President Donald Trump continues to maintain that the only ones out of line amidst the struggling government response to the Coronavirus are the Democrats. This past week, funding for the Paycheck Protection Program meant to provide small businesses with loans to keep workers on the payroll ran out, and Trump and his allies promptly began claiming that jobs were now suddenly being lost and it was all the Democrats’ fault because they wouldn’t blindly agree to the GOP plan for more funding. Late Friday night, at almost midnight, like a scene from a bad melodrama, Trump got on Twitter to whine that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was an “incompetent political hack” over the situation.
Has Trump looked in the mirror? That mockery for Pelosi sounds like projection. He tweeted:
‘An incompetent political hack! Come back to Washington & take care of our great American workers.’
An incompetent political hack! Come back to Washington & take care of our great American workers. https://t.co/FZ9mH92j0S
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2020
He made his post in response to a post from conservative activist and Trump shill Charlie Kirk, who was criticizing Pelosi for her recent appearance on late night television in which she discussed the supplies that she’s been relying on amidst nearly nationwide stay-at-home orders. What exactly do Kirk and Trump want Pelosi to do? Personally deliver financial assistance to everyone who has filed for unemployment benefits in recent weeks? Maybe Trump is just mad because he can’t go golfing, so he doesn’t want to see any light moments from anyone else at all, let alone Pelosi.
His suggestion that Democrats are blindly blocking workers’ assistance is incorrect. Republicans have in lockstep refused to go along with the Democratic plan, which simply includes another $250 billion for hospitals and state and local governments in addition to an increase for federal food purchasing assistance programs for families in need. Why won’t Republicans sign onto an increase in those benefits? While millions of Americans suffer, are they really willing to leave those suffering out in the cold to further their political ambition of anti-“welfare” activism?
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill commented:
‘Instead of trying to distract and divide, the President should focus on the public health crisis in front of him. As the Speaker wrote to her colleagues last week, “The truth is [that] a weak person, a poor leader, takes no responsibility. A weak person blames others.”‘
Besides, the small business loan program needs oversight. The huge Ruth’s Chris Steak House restaurant chain got $20 million, while actual small businesses were ignored.
There are thousands of businesses in my district that are struggling to get relief and find a lender to work with. This article demonstrates exactly why we cannot simply dump more money into a broken program without first improving it.https://t.co/8EuBVQu54p
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 17, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response:
