Author: BlackMask Financial

Posted on

Joe Biden executive orders will reverse Trump on climate, Iran, Covid and more

https://youtu.be/Mh2bFxqF2Hw

Joe Biden will sign a series of executive orders in his first days in office, attempting to roll back damage done at home and abroad by Donald Trump, whom the Democrat will replace as president on Wednesday. Biden, 78, has already outlined plans to send an immigration bill and a Covid stimulus and relief package to a newly Democratic-controlled Congress. On Friday he said he would shake up the delivery of vaccines against Covid-19, mired in chaos under Trump. Biden plans to return the US to the Paris climate accords and the Iran nuclear deal, overturn Trump’s travel ban against some Muslim-majority countries, restrict evictions and foreclosures under the pandemic and institute a mask mandate on federal property. In a memo released on Saturday, incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said: “These actions will change the course of Covid-19, combat climate change, promote racial equity and support other underserved communities, and rebuild our economy in ways that strengthen the backbone of this country: the working men and women who built our nation. “While the policy objectives in these executive actions are bold, I want to be clear: the legal theory behind them is well-founded and represents a restoration of an appropriate, constitutional role for the president.” The memo did not mention rejoining the World Health Organization, previously mentioned as a priority. Klain said subsequent orders would address “equity and support communities of color” and address criminal justice reform, access to healthcare and other priorities. Trump leaves office impeached twice, the second time over an attack on the US Capitol he incited and which left five people dead. The coronavirus pandemic is out of control, the death toll approaching 400,000, the caseload close to 24m. There were nearly 3,300 deaths on Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University. The economy has cratered, unemployment rising steeply. Biden will enjoy Democratic control of both houses of Congress, if by a slender margin in the House and by Kamala Harris’s casting vote as vice-president in a 50-50 Senate. Nick Note: Full speed reverse. The Democrats roll into town with significant power and a mandate. I am not worried i got my greenie wienie electric computer battery cars (used) charged by solar panels….. And i have hidden the Super charged Hummer and corvettes

Posted on

CDC warns that new highly contagious COVID-19 variant could fuel huge spikes in US

Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued fresh warnings as the COVID-19 mutation first reported in England makes its rounds in the U.S. while new cases continue to climb to record highs. Published in an online report, CDC research suggests that the U.K. COVID-19 variant, formally known as SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.7, could potentially lead to a serious increase in new infections due to its increased transmissibility, meaning it is more contagious. Using national genomic surveillance data, which reports instances of the new COVID-19 variant’s appearance, the CDC says transmission can be contained, but will also depend on continued adherence to public health measures like face masks, social distancing and quarantine upon exposure. “Multiple lines of evidence indicate that B.1.1.7 is more efficiently transmitted than are other SARS-CoV-2 variants,” the report reads. It went as far as to warn that the more contagious strain could become more widespread. “The modeled trajectory of this variant in the U.S. exhibits rapid growth in early 2021, becoming the predominant variant in March.” The structural mutations occur at the binding receptors of the COVID-19 spike protein, or the structures on the outside of the cell responsible for attaching to host cells and enabling infection. Researchers note that earlier in the pandemic, other variants of COVID-19, namely the D614G mutation, also increased receptor binding, which resulted in this variant becoming the dominant strain in multiple geographic areas. The broad consensus among public health experts is that the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines will still be effective against new strains like B.1.1.7. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, issue a warning that the U.K. variant may lead to false negative results on select reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, which could lead to upticks in transmission. Given this, the CDC notes that increased vaccination efforts are the best way to slow the spread of the new COVID-19 variant. Using a statistical model to predict the rates of transmission the U.K. COVID-19 strain could inflict, researchers noted vaccination was the most effective way to reduce spread.  “The effect of vaccination on reducing transmission in the near term was greatest in the scenario in which transmission was already decreasing,” scientists wrote. “Early efforts that can limit the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant, such as universal and increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, will allow more time for ongoing vaccination to achieve higher population-level immunity.” While there is no known difference in health outcomes between the distinct COVID-19 variants, Jay Butler, the deputy director for infectious diseases at the CDC, urges Americans to remain cautious when in public. “I want to stress that we are deeply concerned that this strain is more transmissible and can accelerate outbreaks in the U.S. in the coming weeks,” Butler reportedly said. “We’re sounding the alarm and urging people to realize the pandemic is not over and in no way is it time to throw in the towel.” Officials still do not know exactly how far the COVID-19 variant has transmitted across the U.S. About 76 confirmed cases of B.1.1.7 have been reported across 10 U.S. states, but the country is still posting record-high numbers of new infections.  As of Jan. 15, the CDC recorded 227,746 new COVID-19 cases and more than 3,900 new fatalities. Nick Note: This has gotten my attention. This mutation grows in the back of your throat. And the viral load is MUCH higher. Some have suggested that gargling every few hours with a high alachol content mouth wash could help.  I get Listerine and add ethyl (grain) alachol. Be careful the alachol is NOT denatured. One solution is to get 190 proof Everclear from your local liquor store and add 25% to your mouthwash. DO NOT SWALLOW!

