Choice of spending by Covid de Biden – WSJ

Democratic leaders seem eager to use what is known as budgetary reconciliation, which evades the 60-vote blocking law for fiscal and spending measures with certain limitations. After even moderate Republican senators rejected Biden Covid-palooza’s gigantic size of $ 1.9 trillion, Mayor Nancy Pelosi and majority leader Chuck Schumer said they would act soon to approve the bill in a party way using reconciliation.

Biden did not commit to the Pelosi-Schumer strategy, although it appears that his advisers are inclined there. The president speaks so little in public and in such a scripted way that it is difficult to know what he really thinks.

But ten Republican senators increased the government’s bets on Biden when they offered to meet the president halfway and asked for a meeting to discuss the matter. They say they will release more details on Monday, but the text of their weekend letter to Biden appears to offer much of what he wants.

They pledge $ 160 billion for Covid-related spending on the development and distribution of vaccines, therapies, testing and screening and PPE. They say, without offering a price tag, that they support more payments to individual Americans “in greater need, providing more targeted assistance than in the government plan.” This probably means a smaller cut for additional cash payments of $ 1,400.

They also agree to increase federal unemployment benefits “at the current level” and “fully fund their request for nutritional assistance to help families in distress”. And they will support money for childcare, small businesses and the reopening of schools.

The most obvious part missing from Biden’s wish list is his $ 350 billion extra proposal for state and local governments. Republican senators also dare to mention that much of the $ 900 billion Congress passed in December, and even much of the Spring Cares Act, has not been spent. They suggest – which is shocking in Washington – that it may be wise to spend that money first and then see what is needed, depending on the course of the pandemic.

Our view is that most of this GOP offer is not needed, as vaccines are being launched and the pandemic could substantially decrease in the coming weeks or months. Most of Biden’s proposal – especially his bailout for wasteful states – is using Covid as an excuse to satisfy all the various spending democratic Democrats.

But if Biden does not accept this generous offer, we will know that he is transferring control of his agenda to Democrats in Congress. The gang of 10 Republicans would provide enough votes with 50 Democrats to break an obstruction in the Senate. Using reconciliation to approve $ 1.9 trillion in a party vote will signal that the Democratic goal is to choose one or two Republicans as a political front, not for any serious political compromise.

This means a return to Barack Obama-Nancy Pelosi’s one-party government method. Biden’s choice will set the tone for the rest of his presidency.