Friday, July 24, 2020

The Mnuchin Follies

Who needs Nancy Pelosi demanding more spending, more unemployment benefits and more union payoffs when Steven Mnuchin and Mitch McConnell will do it for her?

By May, Congress had authorized some $3 trillion in virus relief, and Mr. McConnell had mercifully called a "Pause." Yet Mrs. Pelosi responded with another $3 trillion package, and Mr. Mnuchin last week sucker punched GOP senators by signaling White House openness to provisions they had already foresworn.

The party's opening bid is $1 trillion, and that's before Mr. Mnuchin and Mrs. Pelosi get to truly huddling.

They are bragging that their bill doesn't include more money to states even as they brag about the restrictions they will put on such money when Mr. Mnuchin gives it to Mrs. Pelosi anyway.

Register Now with WSJ+. But what about the $25 billion more the Senate would give to testing, or the $26 billion for vaccine research and distribution? Surely we need that, right? Previous legislation allocated $25 billion for testing.

The mystery is who in the White House keeps deputizing Mr. Mnuchin as lead congressional envoy, given Mrs. Pelosi's flawless record at schooling him in the art of the deal.

What's the point of warning Mrs. Pelosi that it will never renew enhanced unemployment benefits when Mr. Mnuchin has already invited her to begin the bidding?

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