WASHINGTON – By now, you have heard criticism of Covid’s $ 1.9 trillion relief bill from policy experts and even some of Biden’s allies – it’s very big, the economy seems to be improving ( see today’s job report), more Americans are already getting vaccination situations and the state budget is not as bad as previously thought.
But, as our colleague Benjy Sarlin reminds us, none of this has moved Democrats who are still haunted by the ghosts of 2009, when inadequate stimuli (partly due to overly optimistic forecasts) failed to boost the economy quickly. The collapse in government revenues also led to layoffs and funding cuts that persisted a decade later, making it an area of particular concern this time.
So the Democrats learned the lesson of 2009: “The biggest risk is not going too big … it is if we are too small. We’ve been here before, ”said President Biden last month.
The other lesson that Democrats have learned: pay attention to politics as much – if not more than – to the economy.
As in 2009, Democrats are at a throw of actuarial data to lose their ability to pass on anything significant. If something unexpected happens – a frightening new variant of the coronavirus, for example – there is no guarantee that Republicans will agree to receive more aid. This may be their only chance, Sarlin notes.
Budget experts also see some reasons for growth. There are still 1.3 million fewer state and local jobs since the pandemic began. And with more help, local governments (whose financial picture is darker) may also be willing to take on a greater role of relief than last year, when uncertainty led to preventive cuts. This can help the poorest families, in particular, who have endured the worst stress of job losses, food insecurity, housing costs and school closings.
“The path of the virus and the economic recovery are uncertain,” Tracy Gordon, acting director of Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, told NBC’s Sarlin. “State and local governments are traditionally providers of safety net for these people and there are many risks that these governments face.”
Conclusion: Democrats and Republicans learned important lessons from 2009.
For Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party, they learned that unanimous Republican opposition – in addition to slowing down the process – can produce political headaches for the party that controls the White House and Congress.
For Joe Biden and the Democrats, they have learned to grow as much as possible – even if it is more than necessary.
Tweet of the day
Trump’s (not-so-quick) response
It was on Saturday, February 13, when Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell made his scathing statement against Donald Trump after voting for the ex-president’s acquittal, and McConnell published an article in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, 15 of February.
But it wasn’t until Tuesday, February 16, when Trump released his written response calling McConnell a “political hack”.
On Monday, March 1, the Wall Street Journal editorial page criticized Trump for losing the House, the White House and the Senate under his supervision.
It wasn’t until Thursday, March 4, when Trump released a statement criticizing the Journal.
And on Wednesday, March 3, longtime Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal criticizing Trump’s CPAC speech.
Trump responded last night, on Thursday, March 4, with a long statement against Rove.
So, we learned two things about Trump. One, he is definitely consuming the content from the Wall Street Journal.
Two, this not-so-quick response is what life is like for Trump without Twitter.
Data download: the numbers you need to know today
55 percent: New Yorkers’ participation in a new Quinnipiac poll that said Governor Andrew Cuomo should not resign.
28,957,035: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, according to the latest data from NBC News and health officials. (There are 64,849 more than yesterday morning.)
523,130: The number of deaths from the virus in the United States so far, according to the latest data from NBC News. (This is 1,916 more than yesterday morning.)
44,172: The number of people currently hospitalized with coronavirus in the United States.
359.5 million: The number of coronavirus tests administered in the United States so far, according to researchers at The COVID Tracking Project.
82,572,848: Number of vaccine doses administered in the USA
27,795,980: Fully vaccinated people in the USA
55: The number of days left for Biden to reach his 100-day vaccination goal.
So, who is the support plan for the OMB director?
What is the White House’s position on appointing a new person to lead the Office of Administration and Budget? According to them, nowhere – at least not publicly.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that she “did not expect to have an announcement this week”, but that the person nominated to be deputy director of the OMB, Shalanda Young, “would be in a position to be the acting head. “
The NBC team reported earlier this week that Young also looks like a likely replacement for Neera Tanden. Young has strong support from members of the Democratic caucus, and his hearing on the Senate Budget Committee this week received a positive assessment from Republican senators.
Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., said to Young, “You will have my support, perhaps for both jobs.” And Senator John Kennedy, R-La., Said she could be “more than a congresswoman”.
While many of those nominated for President Biden’s office remain in limbo, the search continues to appoint an OMB chief to add to the long list of confirmation needs.
Shameless plug
Lester Holt of NBC will present a special Saturday night broadcast of “Nightly News: Kids Edition” this Saturday, March 6 at 8:30 am ET. The program will feature an interview by NBC News correspondent Kristen Dahlgren with children participating in coronavirus vaccine testing, as well as NBC News senior medical correspondent Dr. John Torres, answering children’s questions about the pandemic.
ICYMI: What else is happening in the world
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s aides rewrote a state health report last summer to draw alarming statistics about Covid’s deaths in nursing homes.
The FEC has some questions about accounting discrepancies in Republican Representative Jim Jordan’s campaign records.
Democratic Congressman Tom Malinowski did not publicly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock trading.
The race for governor of Virginia is often a crystal ball for the future of American politics. See why it can be again this year.
Here’s what you need to know about stimulus checks in Covid’s new relief law.
Texas’ decision to remove its masking mandate can be a major headache for businesses.
Anthony Fauci says that lifting restrictions is now “inexplicable” as the cases stabilize.
The CEO of Fox Corp. says the Fox News network is intended to be “loyal opposition” to Biden’s presidency.
A former State Department aide was arrested in connection with the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.