Trump gambles with new stimulus strategy
By Morgan Chalfant and Sylvan Lane - 10/07/20 03:31 PM EDT
President Trump is taking a huge political and economic risk by walking away from negotiations with Democrats on a coronavirus relief package just four weeks before the election.
Trump on Tuesday abruptly put a halt to talks between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) until after Election Day, accusing the Democratic leader of not negotiating in “good faith†despite some signs of progress between top negotiators in recent weeks.
The president later relented somewhat, urging Congress to send him smaller standalone bills based on areas of broad agreement instead of a sweeping measure sought by Pelosi and Mnuchin.
Trump’s approach has frustrated Republicans and business groups and thrust the prospect of future assistance into further uncertainty. Additionally, many economists have warned of the negative impact of not sending out more aid.
“The economy as a whole is not making a lot of progress,†said Claudia Sahm, a former senior economist and research director at the Federal Reserve.
“There are real human costs — today and years from now — of not sending money out and turning it into a political battle.â€
excerpt:
But Moore, the outside Trump adviser, argued that the president would divide Republicans and damage himself politically by agreeing to the $2.2 trillion figure put forth by Pelosi and the Democrats.
“Agreeing to the Pelosi deal would be politically harmful for Trump. Getting a good deal would be politically beneficial for Trump. And no deal falls somewhere in the middle,†Moore said.more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/520051-trump-gambles-with-new-stimulus-strategyI think this is a fair representation of this situation...even for The Hill