Posted on

Attackers were aided and abetted by certain members of the police, military and Republican party

In the above video Michael Moore says that members of congress and their staffers were complicit and aided and abetted the invaders of congress. He writes, “This week’s Trump terrorist attack was not random. It wasn’t an accident. It was planned, aided and abetted by certain members of the police, the military and the Republican party. And it was only the dry run. This violent attack is not over. Please allow me to share my thoughts about what I think is happening and is about to happen.” Unless the White rioters are arrested, more violence will continue. Democrats and Biden must not wimp out. We must remove the head of the terrorist action today. He’s at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. His coconspirators are in the Republican caucus of the House and Senate. Demand the arrest of everyone who did this. Don’t fall for this “it’s only a few more days.” He says that some of the people who took over the Capitol knew too well how to get to specific places, because they were helped by insiders. Demonstrators brought equipment with them to do rappelling. Did you ever see demonstrators do that before? They had police gear, including zipties, possibly for use to kidnap. For eight hours they brought the government of the people to a halt. Flags are at half mast throughout the Capitol, but not on the White House. Trump’s words caused the death of the police officer. Trump is a cop-killer based on the law. Nick Note: Roger dodger is not one of my favorite people. But i gather information from all sources. And he has his points….

]
Posted on

Washington Post: Capitol Police intelligence report warned of violence targeting ‘Congress itself’ three days before attack

CNN)An internal Capitol Police intelligence report produced three days before rioters breached the US Capitol cautioned that violent supporters of President Donald Trump could zero in on “Congress itself,” the Washington Post reported Friday, citing obtained portions of the 12-page memo. “Supporters of the current president see January 6, 2021, as the last opportunity to overturn the results of the presidential election,” the memo reads, according to the Post. “This sense of desperation and disappointment may lead to more of an incentive to become violent. Unlike previous post-election protests, the targets of the pro-Trump supporters are not necessarily the counter-protesters as they were previously, but rather Congress itself is the target on the 6th.” CNN has not independently confirmed the veracity of the report. CNN has reached out to the Capitol Police, whose spokeswoman declined to comment to the Post on the contents of the report or its influence on planning for January 6. The January 3 report warns of thousands of belligerent rioters, incited by the President and joined by members of White supremacists and extremist groups, descending on the nation’s capital with members of Congress the target of their anger, the paper reported. It included striking characterizations of Trump supporters seeming to prepare for intense combat on platforms frequented by White supremacists and members of the alt-right, calling for participants to bring firearms, gas masks, bulletproofs vests and other specialized equipment, the paper reported. The intelligence report determined that the anticipated crowds, the calls for armament, proximity to the Capitol and promotion “by President Trump himself” could make it a dangerous situation, per the Post. “The Stop the Steal protest in particular does not have a permit, but several high profile speakers, including Members of Congress are expected to speak at the event,” the memo read, according to the paper. “This combined with Stop the Steal’s propensity to attract white supremacists, militia members and others who actively promote violence, may lead to a significantly dangerous situation for law enforcement and the general public alike.” Two people familiar with the intelligence memo told the Post that the intelligence division’s director, Jack Donohue, shared the report with all Capitol Police command staff. The intelligence report spurred the Capitol Police chief to pursue emergency activation of the National Guard and prompted the department to widen its perimeter barricades, a law enforcement official told the Post. Former Capitol Police chief Steven Sund, who resigned in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, told the Post on Friday that the intelligence units reports informed preparation of security, but he declined to discuss an internal memo. One law enforcement official told the Post that the internal perception of the memo wasn’t that it was warning of some new threat with thousands of rioters attacking the Capitol, but rather of events similar to those the department had previously handled at smaller Trump rallies late last year. The Post reports that the intelligence memo is not known to have been widely circulated with other branches of law enforcement, such as the FBI, or outside the Capitol Police force. Nick Note: Trumps team were involved with far more aiding and abetting of the attack them simply giving speeches.

Posted on

Kim Jong Un Unveils New Submarine Missile Threat as Trump Exits

(Jan 15): North Korea held its second major military parade in three months to mark a rare party meeting, showing off nuclear advances including a new submarine-launched ballistic missile as Donald Trump leaves office. Kim Jong Un’s regime held the parade in Kim Il Sung Square in central Pyongyang on Thursday evening to mark the end of its first Party Congress in five years, the state’s Korean Central News Agency said. The delegates approved plans to bolster a sanctions-hit economy that last year likely headed to its biggest contraction in two decades. The parade appeared to be smaller than an October military march, at which North Korea unveiled what was likely the world’s largest road-ready intercontinental ballistic missile, designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads to the U.S. One of the longest-range weapons unveiled Thursday appeared to be the Pukguksong-5, a new version of a submarine-launched ballistic missile. North Korea last tested a Pukguksong-3 SLBM in October 2019, which had an estimated range of 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) — capable of striking its arch-enemy Japan. “The world’s most powerful weapon, submarine-launch ballistic missile, entered the square one after another, powerfully demonstrating the might of the revolutionary armed forces,” KCNA said Friday. Last week the regime said it would modernize its nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles, as well as enhance its ability to launch quick and devastating strikes. The show of force demonstrated the progress North Korea has made on its nuclear program in the face of Trump’s unprecedented move to meet Kim face-to-face in an effort to neutralize one of the U.S.’s biggest security threats. Kim last week signaled a challenge to Biden, saying he would focus on “subduing” the U.S. and continuing to enhance his nuclear capability to ensure North Korea’s “autonomic development.” A full version of the parade has not yet been broadcast on state-run television, with only photos released so far. Video footage would potentially provide the outside world more clues to see advances North Korea has made to its arsenal. North Korea said its weapons plans include making smaller and lighter nuclear weapons, proceeding with the development of large warheads and improving the ability to strike targets within 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles) — capable of reaching all of the continental U.S. Kim is seeking to develop solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, while strengthening intelligence-gathering capabilities with satellites. “If hostile forces compromise the security of our state, we will preemptively mobilize our strongest offensive forces to thoroughly punish, and protect the safety of our country and people,” Kim Jong Gwan, North Korea’s defense minister, said in an address. Nick Note: Kim Yom Numchucks realized early on it was the Art OF the Steal. So they blew goodness and love up Trumps ass… stopped nuclear and rocket tests and went fill speed ahead in building their nuclear arsenal and ICBM rockets!

Posted on

Manhattan DA expands criminal investigation into Trump Organization finances to include family compound in Westchester County

  • The Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, is investigating Trump for possible tax fraud, and bank and insurance fraud
  • Vance was already investigating hush money payments made to women who had claimed they had sex with Trump
  • The investigation now includes Trump’s home at Seven Springs, an historic estate in Westchester, New York, purchased in 1996 for $7.5million 
  • A 2012 Trump financial document values the property at $291 million, but local agents estimated the property would trade for around $50 million or less    
  • Trump signed a deal with a land conservancy promising not to develop it
  • It gave him a $21million charitable tax deduction while Trump also claimed $2.2million in property taxes from the house as business expenses
  • Trump had planned to build a golf course along with nine homes on the site but was stopped by local residents who wanted to protect it 
  • In 2014, Eric Trump described it as the family’s personal compound where he’d spent summers as a child learning ‘the art of the deal’ 

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is to expand its criminal investigation into the Trump Organization’s finances which include a family compound in Westchester County. Prosecutors began looking into a 212-acre property called Seven Springs as part of an investigation that started over a year ago. The compound is one of four Trump Organization properties under investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is probing whether Eric Trump and various corporate entities artificially inflated property values.

