while 68 % disapprove .
( After failing to deliver another coronavirus relief package this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 13 % approve of how “ leaders in Congress ” are handling the pandemic , while 65 % disapprove , up 7 percentage points from July . )
Even among Republicans , approval of how the federal government is handling the virus is at just 43 % , high only in comparison to the 10 % approval among Democrats .
Growing majorities of Americans now say that the government isn ’ t doing enough to help individuals , small businesses or public schools .
And just 23 % think the country is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 75 % who say it ’ s on the wrong path .
The poll of 1,075 adults was conducted August 17 to 19 .
It has a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points .

Republican officials from President Trump on down say they’ll deliver an “uplifting and positive” message at their convention this week. Take that forecast with a heaping dose of salt – you can expect plenty of negative attacks this week; Trump made several in remarks to the convention Monday after formally securing the GOP nomination.
“What they’re doing is using COVID to steal an election,” Trump said of Democrats. “They’re using COVID to defraud the American people — all of our people — of a fair and free election.”
The problem for Republicans, as NBC News’s Shannon Pettypiece notes, is that “selling a success story to an electorate where the vast majority believe the country on the wrong track may be a heavy lift.”
A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research highlights the challenge. Overall, the poll finds, just 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, while 68% disapprove. (After failing to deliver another coronavirus relief package this month, Congress fares even worse, as just 13% approve of how “leaders in Congress” are handling the pandemic, while 65% disapprove, up 7 percentage points from July.)
Even among Republicans, approval of how the federal government is handling the virus is at just 43%, high only in comparison to the 10% approval among Democrats.
Growing majorities of Americans now say that the government isn’t doing enough to help individuals, small businesses or public schools. And just 23% think the country is heading in the right direction, compared to 75% who say it’s on the wrong path.
The poll of 1,075 adults was conducted August 17 to 19. It has a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-21--Postmaster General: We Don’t Need More Money for Election

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate panel Friday that he ’ s `` extremely highly confident '' that the U.S .
Postal Service will be able to handle the mail-in ballots it receives for this November ’ s elections , despite letters reportedly sent by his agency recently to 46 states warning that it can not guarantee timely delivery of all votes sent by mail .
`` As we head into the election season , I want to assure this committee and the American public that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' DeJoy testified at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs .
`` This sacred duty is my No .
1 priority between now and Election Day . ''
DeJoy , a former logistics executive and a major donor to President Trump , has come under fire for changes he implemented at the Postal Service since taking office in June .
DeJoy defended his moves Friday — and confirmed that , while he has suspended additional changes until after the election in response to a public outcry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost-cutting measures after the election .
“ We are not self-sustaining , ” DeJoy said Friday .
“ We have a $ 10 billion shortfall , and over the next 10 years we ’ ll have a $ 245 billion shortfall.
” Democrats want to provide $ 25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service , in part to help handle an expected surge of mail-in ballots , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has emphasized that the dollar figure is what the Postal Service Board of Governors earlier this year said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-FL ) if the Postal Service needs a “ massive federal bailout ” to be able to deliver election mail , DeJoy said no , but suggested that the Postal Service should be reimbursed by the federal government for the costs of continuing to provide its services during the pandemic .
`` I do n't need anything to deliver mail on election night , but we do need legislative reform , ” he said , adding , `` We continued to do what we 're supposed to do and at a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm one to try to get to a sustainable model , but in this case we — I believe we deserve some compensation for it.
” DeJoy also said the Postal Service needs to be freed from the requirement imposed by Congress in 2006 that it pre-fund its employee retirement benefit programs , a controversial move that created huge financial challenges .
“ If we just throw $ 25 billion at us this year and we don ’ t do anything , we ’ ll be back in two years , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ With DeJoy ’ s comments that he doesn ’ t need election-related funding , it could get harder for Democrats to persuade Republicans to fund the Postal Service in any coming coronavirus relief package , ” The Washington Post ’ s Amber Phillips writes .
What ’ s next : The House is set to vote Saturday on the Democratic bill to provide $ 25 billion for the Postal Service .
The White House said Friday that it “ strongly opposes ” the legislation and threatened to veto it .
President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would consider additional Postal Service funding as part of a coronavirus relief package as long as their other priorities were included .
DeJoy and Robert M. Duncan , chair of the Postal Service ’ s board , are scheduled to testify Monday before the House Oversight Committee .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate panel Friday that he’s "extremely highly confident" that the U.S. Postal Service will be able to handle the mail-in ballots it receives for this November’s elections, despite letters reportedly sent by his agency recently to 46 states warning that it cannot guarantee timely delivery of all votes sent by mail.
"As we head into the election season, I want to assure this committee and the American public that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation’s election mail securely and on time," DeJoy testified at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. "This sacred duty is my No. 1 priority between now and Election Day."
DeJoy, a former logistics executive and a major donor to President Trump, has come under fire for changes he implemented at the Postal Service since taking office in June. DeJoy defended his moves Friday — and confirmed that, while he has suspended additional changes until after the election in response to a public outcry, he still plans sweeping changes and cost-cutting measures after the election.
“We are not self-sustaining,” DeJoy said Friday. “We have a $10 billion shortfall, and over the next 10 years we’ll have a $245 billion shortfall.”
Democrats want to provide $25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service, in part to help handle an expected surge of mail-in ballots, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has emphasized that the dollar figure is what the Postal Service Board of Governors earlier this year said it needed.
Asked by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) if the Postal Service needs a “massive federal bailout” to be able to deliver election mail, DeJoy said no, but suggested that the Postal Service should be reimbursed by the federal government for the costs of continuing to provide its services during the pandemic.
"I don't need anything to deliver mail on election night, but we do need legislative reform,” he said, adding, "We continued to do what we're supposed to do and at a significant cost impact, you know, and I'm one to try to get to a sustainable model, but in this case we — I believe we deserve some compensation for it.”
DeJoy also said the Postal Service needs to be freed from the requirement imposed by Congress in 2006 that it pre-fund its employee retirement benefit programs, a controversial move that created huge financial challenges.
“If we just throw $25 billion at us this year and we don’t do anything, we’ll be back in two years,” he said.
Why it matters: “With DeJoy’s comments that he doesn’t need election-related funding, it could get harder for Democrats to persuade Republicans to fund the Postal Service in any coming coronavirus relief package,” The Washington Post’s Amber Phillips writes.
What’s next: The House is set to vote Saturday on the Democratic bill to provide $25 billion for the Postal Service. The White House said Friday that it “strongly opposes” the legislation and threatened to veto it. President Trump and White House officials have said that they would consider additional Postal Service funding as part of a coronavirus relief package as long as their other priorities were included.
DeJoy and Robert M. Duncan, chair of the Postal Service’s board, are scheduled to testify Monday before the House Oversight Committee.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-19--Is Joe Biden Still a Deficit Hawk?

Is Joe Biden Still a Deficit Hawk?

As Joe Biden prepares to formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday , he ’ ll be looking to convince Americans that he , not President Trump , is best prepared to meet this moment in history and tackle a public health crisis , the economic devastation it has wrought and the financial , racial and social inequities that existing long before anyone had heard of Covid-19 .
Biden has unveiled what his campaign has labeled a “ Build Back Better ” agenda calling for investments in U.S. manufacturing ; infrastructure and green energy ; child and elder care ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the Democratic convention , as is typical , has emphasized Biden ’ s personal story more than his policy vision .
As Michelle Obama put it in her speech Monday night , he ’ s a “ profoundly decent man.
” The overarching message : He ’ s a good guy , caring and empathetic , who understands the struggles so many now face and can restore some sense of normalcy to our Trump-tattered country .
“ His campaign may have produced mountains of policy plans , but Biden does not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy vision around which he is trying to unite the public , ” The Washington Post ’ s Paul Waldman writes .
But the policy fights are coming , and as he seeks to unite Democrats and connect with a broad swath of the voting public , Biden may still need to do more than convince people that he ’ s a genuinely nice guy .
He will need to lay out some sense of what a Biden presidency would look like and what it would mean for Americans worried about their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ soul of the country.
” The answer to what a Biden presidency would look like is inextricably linked to another question , one that underlies the lingering reservations many on the left wing of the Democratic Party still harbor about their nominee based on his years in office : Is Joe Biden still a deficit hawk ?
As Vox ’ s Dylan Matthews points out , Biden ’ s campaign may be talking about an ambitious , “ FDR-sized ” administration , but “ there is a tension between this ambition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For all of the avowed boldness of an agenda shaped by Covid-19 , the man pitching it remains … Joe Biden .
He is a creature of the establishment , a product of a Democratic Party built for the ( relative ) boom times of the 1980s and ’ 90s , a Senate from a less polarized era , and an Obama administration that believed it could transcend Washington ( it could not ) .
“ When you talk to his campaign , you can see glimpses of that Biden .
Yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but his advisers insist he ’ s a deficit hawk at heart .
… “ There are two visions of a Biden presidency .
One involves sweeping investments in clean energy , new jobs , and a fast recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and recession .
“ The other involves McConnell forcing Biden into brutal , humiliating budget deals that usher in austerity and strangle the recovery in the crib .
“ Therein lies the fundamental tension in Biden ’ s candidacy : To enact his promised agenda , President Biden will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vice President Biden ever were.
” Bloomberg News ’ s Jeffery Taylor , Mike Dorning and Jennifer Epstein suggested this week that anyone looking to predict how Biden would try to tackle the coronavirus crisis and its economic effects can find clues in the way he responded to the financial crisis and its aftermath as vice president .
Their conclusion : “ As he did in 2009 , Biden considers running up the deficit as an unfortunate but necessary side effect of pumping money into the economy.
” Or as Bloomberg summarized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t shy from taxes or deficit increase to meet goals.
” Read more at Vox or Bloomberg .

