Washington lobbyists in frenzied battle to secure billion-dollar coronavirus bailouts

[BeckyDem]

Lobbyists representing airlines, hotels, cruise lines and casinos are in a desperate fight for cash – but what about ordinary workers?

Peter Stone in Washington

Fri 20 Mar 2020 12.52 EDT

A feeding frenzy is under way by lobbyists representing airlines, hotels, cruise lines, casinos and other powerful interests as Congress and the Trump administration craft a $1tn stimulus bill to provide hundreds of billions each for big industries, small businesses and individuals hurt by the coronavirus crisis.

Washington lobbyists and watchdog groups say that in their lobbying blitzes industries have been vying aggressively with each other in a compressed timeframe to grab multibillion-dollar bailout loans and other assistance.

Lobbying yielded huge dividends on Thursday when a giant stimulus plan authored by Senate Republicans and the Treasury was released. The Republican measure, which Democrats were shut out of, calls for $500bn in direct payments to individuals; $300bn in small business assistance; and $200bn, mainly in loans, for big industries such as airlines, cruise companies and hotels hurt financially by the pandemic.

The package also contains support for healthcare professionals and patients and corporate tax cuts.

However, the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, quickly criticized key parts of this Republican package, and are presenting alternative measures in a newly released $750bn Democratic Senate plan while a House one is being crafted. The two Democrats issued a statement backing plans that “put workers first”, with stronger provisions to prevent companies using bailout loans for stock buybacks and executive pay hikes.

But industry lobbyists scored big in the Republican stimulus plan and are expected to keep the pressure on as Congress works to forge a compromise.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/coronavirus-washington-lobbyists-bailout?CMP=share_btn_tw

[pecosbob]

1. Nancy should be like

[BeckyDem]

2. Every Democrat needs to be vocal to the press at what these bastards are trying to do.

Durbin is trying too but they all need to attack them while informing the public on whats up. Have you seen Trump's polling on his handling of the virus? This is outrageous, the public should be calling for his head.

Approval of Trump’s Coronavirus Response Increases, Poll Finds
Americans' approval of the way the president is managing the coronavirus pandemic has increased over the past week.
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-03-20/approval-of-trumps-coronavirus-response-increases-poll-finds

[Phoenix61]

3. Not one red cent for businesses.

They can take out a loan like everyone else. Individual money should be paid out through unemployment. Increase the percent from 50% and let it run until this passes over. That will put the money back in the system that was there before. Not on the same stuff but...