Also in the spotlight: The New York AG is investigating whether there was a tax fraud involving the Seven Springs Estate in Bedford, Westchester County, north of New York City.

Also in the spotlight: The New York AG is investigating whether there was a tax fraud involving the Seven Springs Estate in Bedford, Westchester County, north of New York City.

James is probing whether Eric Trump and various corporate entities artificially inflated property values. Trump is pictured with his son Eric at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in 2016

James is probing whether Eric Trump and various corporate entities artificially inflated property values. Trump is pictured with his son Eric at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in 2016

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has been conducting a criminal investigation of Trump and the family company, the Trump Organization (file photo from February 2020)

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has been conducting a criminal investigation of Trump and the family company, the Trump Organization (file photo from February 2020) James began investigating potential fraud in Donald Trump’s business dealings in March 2019 after the president’s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress that Trump had repeatedly inflated the value of his assets to obtain more favorable terms for loans and insurance coverage.

A 2012 Trump financial document values the property at $291 million, but local agents estimated the property would trade for around $50 million or less. The Trump Organization acquired the property in 1995 for $7.5 million. Over the years, the organization has made several attempts to develop the property with ideas to build a golf course along with plans to build nine homes.   Eventually such efforts were abandoned in 2015 as the Trump Organization decided to create a conservation easement to a land trust. Letitia James said she opened the investigation after Michael Cohen, right, testified to Congress that Trump had inflated or deflated asset values to gain tax and loan advantages

The Seven Springs mansion has 60 rooms, 15 bedrooms, and two servants wings

The Seven Springs mansion has 60 rooms, 15 bedrooms, and two servants wings

A 2011 Trump financial document values the Seven Springs property at $261 million, but local agents estimated the property would trade for around $50 million or less

A 2011 Trump financial document values the Seven Springs property at $261 million, but local agents estimated the property would trade for around $50 million or less It would leave a portion of the property untouched and completely undeveloped from which a tax break could be earned.

By making such a ‘donation’, the Trumps would have been allowed make a tax deduction based on the value of the property. The higher the valuation of the property, the larger the tax deduction allowed. Trump granted a conservation easement of about 158 acres to the North American Land Trust.  It was appraised at $21.1 million, according to the filings but now investigators are looking to see whether the value was artificially inflated.  ‘Valuations of Seven Springs were used to claim an apparent $21.1 million tax deduction for donating a conservation easement on the property in tax year 2015, and in submissions to financial institutions as a component of Mr. Trump’s net worth,’ according to court filings in the New York attorney general’s investigation.

The mansion itself was built in 1919 by Eugene Meyer, who was publisher of the Washington Post and a chairman of the Federal Reserve

The mansion itself was built in 1919 by Eugene Meyer, who was publisher of the Washington Post and a chairman of the Federal Reserve

President Trump's Seven Springs estate in Mount Kisco, New York

President Trump’s Seven Springs estate in Mount Kisco, New York

 

After Donald Trump was elected president in November 2016, he announced that he would not be involved in day-to-day operations of the Trump Organization but would leave the responsibilities to his adult sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. Eric Trump was deposed in October as part of the ongoing civil probe into whether the value of Trump Organization assets were inflated to gain tax benefits. The inquiry is a civil investigation, which could result in financial penalties but not jail time according to CNN. Other properties also under investigation include 40 Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, and the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.  On Friday, The Associated Press reported investigators in Vance’s office interviewed Michael Cohen for several hours on Thursday.  They asked him about the president’s business dealings, with particular focus on his relationship with Deutsche Bank, Trump’s biggest lender, who are now looking to sever ties with Trump despite having owing $300 million in loans. Trump has accused James and New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, of ‘harassing all of my New York businesses in search of anything at all they can find to make me look as bad as possible.’  Eric Trump referred to the home as the family’s ‘compound’ in an interview with Forbes in 2014: ‘When we first bought the property in 1996 I was about 12, 13 years old at the time. Both my brother and I and my father would always put us to work. The investigation is just one of multiple potential civil and criminal legal issues that Trump will face once he leaves office, made all the more threatening because he will lose the legal protections afforded a sitting president. Nick Note: As often pointed out Trump is a desperate man. He and his family face massive fraud criminal charges out of the southern district of New York. State charges that he cannot pardon.

