“The 360” shows different perspectives on the main stories and debates of the day.
What is happening
President Biden signed the $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package in law on Thursday, cementing his presidency’s first major legislative victory.
Among the many measures included in the comprehensive bill are a $ 1,400 round of stimulus checks, increased unemployment insurance, money for schools and daycare, housing assistance and support for vaccination programs across the country. It also expands on existing tax credits that would put more money in the pockets of workers and people with children.
No Republican in any of the chambers of Congress voted in favor of the bill, leaving Democrats with zero margin of error in the 50-50 Senate. To gain the support of moderate senators, the increased unemployment benefits have been reduced and the income limits for those who will receive stimulus checks have been slightly reduced. A clause to raise the federal minimum wage was also dropped after a group of Senate Democrats refused to support a rule change that would have allowed it to pass with a simple majority vote and avoid a Republican obstruction.
Why there is debate
The most immediate impact of the stimulus project will be measured by the effectiveness with which it helps the country to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. But political analysts also expect it to be an important factor in the upcoming elections.
Many see the bill as a victory for Democrats, who seek to retain their majority in Congress in the 2022 elections and retain the presidency in 2024. They argue that the legislation allows Democrats to receive credit for ending the pandemic and rescuing the economy as vaccines gradually control the coronavirus in the coming months. Some experts say that providing direct payments, such as stimulus checks and child benefits, is a powerful way to show working-class Americans how the Democratic leadership has affected their lives. Others believe that the Republican Party can also suffer after opposing a bill that the vast majority of the public supports.
Critics on the right say the project’s huge price tag, which many argue is inflated by items on the progressive wish list, will drive out moderate voters who care about Democrats by forcing a leftist agenda. Republican opposition to the bill could even become an asset if the country struggles to escape the pandemic or if the increase in spending results in rampant inflation, others say. Some on the left fear that concessions made to satisfy moderate Democrats could diminish support for the party among progressive voters.
What is the next
Stimulus checks could start appearing in Americans’ bank accounts as early as this weekend, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. Biden and Vice President Harris will travel outside Washington to publicize the benefits of the stimulus project to voters in the coming weeks, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Perspectives
Democrats have shown voters that they are the only party willing to help them in a crisis
“At a time when millions of Americans needed your help, [Republicans] he replied with a word: No. My hope is that in the 2022 elections, voters will respond with the same word when the Republicans running for Congress ask for their vote. ” – Dean Obeidallah, MSNBC
Democrats went too far with progressive provisions in the bill
“Biden is running to show the progressives in his party that he deserves his vote and that his party will again deserve his support in 2022. Perhaps some return was needed, but Biden exaggerated. … America remains a centrist country, and Biden’s progressive dictates will not be popular. ”- Liz Peek, Fox News
Republicans made a mistake in opposing such a popular project
“It is difficult for me to overstate the epic failure that we are witnessing in today’s GOP.” – Will Bunch, Philadelphia Inquirer
Democrats intelligently included direct and immediate benefits for voters
“Direct aid will be a stark contrast to what happened under Obama’s encouragement, when most Americans didn’t even realize they were getting a tax cut. It is also a drastic change in relation to the impact of Obamacare, where the benefits only began long after the bill was passed, and also after the mid-term elections. ” – Jeff Greenfield, Politico
Biden will regret abandoning his promise of bipartisanship
“President Joe Biden is not governing like the moderate he announced during Democratic primaries and seeking accommodation with Republicans to resolve complaints on both sides.” – Peter Morci, MarketWatch
GOP criticism of the bill will fall apart
“The Republicans’ argument is that we are spending too much. The average American who can return to work in the coming months or get the benefits of the account will probably say ‘Who cares?’ And the country will never know whether the recovery would have been possible with a $ 1 trillion note instead of a $ 1.9 trillion note. Republican opposition is politically obtuse, to say the least. ”- Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post
Massive spending could sink Democrats if the economy overheats
“The $ 1.9 trillion stimulus project represents 1.9 trillion options withdrawn – it represents a choice to put ourselves in a more risky position than we have, instead of beginning to reduce our risk responsibly and ordered. The fact that Democrats are insisting on this poor choice in order to create a boom that they hope will benefit them in the midterm elections and in 2024 is something that voters should seriously consider. ” – Kevin D. Williamson, National Review
The stimulus gave a fragmented Republican Party something to unite against
“After weeks of rivalry with each other, the Republicans found something they agreed on: unanimous opposition to the $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. The political value of this unit will be at the forefront of the 2022 legislative elections ”. – David Jackson, USA Today
Democrats cannot assume that voters will give them credit for encouraging
“Many Americans do not pay much attention to politics and do not necessarily link the decisions made in Washington to the realities of their daily lives. Democrats need to connect these points to them, loudly and repeatedly, so that voters can understand what is at stake in the elections and what both parties really stand for. ” – Jill Filipovic, CNN
Diluted elements of the stimulus will be disappointing for progressives
“Is it too early to worry about the semester’s tests? Not for progressives, some of whom believe that President Joe Biden and the Democratic leadership are already preparing for defeat in 2022 by making concessions in COVID’s latest aid package. ”- Marie Solis, Fortune
The economy will determine who will win the next election, not the details of a bill
“What is likely to matter most in 2022 is not whether the relief bill is popular, but whether the overall results – the economy and the pandemic – will end up making the electorate happy with the incumbent president and his party. A strong economy will make Biden popular. If unemployment is high and growth is slow, it won’t help you much if the current bill is working well now. ”- Jonathan Bernstein, Bloomberg
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