WASHINGTON – By now you’ve heard the $ 1.9 billion Covid Enlightenment Bill from policy experts and even some Biden allies – it’s too big, the economy seems to be getting better (see today’s job report), Americans are already being vaccinated and state budget situations are not as bad as previously thought.
But as our colleague Benjy Sarlin reminds us, none of this moved the Democrats who are still haunted by the ghosts of 2009, when insufficient stimulus (in part due to too rosy predictions) did not advance the economy quickly. The collapse of government revenue also led to layoffs and funding cuts that continued a decade later, making it a special area this time around.
So Democrats learned their 2009 lesson: ‘The biggest risk is not to get too big … that’s if we go too small. We’ve been here before, ‘President Biden said last month.
The other lesson the Democrats learned: Pay as much attention to politics as – if not more than – the economy.
Just like in 2009, the Democrats are a role of the actuarial dice away from their ability to succeed anything noteworthy. If something unexpected happens – for example, a narrow coronavirus variant – there is no guarantee that Republicans will agree to more help. This is perhaps their only shot, Sarlin notes.
Budget experts also see some reasons to grow up. There are still 1.3 million fewer government 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 larger emergency relief role than last year, when the uncertainty caused temporary cuts. It can especially help poorer families, who have the worst stress due to job losses, food insecurity, housing costs and school closures.
“The trajectory of the virus and the economic recovery are uncertain,” Tracy Gordon, acting director at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, told Sarlin of NBC. “State and local governments are traditionally safety net providers for the people and there are just a lot of risks that these governments pose.”
In short: Both Democrats and Republicans have learned important lessons since 2009.
For Mitch McConnell and the GOP, they have learned that unanimous GOP opposition – plus delaying the process – can cause political headaches for the White House and Congress party.
For Joe Biden and the Democrats, they have learned to go as big as possible – even if it’s 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 delivered his scathing statement against Donald Trump after he voted to acquit the former president, and McConnell followed it up with a Wall Street Journal on Monday, 15 February.
But it was not until Tuesday, February 16, that Trump announced his written response, calling McConnell a “political hack.”
On Monday, March 1, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page trumped Trump for losing the House, the White House and the Senate under his watch.
Only on Thursday, March 4, did Trump issue a statement that he could hit in the Journal.
And on Wednesday, March 3, longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove wrote a Wall Street Journal essay in which he criticized Trump’s CPAC speech.
Trump responded last night, Thursday, March 4, with a lengthy statement that shot back at Rove.
So we learned two things about Trump. One, he definitely uses the contents of the Wall Street Journal.
Two, this not-so-quick response is how life is for Trump without Twitter.
Data download: the numbers you need to know today
55 percent: The share of New Yorkers in a new Quinnipiac poll that said government Andrew Cuomo should not resign.
28,957,035: The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, according to the latest data from NBC News and health officials. (This is 64 849 more than yesterday morning.)
523,130: The number of deaths so far in the United States due to the virus, according to the latest data from NBC News. (This is 1,916 more than yesterday morning.)
44,172: The number of people currently hospitalized in the United States with coronavirus.
359.5 million: According to researchers from The COVID Tracking Project, the number of coronavirus tests tested so far in the United States.
82,572,848: Number of vaccinations administered in the US
27,795,980: People are fully vaccinated in the US
55: The number of days Biden has left to reach his 100-day vaccination target.
Who then is the backup plan for the OMB director?
Where does the White House stand to appoint a new person to head the office of management and budget? According to them, there is nowhere at the moment – at least not in public.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Thursday that she did not “expect to have an announcement this week” but that the person named as deputy director of the OMB, Shalanda Young, in a place would be the acting head. ”
NBC’s team reported earlier this week that Young also looks completely like a replacement for Neera Tanden. Young has strong support from members of the Democratic caucus, and her committee hearing before the Senate Budget Committee received a positive review from Republican senators this week.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., told Young: “You will get my support, maybe for both works.” And Senator John Kennedy, R-La., Said she could be ‘more than a deputy.’
While many of President Biden’s nominees remain in the cabinet, the aim is to appoint an OMB chief to add to the long list needed to confirm.
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Nester’s Lester Holt will anchor a special Saturday broadcast of “Nightly News: Kids Edition” this Saturday, March 6 at 8:30 ET. The program includes the interview of Kristen Dahlgren, correspondent of NBC News, with children participating in coronavirus vaccine trials, as well as dr. John Torres, senior medical correspondent for NBC News, answering children’s questions about the pandemic.
ICYMI: What else is happening in the world?
Assistance to Governor Andrew Cuomo last summer rewrote a report on the state’s health to extract worrying statistics on the deaths of the Covid nursing home.
The FEC has some questions about the accounting discrepancies in the campaign series Jim Jordan’s IDP report.
Democratic Representative Tom Malinowski could not publicly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of shares.
The race of governor in Virginia is often a crystal ball in the future of American politics. That’s why it could be again this year.
Here’s what you need to know about stimulus investigations in the new Covid bill.
Texas’ decision to lift its mask mandate could be a major headache for businesses.
Anthony Fauci says lifting restrictions is now “inexplicable” as a plateau.
The CEO of Fox Corp says the Fox News network intends to be the ‘loyal opposition’ to the Biden presidency.
A former State Department assistant was arrested in connection with the January 6 riots at the Capitol.