Posted on

How the rioters who stormed the Capitol came dangerously close to Pence

The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 came perilously close to Vice President Pence, who was not evacuated from the Senate chamber for about 14 minutes after the Capitol Police reported an initial attempted breach of the complex — enough time for the marauders to rush inside the building and approach his location, according to law enforcement officials and video footage from that day. Secret Service officers eventually spirited Pence to a room off the Senate floor with his wife and daughter after rioters began to pour into the Capitol, many loudly denouncing the vice president as a traitor as they marched through the first floor below the Senate chamber. About one minute after Pence was hustled out of the chamber, a group charged up the stairs to a second-floor landing, chasing a Capitol Police officer who drew them away from the Senate.Pence and his family had just ducked into a hideaway less than 100 feet from that landing, according to three people familiar with his whereabouts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. If the pro-Trump mob had arrived seconds earlier, the attackers would have been in eyesight of the vice president as he was rushed across a reception hall into the office. The proximity of the Jan. 6 mob to the vice president and the delay in evacuating him from the chamber — which have not been previously reported — raise questions about why the Secret Service did not move him earlier and underscore the jeopardy that top government leaders faced during the siege. As an increasingly hostile and violent crowd surrounded the Capitol, Pence remained at center stage, presiding over a joint session of Congress for more than an hour after the Capitol Police chief said he alerted his superiors that his force was being overrun and needed emergency reinforcements.The potential exposure of the vice president underscores how law enforcement agencies struggled to manage the rapidly expanding crisis in real time. The Secret Service declined to comment on any element of Pence’s movements in the Capitol or his evacuation, other than to say that he was “secure” during the siege. “While the Secret Service does not speak specifically about the means and methods of our protective operations, Vice President Pence was secure at all times on Jan. 6,” Secret Service spokeswoman Catherine Milhoan said in a statement. A spokesman for Pence declined to comment.Pence was ultimately evacuated from his office off the Senate floor to a more secure location elsewhere in the Capitol complex. It is unclear exactly how long that took. But as the vice president made his way through the building, a growing number of rioters were joining their cohorts and coursing through the Capitol’s labyrinthine halls.Nick Note: If the coup was successful Trumps agents under the cover of the rioters would have killed Pence stooping the certification of the election. AND giving Trump the excuse he needed too declare martial law. But his operatives failed in capturing Pence…. Better luck next time. A democracy is a thing that is hard to get, even harder to keep and easy to lose. It appears to me America has entered the losing stage.

Posted on

U.S. says Capitol rioters meant to ‘capture and assassinate’ officials

https://youtu.be/jPXz-xNAjFg

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal prosecutors offered an ominous new assessment of last week’s siege of the U.S. Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters on Thursday, saying in a court filing that rioters intended “to capture and assassinate elected officials.” Prosecutors offered that view in a filing asking a judge to detain Jacob Chansley, the Arizona man and QAnon conspiracy theorist who was famously photographed wearing horns as he stood at the desk of Vice President Mike Pence in the chamber of the U.S. Senate. The detention memo, written by Justice Department lawyers in Arizona, goes into greater detail about the FBI’s investigation into Chansley, revealing that he left a note for Pence warning that “it’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

“Strong evidence, including Chansley’s own words and actions at the Capitol, supports that the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States government,” prosecutors wrote.

