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Progressives warn Joe Biden to avoid 'catastrophic' concession in order to garner conservative support
January 28, 2021
With the Biden White House reportedly weighing the possibility of splitting its proposed coronavirus relief package into two parts in an effort to attract some Republican support, leaders of the Congressional Progressives Caucus are warning that anything less than the president's $1.9 trillion opening offer would represent an unacceptable betrayal of economically desperate Americans.
In a letter (pdf) to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Calif.) on Wednesday, more than two dozen members of the CPC Executive Board wrote that "if we aim too low, the financial consequences will be catastrophic, long-lasting, and borne by the American families who can least afford it."
<p>The letter was signed by CPC chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), deputy chair Katie Porter (D-Calif.), caucus whip Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and 21 other lawmakers.</p><p>"We are concerned by the views of some in Congress who are advocating for a scaled-back, 'wait and see' approach," the letter states, alluding to the bipartisan group of lawmakers that the White House economic team has <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/25/susan-collins-supporter-15-trillion-tax-cuts-rich-claims-1400-survival-checks-not" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sought out for input</a> on coronavirus relief in recent days, despite warnings that outreach to austerity-obsessed Republicans is both <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/15/dangerous-and-delusional-biden-warned-against-compromising-insurrectionist-gop-covid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">futile and dangerous</a>.</p><p>"The families and small businesses that make up the economy do not have the luxury of 'waiting to see' how this public health and economic crisis progresses—they need relief now." <br/>—Congressional Progressive Caucus</p><p>"This goes against both the economic consensus and the voices of our constituents, who are crying out for additional relief to keep food on their tables and a roof over their heads," the letter continues. "The families and small businesses that make up the economy do not have the luxury of 'waiting to see' how this public health and economic crisis progresses—they need relief now."</p><p>Pointing to the Obama administration's woefully inadequate response to the Great Recession as a cautionary tale, the progressive lawmakers cautioned that "if we do not act now, a prolonged, sluggish economic recovery will surely result."</p><p>The letter goes on to reject "an overemphasis on targeting aid" such as the $1,400 direct relief payments Biden has proposed. As <em>Common Dreams</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/27/not-just-bad-economics-terrible-politics-khanna-warns-democrats-against-restricting" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reported</a> Wednesday, a growing chorus of right-wing lawmakers from both parties is pushing the president to further restrict eligibility for the checks in order to deny relief to those who supposedly "don't need it."</p><p>"Congress should err on the side of offering generous relief to a larger pool of people, rather than too little," the CPC letter argues. "The cost of doing too little too slowly far outweighs the concerns about a relatively small share of households getting 'too much.'"</p><p>The CPC's warning against a watered-down relief package came as fresh reporting from <em>Politico</em> indicated that the Biden administration is considering breaking its proposed coronavirus legislation into two parts in a bid to win GOP support for at least one.</p><p><a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/01/28/scoop-inside-the-white-houses-new-thinking-on-covid-relief-491555" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to</a> <em>Politico, </em>a bipartisan deal "would have skimpier funding for state and local relief (if any), and less money for vaccine distribution, unemployment insurance, and nutritional assistance, or SNAP. It would have far more targeted relief checks. We are told by administration sources that a bill of this sort might be in the $600-$800 billion range."</p><p>Under that approach, the Biden administration would "take everything that's left out of the skinny relief package and add it to Biden's 'Build Back Better' plan," <em>Politico</em> reported. The latter package would likely be passed through budget reconciliation, an expedited process that requires just a simple majority.</p><p>In a tweet Thursday morning, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki denied that the administration is "looking to split a package in two."</p><p>"The needs of the American people are urgent from putting food on the table, to getting vaccines out the door to reopening schools. Those aren't partisan issues," said Psaki. "We are engaging with a range of voices—that's democracy in action."</p> <iframe src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?creatorScreenName=commondreams&creatorUserId=14296273&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1354771405167067140&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2F2021%2F01%2F28%2Fwhite-house-floats-skimpier-relief-bill-bid-gop-support-progressives-warn-going&siteScreenName=commondreams&siteUserId=14296273&theme=light&widgetsVersion=ed20a2b%3A1601588405575&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 271px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet"></iframe> <p>Given the persistent spread of the deadly coronavirus and still-deteriorating economic conditions, progressives have warned Biden against wasting precious time reaching out to Republicans who are openly hostile to his agenda and averse to <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2020/12/08/how-much-emergency-relief-will-it-take-revive-us-economy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spending what experts say is necessary</a> to bring the U.S. out of deep recession.</p><p>Under the leadership of incoming chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Senate Budget Committee has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/politics/covid-relief-package-negotiations/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">already begun work</a> on a resolution that would jumpstart the process of moving a relief package through reconciliation, which would not require Republican support.</p><p>"People can talk to whoever they want to talk to, but this country faces enormous crises," Sanders <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/26/democrats-covid-stimulus-462726" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a> Tuesday. "Elections have consequences. We're in the majority, and we've got to act."