President Donald Trump on Monday accused top Democratic negotiators of not wanting to make a deal on a stimulus package because it would benefit him and his chances of being reelected in November.
Asked about why he didnt meet with top Democrats about stimulus negotiation, he said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “dont want to make a deal.”
“They think its good for politics if they dont want to make a deal,” Trump said at a Labor Day press conference at the White House. “These are people … I dont have a lot of respect [for].”
“I dont need to meet with them and be turned down,” he said, adding that talks are stalled because a deal would be “good for the economy” and would benefit Trumps chances of being reelected. “They think that if the country does as badly as possible … thats good for the Democrats,” Trump said.
Democrats and the White House remain at an impasse, a month after the two parties held negotiations, on a stimulus package. One of the sticking points is whether to provide $1 trillion in federal funding to state and local governments, which Republicans do not support.
At around the same time as Trumps conference, Schumer wrote that “its Labor Day, and President Trump still doesnt have an adequate national testing strategy.” It came hours after he said that Republicans in the Senate need to pass the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act “immediately.” That bill passed in the House of Representatives in May, but it hasnt been taken up by the GOP-controlled Senate.
The measures are designed to limit economic damage caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic as well as associated stay-at-home measures and lockdowns.
“Well do something to help cities,” Trump said, but the $1 trillion “bailout” is too high.
Last month, after talks stalled, Trump took executive action on payroll taxes, student loan payments, expanded unemployment benefits, and a moratorium on evictions.
Pelosi last week accused Trump of stonewalling, adding that the 8.4 percent unemployment rate “is a reminder of the urgent need to enact the #HeroesAct, as the economic recovery stimulated by Congresss early & robust investments continues to slow down.”
It came as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the White House and top Democrats have agreed to aRead More From Source
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