A public defender representing Chansley could not be immediately reached for comment. Chansley is due to appear in federal court on Friday. The prosecutors’ assessment comes as prosecutors and federal agents have begun bringing more serious charges tied to violence at the Capitol, including revealing cases Thursday against one man, retired firefighter Robert Sanford, on charges that he hurled a fire extinguisher at the head of one police officer and another, Peter Stager, of beating a different officer with a pole bearing an American flag. In Chansley’s case, prosecutors said the charges “involve active participation in an insurrection attempting to violently overthrow the United States government,” and warned that “the insurrection is still in progress” as law enforcement prepares for more demonstrations in Washington and state capitals. They also suggested he suffers from drug abuse and mental illness, and told the judge he poses a serious flight risk. “Chansley has spoken openly about his belief that he is an alien, a higher being, and he is here on Earth to ascend to another reality,” they wrote. The Justice Department has brought more than 80 criminal cases in connection with the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol last week, in which Trump’s supporters stormed the building, ransacked offices and in some cases, attacked police. Many of the people charged so far were easily tracked down by the FBI, which has more than 200 suspects, thanks in large part to videos and photos posted on social media. Michael Sherwin, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has said that while many of the initial charges may seem minor, he expects much more serious charges to be filed as the Justice Department continues its investigation. Nick Note: This is/was a coup attempt. And the crazies are among us. They always have been. But it takes a despot like a Hitler or in this case a Trump to galvanize them to empower them. And that will be the legacy of Trump. And sad to say I saw this coming and so said. And i caught hell for my position from the first day of the Trump administration…..

Posted on

Biden to unveil plan to pump $1.9 trillion into pandemic-hit economy

https://youtu.be/x37clk6eDi0

WILMINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden will unveil a $1.9 trillion stimulus package proposal on Thursday designed to jump-start the economy and speed up the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. Biden campaigned last year on a promise to take the pandemic more seriously than President Donald Trump, and the package aims to put that pledge into action with an influx of resources for the coronavirus response and economic recovery. President Donald Trump, and the package aims to put that pledge into action with an influx of resources for the coronavirus response and economic recovery. Exploding Bitcoin should be a part of investors’ portfolios The package includes $415 billion to bolster the response to the virus and the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, some $1 trillion in direct relief to households, and roughly $440 billion for small businesses and communities particularly hard hit by the pandemic, incoming Biden administration officials told reporters on a conference call.

Stimulus payment checks would be issued for $1,400 – topping up the $600 checks issued under the last congressional stimulus legislation. Supplemental unemployment insurance would also increase to $400 a week from $300 a week now and would be extended to September, the officials said.

Biden will make the announcement in a 7:15 p.m. eastern prime time address on Thursday, underscoring the importance his team places on the issue. Biden’s plan is meant to kick off his time in office with a large bill that sets his short-term agenda into motion quickly: helping the economy and getting a handle on a virus that has killed more than 385,000 people in the United States as of Thursday. It also provides a sharp contrast with Trump, who spent the last months of his administration seeking to undermine Biden’s election victory rather than focusing on additional coronavirus relief. Trump, who leaves office on Wednesday, did support $2,000 payments to Americans, however. Many Republicans in Congress balked at the price tag for such payments, and Biden will face similar hurdles with his proposals, though he will be helped by the fact that his fellow Democrats will control both the House and the Senate. The incoming president will seek to pass the legislation even as his predecessor faces an impeachment trial. The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump on Wednesday, making him the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. Ten of his fellow Republicans joined Democrats to charge him with inciting an insurrection in last week’s deadly rampage at the Capitol. The impeachment proceedings threaten to hang over the beginning of Biden’s term, and Biden has encouraged lawmakers to handle the trial while also moving forward with his agenda. The officials said Biden’s plan on Thursday will be a rescue package that will be followed up with another recovery package in the coming weeks. “We’re at a very precarious moment for our economy,” one of the officials said. The plan would extend moratoriums on foreclosures and evictions until September and include funding for rental and utility assistance. The president-elect will also call on Congress to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and the package will include assistance to fight hunger. The coronavirus relief-related funds will go toward a national vaccine program, testing, investments for workers to do vaccine outreach and contact tracing, and money for states. The Democratic president-elect said last week the stimulus package would be “in the trillions of dollars” and argued that more spending early on would reduce the long-term economic damage from the shutdowns spurred by the pandemic. He also said there would be “billions of dollars” to speed up vaccine distribution, along with money to help reopen schools and for state and local governments to avoid laying off teachers, police officers and health workers. Pandemic-related shutdowns and restrictions have cost millions of U.S. jobs.