</p><p>Read the CPC leadership's full letter:</p> <blockquote><em>Madam Speaker and Majority Leader Schumer:</em><br/><em>The leadership of the Congressional Progressive Caucus is united in our belief that the current health and economic emergencies demand bold, swift action. With the economy in crisis, rock-bottom interest rates, and no sign of inflation, the economic consensus is clear: the best hope for the economy is a massive public investment to create jobs, raise wages, and keep people out of poverty. If we aim too low, the financial consequences will be catastrophic, long-lasting, and borne by the American families who can least afford it.</em><br/><em>We are concerned by the views of some in Congress who are advocating for a scaled-back, "wait and see" approach. This goes against both the economic consensus and the voices of our constituents, who are crying out for additional relief to keep food on their tables and a roof over their heads. The families and small businesses that make up the economy do not have the luxury of "waiting to see" how this public health and economic crisis progresses—they need relief now.</em><br/><em>The economic experts are with us on the need for urgent and aggressive action. Just last month, leading economists estimated that we will need no less than $3 trillion in immediate relief to get our economy out of this hole. We cannot revive our economy in the short term and put our nation back on the path to growth in the long term without recommitting to the principle of fiscal responsibility, which directs us to pursue the appropriate level of spending to maintain a healthy rate of expansion. President Biden's rescue package, which comes in at $1.9 trillion, is a critical first step in meeting the economic need, but it is a minimum floor—determined by the needs of the American people in this dire moment. If anything, it must be strengthened, not weakened.</em><br/><em>The lessons of the Great Recession are informative on this point. As Treasury Secretary Yellen explained in her confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, the risks of doing too little during an economic downturn far outweigh the risks of doing too much. If we do not act now, a prolonged, sluggish economic recovery will surely result. The pain of a prolonged recession will be widespread—but it will hit women and Black and brown people most. The American people cannot afford a repeat of the jobless recovery from the 2009 economic crisis and we must take bold action to prevent such an outcome.</em><br/><em>Our economy is on the brink, with millions of people unable to afford the basics, states, cities, and tribal governments facing dire budget shortfalls, and the pandemic continuing to surge across the country. Experts agree that the economic benefits of investing in recovery, helping families and small businesses stay afloat, and protecting frontline workers will far outweigh the costs of any new federal borrowing. Deficit-financed investments, especially those targeted toward poor, working-class, and middle-class communities, will drive broad-based economic growth. Manufactured concerns about the debt will only get in the way of urgently needed action and delay relief for millions of families.</em><br/><em>Finally, we want to address the concerns around "targeting" of additional relief, particularly as it relates to survival checks. President Biden promised $2,000 survival checks and we must now deliver on those checks. We caution against an overemphasis on targeting aid, when we know that it comes at the expense of delivering relief quickly and efficiently. In addition, at this moment of fiscal crisis, Congress should err on the side of offering generous relief to a larger pool of people, rather than too little. The cost of doing too little too slowly far outweighs the concerns about a relatively small share of households getting "too much," particularly given that these survival payments, as proposed, are not currently retroactive and are based on incomes that have likely gone down substantially as people's hours and earnings were cut back or eliminated completely.</em><br/><em>Thank you for your strong leadership on behalf of the millions who are suffering as a result of this pandemic. This is truly our work to deliver For the People. We look forward to working with you in the coming weeks to pass a robust rescue package that meets the scale of the health and economic crises we face.</em><br/></blockquote>
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A fervent Donald Trump supporter who carried a "white privilege" card has been charged in an alleged bomb plot aimed at keeping the ousted president in office.
Ian Benjamin Rogers was arrested Jan. 15 and charged in federal court Tuesday, when prosecutors alleged investigators seized 49 firearms, five pipe bombs, bomb-making materials and thousands of rounds of ammunition from his home and business in Napa, California, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.
<p>The 44-year-old Rogers had stickers indicating support for the "Three Percenters" gun militia group.</p><p>According to the FBI, Rogers also carried a mock "white privilege" credit card that references the former president, whom his attorney said Rogers strongly supported.</p><p><br/></p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c11d0d6f46faf77dd462cb7b1af4d81a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="dfbb7" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU0NjM0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTE2MDMzMH0.BkuJ-ptWaOwVKnnKeMXeMgLNz-rA3PeXzCoADnCVF3c/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Photo via FBI)</small></p>
<p><br/></p><p>"He's a real adherent of President Trump, he's a true believer," said attorney Jess Raphael. "When President Trump says they stole the election, he says they stole the election. Basically, whatever the president said, he parroted."</p><p>However, Raphael insisted that Rogers was full of "bluster and bandwagoning" as a result of his alcohol problem and Trump support, but was not dangerous or formally associated with any right-wing extremist groups, and was instead a "prepper" and gun collector.</p><p>Prosecutors say text messages on Rogers' phone indicated he believed Trump had won the 2020 election, and that he intended to attack Gov. Gavin Newsom, other elected Democrats and social media companies that he believed had conspired against the former president.</p><p>"We can attack Twitter or the democrats you pick," he texted on Jan. 10 to a friend, according to prosecutors. "I think we can attack either easily."</p>
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Former US president Donald Trump's mould-breaking approach has reshaped decades of Middle East diplomacy, but his legacy in the troubled region has quickly come under attack from his successor.
