Trump and his republicans in the U.S. Senate still can not get their act together to pass the stimulus relief they have been talking about since the "Cares Act" expired July 31. They can not even agree among themselves what the cost should be. First it was around $1-1.5 trillion dollars which sparked an outcry from their own party members, then they finally settled on $600 billion that was voted on and defeated 52-47.
So the only stimulus relief legislation that has passed for the expired "Cares Act" was the bill passed by the democratic controlled U.S. House several months ago. Trump and his party failed to even debate the bill with any counter offers and did what they always do, demagogue the issue. After the Senate failed to act in good faith with the House's bill Trump had his Treasury Secretary deal with house speaker Nancy Pelosi on the bill but there is still no movement on the bill and Trump continues to fail at governing. All the while the death total continues to climb over the 190,000 mark and the economy is in an anemic recovery stage.
Nineteen years ago President George W. Bush, Congress and the nation dame together after terrorists killed over 3000 Americans on 9/11/2001. There was a common purpose for the country to act as one and it did so. Nineteen years later we have a virus pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 190,000 Americans and we have a President, Donald Trump who divides the country, congress and the people, lies about the pandemic, fails to lead and take responsibility and uses division as a political tool. The contrast is so un-American and extreme one could never predict such a happening would take place.
And to top it off, the President is still using those tactics less than two months before the election while the pandemic is still raging. America and its people deserve better and can change the status quo on November 3 with their vote.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