As Joe Biden prepares to formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday, he’ll be looking to convince Americans that he, not President Trump, is best prepared to meet this moment in history and tackle a public health crisis, the economic devastation it has wrought and the financial, racial and social inequities that existing long before anyone had heard of Covid-19.
Biden has unveiled what his campaign has labeled a “Build Back Better” agenda calling for investments in U.S. manufacturing; infrastructure and green energy; child and elder care; and addressing the racial wealth divide. But the Democratic convention, as is typical, has emphasized Biden’s personal story more than his policy vision. As Michelle Obama put it in her speech Monday night, he’s a “profoundly decent man.” The overarching message: He’s a good guy, caring and empathetic, who understands the struggles so many now face and can restore some sense of normalcy to our Trump-tattered country.
“His campaign may have produced mountains of policy plans, but Biden does not have what could be described as a unified policy vision around which he is trying to unite the public,” The Washington Post’s Paul Waldman writes.
But the policy fights are coming, and as he seeks to unite Democrats and connect with a broad swath of the voting public, Biden may still need to do more than convince people that he’s a genuinely nice guy. He will need to lay out some sense of what a Biden presidency would look like and what it would mean for Americans worried about their own lives as much as they are about the “soul of the country.”
The answer to what a Biden presidency would look like is inextricably linked to another question, one that underlies the lingering reservations many on the left wing of the Democratic Party still harbor about their nominee based on his years in office: Is Joe Biden still a deficit hawk?
As Vox’s Dylan Matthews points out, Biden’s campaign may be talking about an ambitious, “FDR-sized” administration, but “there is a tension between this ambition and the man himself”:
“For all of the avowed boldness of an agenda shaped by Covid-19, the man pitching it remains … Joe Biden. He is a creature of the establishment, a product of a Democratic Party built for the (relative) boom times of the 1980s and ’90s, a Senate from a less polarized era, and an Obama administration that believed it could transcend Washington (it could not).
“When you talk to his campaign, you can see glimpses of that Biden. Yes, he’s proposing these multitrillion-dollar plans — but his advisers insist he’s a deficit hawk at heart. …
“There are two visions of a Biden presidency. One involves sweeping investments in clean energy, new jobs, and a fast recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and recession.
“The other involves McConnell forcing Biden into brutal, humiliating budget deals that usher in austerity and strangle the recovery in the crib.
“Therein lies the fundamental tension in Biden’s candidacy: To enact his promised agenda, President Biden will have to be bolder than Sen. Biden and Vice President Biden ever were.”
Bloomberg News’s Jeffery Taylor, Mike Dorning and Jennifer Epstein suggested this week that anyone looking to predict how Biden would try to tackle the coronavirus crisis and its economic effects can find clues in the way he responded to the financial crisis and its aftermath as vice president. Their conclusion: “As he did in 2009, Biden considers running up the deficit as an unfortunate but necessary side effect of pumping money into the economy.” Or as Bloomberg summarized it in a subheadline: “Biden won’t shy from taxes or deficit increase to meet goals.”
Read more at Vox or Bloomberg.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-27--Unemployment Claims Drop, but Still Above 1 Million

