On a reddit comment I saw some Republican apologia (they don’t think direct cash payment is the best way to stimulate the economy, it’s because of the deficit) so I got thinking and realised I don’t have concrete knowledge of why they oppose it. Is it because it will squeeze money out of handouts that corporations that lobby them are going to receive?
Also is it true that Republicans are against the stimulus while the Democrats are for it?
Thanks.
There’s one argument that if you give more stimulus than minimum wage then some people won’t go back to work at their low paying job and small businesses will suffer because they can’t afford staff. It’s a bullshit argument.
The second argument, which I actually agree with, is that the stimulus bill contained something like 40% of spending that had nothing to do with stimulus to americans. They call it a pork barrel bill, because it’s fattened with favours to politicians. For example, there’s something like $50 million in the bill to go to “democracy promotion” for Venezuela. Ie. Funding opposition leaders schemes to overthrow the country. They earmarked funds for Syria and Afghanistan in the bill too. They also are providing tens of millions for Universities, the Smithsonian, etc. I actually agree with Trump that a stimulus bill should directly help Americans and not corporate interests or imperial ventures.
Seems support it because they’re ik the pocket of corporations and they also see a need for relief, some republicans oppose because of the pork-barrel spending.
Why would Republicans oppose money being allocated to Afghanistan, Syria, Israel etc. when they are at the forefront of imperialist warmongering?
My question was about the $2000 stimulus package. I think the current one that is proposed has $600 per American.
Not that I think CNN is the best source;
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/30/politics/mitch-mcconnell-bill-stimulus-check/index.HTML
McConnell’s first point is that he wants to restrict the stimulus to non-rich people. Which seems like a bit of a smokescreen because he knows as well as any senator it’s hard to determine who is rich in the USA. The second point is that Trump’s request for funding to investigate voter fraud and to repeal internet liability protections for social media companies is not included. Also not related to stimulus and ironically hypocritical as they blasted the first bill for being quid pro quo.
I find it funny that Sanders is holding up the override vote of Trumps veto of the NDAA (more money to the military industrial complex). Ironically Bernie is an ally with Trump on this one. He wants stimulus checks increased and he wants less military spending, just like Trump.
The Democrats on the other hand want more military spending and more stimulus.
To your first question; The republicans and democrats are both at the forefront of warmongering. There’s no difference between the parties when it comes to imperial policy. The democrats under Schumer were more critical of Trump’s desire to withdraw from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan than republicans were.
I think though that the republican party has internally become split between Trump supporters and Neoliberal imperialists, much like the democratic party is split between AOC progressives and neoliberal imperialists like Biden and Harris. So in true chimeric fashion the democrats and republicans will say, we oppose X for Y reason, which belies the true reason which is usually fuck the poor.
I think though that the republican party has internally become split between Trump supporters and Neoliberal imperialists, much like the democratic party is split between AOC progressives and neoliberal imperialists like Biden and Harris.
Yup I agree here, its mainly infighting between republicans, some being pro austerity, some starting to go (vaguely) anti-austerity (or at least enough) to save their own heads. Trump as the most visible republican is trying to put himself in the second camp by upping the amount from $600 to $2000, and he’s got the support of even the “progressive” socdem camp of Bernie and AOC trying to fight for his proposal.
Also I think it should go without saying but cash infusions like this or UBI are a right-wing strategy right out of the austrian school, better immediate things the US should pass (that its socdems aren’t even pushing for) is a moratorium on rent, evictions, utility bills, healthcare bills, and push for more unemployment benefits which have run out for most people now.
I can’t imagine any Republican being anti-austerity. I feel Trump rooting for $2000 stimulus is a straight PR move and he will never put an actual effort into materialising it. That said, yeah they are split in two camps for sure: pro- and anti-Trump.
You’re right that moratoria would much better. Maybe the fight over stimulus is to smokescreen these possibilities.
it will squeeze money out of handouts that corporations that lobby them are going to receive?
That’s part of it. The bigger picture IMO is that the declining rate of profit is making austerity necessary for the survival of capitalism. Republicans are the reliably pro-austerity party.
There are also factions within the bourgeoisie. Many multinational corporations have figured out how to hide their profits outside US borders, so they might not mind more taxation on everyone else’s profits. They might have more to gain if US consumers had more spending money. I imagine there would also be a factional difference between tech capitalists (represented by Pelosi) and financial capitalists (Schumer).
Then there’s the political angle. Some Democratic politicians actually want the $2000 stimulus, others just want to be known as the people who would totally give you a stimulus if only you gave us a Senate majority!! (And if they get one, then overriding the filibuster to pass a stimulus would suddenly become too uncivil for them.)