Posted on

Biden preps coronavirus ‘rescue’ plan, with ‘recovery’ bill to follow

President-elect Joe Biden has settled on a two-step strategy for moving his policy agenda through Congress this year, beginning with a COVID-19 rescue package he’ll unveil Thursday night and continuing later this year with what’s likely to be a more partisan economic recovery measure. Biden is hoping to gain Republican support for what Democrats are billing their rescue plan, which is aimed at addressing the immediate effects of the pandemic and its associated economic impacts. The plan has components to address vaccine distribution, aid to households and assistance to communities, according to several people familiar with the plan who were not authorized to speak publicly. Biden’s transition team announced Wednesday that Biden will deliver remarks from Wilmington, Del., at 7:15 p.m. Thursday to outline his rescue package “to fund vaccinations and provide immediate, direct relief to working families and communities bearing the brunt of this crisis and call on both parties in Congress to move his proposals quickly.”\ The health care portion of the package includes funding for distribution of the vaccines as well as hiring additional health care workers to administer the vaccines and an education campaign to persuade people that they are safe and effective. There would also be more money for COVID-19 testing, according to sources.

The household aid portion of the plan includes the added $1,400 tax rebate checks Biden has promised — on top of $600 payments enacted late last year — as well as supercharged unemployment insurance benefits, food assistance, aid to renters, child care subsidies and an extended eviction moratorium.

Money for small businesses, state and local governments, public transit agencies, local school systems and more are contained in the aid to communities component of the plan. It wasn’t immediately clear what the price tag would be, but Biden last week said it could be in the “trillions of dollars.” Ahead of the November elections, Democrats in the House and Senate discussed using the budget reconciliation process twice this year in order to pass legislation with filibuster-proof majorities if Democrats won control of Congress and the White House. That would require both chambers to first adopt a fiscal 2021 budget resolution containing reconciliation instructions early in the year and to follow it up with a fiscal 2022 budget resolution, with additional reconciliation directives, later in the year.

Reconciliation allows tax- and budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority in the Senate rather than the usual 60 votes, making it possible to pass legislation without the support of the minority PARTY.

Instead, Biden will seek to win Republican backing to pass the rescue plan without the use of reconciliation. That would require 60 votes in the 50-50 Senate. Sources said he will make an initial “good faith effort” to win bipartisan support for the package, which has been written with that goal in mind. Coming so soon on the heels of last month’s $900 billion relief package, it could be difficult to garner support from enough Senate Republicans to get over the 60-vote threshold. Some Democrats are skeptical that Republicans will cooperate, and the option of using reconciliation on the first package is being kept in reserve. The downside of using reconciliation for the rescue plan is that it would take longer, be more complicated and limiting. Democrats in the House and Senate would have to find common ground on a fiscal 2021 budget resolution, a challenge given different priorities among competing factions of liberals and moderates in both chambers. Moreover, reconciliation in the Senate is constrained by the Byrd rule, a law which prevent extraneous items from being included reconciliation including those that don’t have a deficit impact or increase long-term deficits. There are also procedural problems and potential Byrd rule flaws with including discretionary spending in reconciliation bills. Much of the spending that is envisioned in Biden’s plan, such as vaccine distribution, rental housing aid and relief for states and localities, is discretionary, which is under the purview of the Appropriations committees. Democratic leaders have been largely mum on the prospect of using two rounds of reconciliation since Democrats gained control of the Senate after the Jan. 5 Georgia runoffs. Biden’s second step — a longer-term recovery package — would be taken up later in the year. Sources said Democrats envision using reconciliation to pass that broader economic package that would include infrastructure development, clean energy subsidies and other measures aimed at job creation, possibly paired with tax increases on corporations and wealthier households. Infrastructure spending also faces some potential Byrd rule issues, however, including the fact that highway and aviation trust fund authorizations do not “score” as direct spending that would be allowed under reconciliation and could also increase long-term deficits. Nick Note: they will for sure be doing happy checks and the markets will celebrate…Ole!