New jobless claims dropped last week , the Labor Department said Thursday , with just over 1 million people filing for state unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjusted basis .
Another 607,000 filed for claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance , a program that provides aid for gig workers and the self-employed .
The report marked the 23rd week in a row that new jobless claims exceeded the pre-pandemic weekly high , set in 1982 .
Overall , about 27 million people are receiving some kind of unemployment aid .
Many economists noted that , even though they are gradually improving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be extraordinarily high by historical standards , which suggests that the job market could be experiencing significant long-term damage .
“ Even as businesses have reopened and jobs have returned , layoffs are ongoing reflecting interruptions to activity from virus containment that are likely resulting in permanent closures and job losses , ” Rubeela Farooqi , chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics , said in a report .
“ The risk of permanent damage to the labor market remains high which will slow the pace of recovery.
” Some economists also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for Congress to pass another relief bill to provide additional support for the millions of unemployed .
President Trump ’ s controversial plan to provide $ 300 per week to some unemployed workers has gotten off to a shaky start , and the program is temporary in any event , expected to last just a few weeks .
“ The president ’ s new plan for $ 300 weekly unemployment checks is getting off the ground very slowly , with many states confused about the need to reprogram their computers when there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEMA [ Federal Emergency Management Agency ] disaster funds to pay out to jobless workers , ” said Chris Rupkey , chief financial economist for MUFG Union Bank .

New jobless claims dropped last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, with just over 1 million people filing for state unemployment benefits on a seasonally adjusted basis. Another 607,000 filed for claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a program that provides aid for gig workers and the self-employed.
The report marked the 23rd week in a row that new jobless claims exceeded the pre-pandemic weekly high, set in 1982. Overall, about 27 million people are receiving some kind of unemployment aid.
Many economists noted that, even though they are gradually improving, the job loss numbers continue to be extraordinarily high by historical standards, which suggests that the job market could be experiencing significant long-term damage.
“Even as businesses have reopened and jobs have returned, layoffs are ongoing reflecting interruptions to activity from virus containment that are likely resulting in permanent closures and job losses,” Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a report. “The risk of permanent damage to the labor market remains high which will slow the pace of recovery.”
Some economists also said that the grim jobless numbers underline the need for Congress to pass another relief bill to provide additional support for the millions of unemployed. President Trump’s controversial plan to provide $300 per week to some unemployed workers has gotten off to a shaky start, and the program is temporary in any event, expected to last just a few weeks. “The president’s new plan for $300 weekly unemployment checks is getting off the ground very slowly, with many states confused about the need to reprogram their computers when there is only a limited amount of diverted FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] disaster funds to pay out to jobless workers,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist for MUFG Union Bank.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-26--White House ‘Not Optimistic’ About Reaching Coronavirus Stimulus Deal Soon

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday that he ’ s “ not optimistic ” about reaching a coronavirus relief deal with congressional Democrats before the end of September and sought to cast blame for the ongoing impasse on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
Meadows said he has not had conversations with Democratic leaders since talks broke down nearly three weeks ago and that he had asked his staff to reach out to Pelosi on Tuesday but did not anticipate a response .
He said that rank-and-file Democrats have been more open to a deal .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of their priorities , we could cut a deal — the president wants to do that .
But I ’ m not optimistic , ” Meadows said in a morning interview with Politico , adding , `` It 's really been Speaker Pelosi really driving this train as a conductor more so than anybody .
And I think she talks privately that she wants a deal and maybe even publicly that she wants a deal , but when it comes to dealing with Republicans and the administration , we have n't seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Drew Hammill told Politico that a Meadows ' staffer had texted to confirm that Pelosi ’ s office had the correct number for the chief of staff , but did not mention resuming talks .
`` Democrats have compromised in these negotiations , '' Hammill said in a statement to Politico .
`` We offered to come down $ 1 trillion if the White House would come up $ 1 trillion .
We welcome the White House back to the negotiating table but they must meet us halfway . ''
Republicans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their own , narrower package .
`` We 're very close to having a bill that Republicans are prepared to move on , hopefully as early as next week , '' Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida told “ Fox & Friends ” on Wednesday .
Government funding deadline looms : As if a pandemic , a recession , stalemated coronavirus relief talks , racial justice issues , an election , wildfires and hurricanes weren ’ t enough for the nation to deal with , Congress must also agree on government funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on October 1 .
Lawmakers are expected to have to pass a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution , or CR , to extend funding and prevent a government shutdown just ahead of the elections .
In his interview with Politico , Meadows suggested that Pelosi may want to link coronavirus relief to such a funding bill as a way to gain more leverage .
“ I think the speaker is going to hold out until the end of September and try to get what she wants in the funding for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanism happens to come up at the end of September , ” he said .
Pelosi has rejected the idea of waiting until next month for a coronavirus deal , saying earlier this month that “ people will die ” if Congress didn ’ t act sooner .
Meadows backed the idea of coupling the bills and doing it quickly .
“ I think that if we do a COVID deal right now , we ought to just do a continuing resolution as part of that solution so that we take a shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bloomberg News reports that Senate Republicans are “ actively preparing ” for talks combining coronavirus stimulus and government funding and that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) has circulated a draft of a slimmed-down stimulus bill that would provide $ 300 a week in unemployment benefits through December .
The bottom line : There ’ s still no movement toward a deal that can pass both chambers of Congress .
“ The stimulus delays come as economists are increasingly warning that the U.S. risks a prolonged recession if Congress doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 trillion in relief funds this fall , ” Bloomberg ’ s Erik Wasson and Justin Sink write .

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday that he’s “not optimistic” about reaching a coronavirus relief deal with congressional Democrats before the end of September and sought to cast blame for the ongoing impasse on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Meadows said he has not had conversations with Democratic leaders since talks broke down nearly three weeks ago and that he had asked his staff to reach out to Pelosi on Tuesday but did not anticipate a response. He said that rank-and-file Democrats have been more open to a deal.
“If we got back in the room with some of their priorities, we could cut a deal — the president wants to do that. But I’m not optimistic,” Meadows said in a morning interview with Politico, adding, "It's really been Speaker Pelosi really driving this train as a conductor more so than anybody. And I think she talks privately that she wants a deal and maybe even publicly that she wants a deal, but when it comes to dealing with Republicans and the administration, we haven't seen a lot of action."
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill told Politico that a Meadows' staffer had texted to confirm that Pelosi’s office had the correct number for the chief of staff, but did not mention resuming talks. "Democrats have compromised in these negotiations," Hammill said in a statement to Politico. "We offered to come down $1 trillion if the White House would come up $1 trillion. We welcome the White House back to the negotiating table but they must meet us halfway."
Republicans have refused those demands and continue to work on their own, narrower package. "We're very close to having a bill that Republicans are prepared to move on, hopefully as early as next week," Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday.
Government funding deadline looms: As if a pandemic, a recession, stalemated coronavirus relief talks, racial justice issues, an election, wildfires and hurricanes weren’t enough for the nation to deal with, Congress must also agree on government funding for the fiscal year that will start on October 1. Lawmakers are expected to have to pass a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution, or CR, to extend funding and prevent a government shutdown just ahead of the elections.
In his interview with Politico, Meadows suggested that Pelosi may want to link coronavirus relief to such a funding bill as a way to gain more leverage. “I think the speaker is going to hold out until the end of September and try to get what she wants in the funding for the government during the CR or whatever funding mechanism happens to come up at the end of September,” he said.
Pelosi has rejected the idea of waiting until next month for a coronavirus deal, saying earlier this month that “people will die” if Congress didn’t act sooner.
Meadows backed the idea of coupling the bills and doing it quickly. “I think that if we do a COVID deal right now, we ought to just do a continuing resolution as part of that solution so that we take a shutdown off the table,” he said.
Bloomberg News reports that Senate Republicans are “actively preparing” for talks combining coronavirus stimulus and government funding and that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has circulated a draft of a slimmed-down stimulus bill that would provide $300 a week in unemployment benefits through December.
The bottom line: There’s still no movement toward a deal that can pass both chambers of Congress. “The stimulus delays come as economists are increasingly warning that the U.S. risks a prolonged recession if Congress doesn’t provide $1 trillion to $2 trillion in relief funds this fall,” Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson and Justin Sink write.


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-25--US Debt Is Now Larger Than the Economy. Does It Matter?