From unexpected normalisation deals with Israel, to a "maximum pressure" campaign on rival Iran, the businessman-turned-president changed the face of the Middle East.
<p>His close relations with autocratic heads of states and wealthy Gulf monarchies also personalised Washington's approach towards the strategic region which hosts thousands of US troops.</p><p>Joe Biden promised to change all that.</p><p>In less than 10 days in the White House, the new president has already erased some of his predecessor's signature moves, but analysts say many of the flurry of deals struck in the last weeks of the administration won't -- or shouldn't -- be easily overturned.</p><p>Here is a look at what is at stake for Trump's Middle East legacy:</p><p>- 'Ping-ponging' Iran -</p><p>On his first full day on the job, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the Biden administration wants to return to the 2015 nuclear deal trashed by Trump -- but said it would only happen once Iran resumes its commitments.</p><p>Tehran has meanwhile called on Washington to first unconditionally lift sanctions, effectively dismantling the pressure campaign.</p><p>Observers say this ping-pong process exemplifies the difficulty in extricating the US from Trump policies.</p><p>"The more the administration pursues the Iranians, the more the Iranians will pull back, in a bid to increase their leverage. Yet, the more the US pulls back, the more the Iranians will try to force the US to engage," said Jon B. Alterman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.</p><p>"We should not expect an easy return to negotiations, whatever the Biden team wants, and we should not anticipate that a supposedly wounded Iran will capitulate. Instead, we should anticipate a drawn-out process punctuated by crisis."</p><p>- Arms sales -</p><p>In a regional game-changer, the US last year agreed to sell more than $23 billion worth of top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates, to reward its diplomatic recognition of Israel.</p><p>Trump also backed arms sales to Saudi Arabia, despite lawmakers' objections which were centred on the kingdom's poor human rights record.</p><p>The Biden administration has said it is "temporarily" freezing the deals "to allow incoming leadership an opportunity to review".</p><p>Experts say a halt would raise questions about a potential impact on the normalisation deal with Israel, which Trump saw as a key foreign policy achievement.</p><p>- Israel ties -</p><p>Trump's term saw a flurry of normalisation deals between four Arab states and Israel. Most however were built on diplomatic quid pro quos, which makes them vulnerable in the Biden era.</p><p>Morocco's accord struck in December saw the US back its rule over disputed Western Sahara. Despite hailing the peace deals, Biden has not committed to maintaining the recognition in the region, where tensions have simmered since the 1970s.</p><p>For its part, Sudan signed the deal less than a month after the US removed it from its "state sponsors of terrorism" blacklist.</p><p>The Biden administration should not jeopardise these agreements and should "forge even more", said Dennis Ross and Juan Zarate in an article for the Washington Institute.</p><p>"Although the instinct to make dramatic changes is understandable and sometimes correct, certain elements of Trump policy provide good opportunities for furthering Arab-Israel engagement."</p><p>- Bridging the Gulf -</p><p>After a three-year diplomatic row between a Riyadh-led quartet and Qatar that veered from frosty to furious, Gulf leaders met in Saudi Arabia two weeks before Trump's exit and agreed to restore relations.</p><p>Washington had intensified pressure for a resolution, insisting Gulf unity is necessary to isolate Iran.</p><p>However, the accelerated agreement failed to address any of the quartet's conditions to restore relations with Doha, which was accused of being too close to Tehran and financing extremists.</p><p>As a result, "intra-Gulf rivalries could continue to stoke conflicts and political tensions in the Middle East and Africa," said Elham Fakhro of the International Crisis Group.</p><p>- Yemen's fate -</p><p>Trump's administration designated the Iran-backed Yemen Huthi rebels as a terrorist organisation just one day before Biden's inauguration, a move that raised fears it could jeopardise aid operations and put millions of lives at risk.</p><p>Biden's administration on Monday froze the decision for one month.</p><p>Blinken said one of his top priorities is addressing the war in Yemen, where US ally Saudi Arabia has been bombarding the Huthis since 2015.</p><p>- Travel ban -</p><p>One of Trump's first moves was to ban access to the United States to all travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, igniting international outrage and triggering domestic court battles.</p><p>On his first day, Biden lifted the measure, enabling many Middle Eastern families to visit their relatives for the first time in four years.</p><p>© 2021 AFP</p>
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