The national debt is now roughly the size of the U.S. economy , crossing a threshold that has long worried deficit hawks and many economists .
At the end of 2019 , the federal debt held by the public stood at $ 17 trillion , roughly 80 % the size of the U.S. economy , and government projections showed it growing to 100 % of the economy in about 10 years .
But thanks to trillions of dollars of spending in response to the coronavirus recession this year , and the contraction of the economy itself , the debt now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ product — a 25 % increase in a matter of months .
The concern has long been that a debt so large would inevitably ravage the economy by causing inflation to rise and interest rates to spike as investors demand higher returns from an increasingly shaky lender , the U.S. government .
Instead , despite the unprecedented run-up in the debt , interest rates sit near historic lows and inflation is muted in an economy struggling to recover from pandemic-driven losses .
Olivier Blanchard , the former chief economist for the International Monetary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington , told The New York Times that few economists are concerned about crossing the long-feared line .
“ At this stage , I think , nobody is very worried about debt , ” he said .
“ It ’ s clear that we can probably go where we are going , which is debt ratios above 100 percent in many countries .
And that ’ s not the end of the world.
” What changed ?
Some experts say worries about the debt surpassing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part because of the role played by the Federal Reserve .
Since March , the Fed has purchased more than $ 1.8 trillion worth of Treasury securities , providing the liquidity the Treasury needs to rapidly expand the debt , without any apparent negative consequences .
“ Fiscal constraints aren ’ t nearly what economists thought they were , ” Daniel Ivascyn , chief investment officer for PIMCO , told the Times .
“ When you have a central bank essentially funding these deficits , you can take debt levels to higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Modern Monetary Theory school – which holds that inflation is the main constraint on government spending , not the size of the debt – say that the mainstream economic models that link increased government debt with rising interest rates are just plain inaccurate .
“ The whole premise that deficits drive up interest rates , it ’ s just wrong , ” Stephanie Kelton , a professor of economics at Stony Brook University and a leading MMT supporter , told the Times .
Still , some investors remain concerned about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driven by the tidal wave of debt-fueled spending , and that concern is showing up in soaring gold prices , among other things .
And some economists warn that the growing debt will have to be addressed through higher taxes or reduced spending at some point in the future , even if the immediate effects seem benign .
The political implications : Although many economists seem to have lost their fear of government debt , Republican efforts to limit the size of the next coronavirus bill are grounded in part in worries about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 trillion to the national debt .
But GOP lawmakers are finding little support among economists these days , including those on Wall Street .
“ What ’ s very clear is that the U.S. economy has some room , ” Rick Rieder , chief investment officer of fixed income at BlackRock , told the Times .
“ I would argue that we still have room now for another fiscal package .
”

The national debt is now roughly the size of the U.S. economy, crossing a threshold that has long worried deficit hawks and many economists.
At the end of 2019, the federal debt held by the public stood at $17 trillion, roughly 80% the size of the U.S. economy, and government projections showed it growing to 100% of the economy in about 10 years. But thanks to trillions of dollars of spending in response to the coronavirus recession this year, and the contraction of the economy itself, the debt now stands at 106% of gross domestic product — a 25% increase in a matter of months.
The concern has long been that a debt so large would inevitably ravage the economy by causing inflation to rise and interest rates to spike as investors demand higher returns from an increasingly shaky lender, the U.S. government.
Instead, despite the unprecedented run-up in the debt, interest rates sit near historic lows and inflation is muted in an economy struggling to recover from pandemic-driven losses.
Olivier Blanchard, the former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund and now a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, told The New York Times that few economists are concerned about crossing the long-feared line.
“At this stage, I think, nobody is very worried about debt,” he said. “It’s clear that we can probably go where we are going, which is debt ratios above 100 percent in many countries. And that’s not the end of the world.”
What changed? Some experts say worries about the debt surpassing the size of the economy were misplaced, in part because of the role played by the Federal Reserve. Since March, the Fed has purchased more than $1.8 trillion worth of Treasury securities, providing the liquidity the Treasury needs to rapidly expand the debt, without any apparent negative consequences. “Fiscal constraints aren’t nearly what economists thought they were,” Daniel Ivascyn, chief investment officer for PIMCO, told the Times. “When you have a central bank essentially funding these deficits, you can take debt levels to higher debt levels than people envisioned.”
Critics in the Modern Monetary Theory school – which holds that inflation is the main constraint on government spending, not the size of the debt – say that the mainstream economic models that link increased government debt with rising interest rates are just plain inaccurate. “The whole premise that deficits drive up interest rates, it’s just wrong,” Stephanie Kelton, a professor of economics at Stony Brook University and a leading MMT supporter, told the Times.
Still, some investors remain concerned about the possibility of a rapid rise in inflation driven by the tidal wave of debt-fueled spending, and that concern is showing up in soaring gold prices, among other things. And some economists warn that the growing debt will have to be addressed through higher taxes or reduced spending at some point in the future, even if the immediate effects seem benign.
The political implications: Although many economists seem to have lost their fear of government debt, Republican efforts to limit the size of the next coronavirus bill are grounded in part in worries about adding another $2 trillion or $3 trillion to the national debt. But GOP lawmakers are finding little support among economists these days, including those on Wall Street. “What’s very clear is that the U.S. economy has some room,” Rick Rieder, chief investment officer of fixed income at BlackRock, told the Times. “I would argue that we still have room now for another fiscal package.”


thefiscaltimes--2020-08-24--Trump’s Second Term Agenda Revealed, Sort Of

It ’ s President Trump ’ s party now .
Yes , we ’ re referring to this week ’ s Republican National Convention , where Trump formally was renominated on Monday to take on Joe Biden in November ’ s presidential election .
But we ’ re also referring to the Republican Party itself , which chose not to adopt a new platform for 2020 and instead over the weekend passed a resolution saying that it “ has and will continue to enthusiastically support the President ’ s America-first agenda.
” What ’ s on that agenda for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly to answer questions about what he wants to accomplish if given a second term , but his campaign on Sunday released a bullet-pointed list of 50 “ core priorities ” under the banner “ Fighting for You !
” Even for a PowerPoint era , the lack of detail was glaring , though the campaign said that Trump would provide some additional details in speeches over the coming weeks .
Some examples of the big promises on Trump ’ s list : • Cut Taxes to Boost Take-Home Pay and Keep Jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Vaccine by The End Of 2020 • Make All Critical Medicines and Supplies for Healthcare Workers in The United States The Republican National Committee resolution said that “ the media has outrageously misrepresented the implications of the RNC not adopting a new platform in 2020.
” Here ’ s what they had to say : The Washington Post Editorial Board : “ The Republicans are announcing that they stand for nothing .
The party ’ s only reason for being is to gain and retain power for itself and its comparably unprincipled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s senators and other leaders used to have principles , or at least claimed to .
They believed in fiscal rectitude , free trade , limited executive power .
Now they have fallen in line behind a president who believes in none of that .
So , are they the party of managed trade , unbridled presidential power , unlimited debt ?
No one wants to say that .
Instead , they define themselves as the party of Donald J. Trump.
” Politico ’ s Tim Alberta : “ It can now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term in the White House draws toward closure , that Donald Trump ’ s party is the very definition of a cult of personality .
… Everyone understands that Trump is a big-picture sloganeer— ‘ Build the wall !
’ ‘ Make America Great Again !
’ —rather than a policy aficionado .
Even so , it ’ s astonishing how conceptually lifeless the party has become on his watch .
There is no blueprint to fix what is understood to be a broken immigration system .
There is no grand design to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no creative thinking about a conservative , market-based solution to climate change .
There is no meaningful effort to address the cost of housing or childcare or college tuition .
None of the erstwhile bold ideas proposed by the likes of Newt Gingrich and Paul Ryan—term limits , a balanced budget amendment , reforms to Social Security and Medicare , anti-poverty programs—have survived as serious proposals .
Heck , even after a decade spent trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act , Republicans still have no plan to replace it.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So Trump is supposedly going to produce 10 million new jobs in 10 months , but there ’ s nothing — really , nothing at all — about how to fulfill that promise .
Same with a million new small businesses .
The president plans to ‘ Build the World ’ s Greatest Infrastructure System , ’ which sounds nice , but given that he ’ s been promising the same thing for almost four years and hasn ’ t yet sent a bill to Capitol Hill , some might find it hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Out Global Terrorists ’ also seems ambitious , but the plan contains nothing about how it would be done in practice or how it squares with the promise to ‘ Stop Endless Wars and Bring Our Troops Home.
’ ” The Washington Post ’ s Paul Waldman : “ The truth is that the resolution more clearly describes today ’ s Republicans .
They have some things they want to do , sure — cut taxes , gut environmental regulations , restrict abortion rights — but mostly , what unites the party is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
That ’ s about all you need to know.
” The Republican National Committee resolution said that “ the media has outrageously misrepresented the implications of the RNC not adopting a new platform in 2020 .
”

It’s President Trump’s party now. Yes, we’re referring to this week’s Republican National Convention, where Trump formally was renominated on Monday to take on Joe Biden in November’s presidential election. But we’re also referring to the Republican Party itself, which chose not to adopt a new platform for 2020 and instead over the weekend passed a resolution saying that it “has and will continue to enthusiastically support the President’s America-first agenda.”
What’s on that agenda for the next four years? Trump has struggled repeatedly to answer questions about what he wants to accomplish if given a second term, but his campaign on Sunday released a bullet-pointed list of 50 “core priorities” under the banner “Fighting for You!” Even for a PowerPoint era, the lack of detail was glaring, though the campaign said that Trump would provide some additional details in speeches over the coming weeks.
Some examples of the big promises on Trump’s list:
Create 10 Million New Jobs in 10 Months
Create 1 Million New Small Businesses
Cut Taxes to Boost Take-Home Pay and Keep Jobs in America
Develop a [Covid-19] Vaccine by The End Of 2020
Return to Normal in 2021
Make All Critical Medicines and Supplies for Healthcare Workers in The United States
Cut Prescription Drug Prices
Lower Healthcare Insurance Premiums
End Surprise Billing
Cover All Pre-Existing Conditions
Protect Social Security and Medicare
Teach American Exceptionalism
Pass Congressional Term Limits
Stop Endless Wars and Bring Our Troops Home
The Republican National Committee resolution said that “the media has outrageously misrepresented the implications of the RNC not adopting a new platform in 2020.” Here’s what they had to say:
The Reactions
The Washington Post Editorial Board: “The Republicans are announcing that they stand for nothing. The party’s only reason for being is to gain and retain power for itself and its comparably unprincipled leader. … Many of the party’s senators and other leaders used to have principles, or at least claimed to. They believed in fiscal rectitude, free trade, limited executive power. Now they have fallen in line behind a president who believes in none of that. So, are they the party of managed trade, unbridled presidential power, unlimited debt? No one wants to say that. Instead, they define themselves as the party of Donald J. Trump.”
Politico’s Tim Alberta: “It can now safely be said, as his first term in the White House draws toward closure, that Donald Trump’s party is the very definition of a cult of personality. … Everyone understands that Trump is a big-picture sloganeer—‘Build the wall!’ ‘Make America Great Again!’—rather than a policy aficionado. Even so, it’s astonishing how conceptually lifeless the party has become on his watch. There is no blueprint to fix what is understood to be a broken immigration system. There is no grand design to modernize the nation’s infrastructure. There is no creative thinking about a conservative, market-based solution to climate change. There is no meaningful effort to address the cost of housing or childcare or college tuition. None of the erstwhile bold ideas proposed by the likes of Newt Gingrich and Paul Ryan—term limits, a balanced budget amendment, reforms to Social Security and Medicare, anti-poverty programs—have survived as serious proposals. Heck, even after a decade spent trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Republicans still have no plan to replace it.”
Bloomberg’s Jonathan Bernstein: “So Trump is supposedly going to produce 10 million new jobs in 10 months, but there’s nothing — really, nothing at all — about how to fulfill that promise. Same with a million new small businesses. The president plans to ‘Build the World’s Greatest Infrastructure System,’ which sounds nice, but given that he’s been promising the same thing for almost four years and hasn’t yet sent a bill to Capitol Hill, some might find it hard to take it seriously. ‘Wipe Out Global Terrorists’ also seems ambitious, but the plan contains nothing about how it would be done in practice or how it squares with the promise to ‘Stop Endless Wars and Bring Our Troops Home.’”
The Washington Post’s Paul Waldman: “The truth is that the resolution more clearly describes today’s Republicans. They have some things they want to do, sure — cut taxes, gut environmental regulations, restrict abortion rights — but mostly, what unites the party is that they hate Democrats and they worship Trump. That’s about all you need to know.”
The Republican National Committee resolution said that “the media has outrageously misrepresented the implications of the RNC not adopting a new platform in 2020.”