Trump’s pandemic relief flip-flop will hurt millions however it ends
President Donald Trump’s sudden demand for last-minute changes to plans for pandemic relief and government spending in 2021 has thrown Washington into chaos, but one thing is clear: Millions of Americans will face additional hardship because of it.
Whether or not any changes are made, the delay means that more than 11 million Americans who are behind on their rent will be vulnerable to eviction as a national moratorium expires without new aid. Meanwhile, 12 million unemployed Americans will lose jobless aid on Saturday, and even if its resumption is eventually approved, it will take states weeks or more to actually distribute payments. And American households hoping for hundreds or thousands of dollars in relief payments will still be waiting.
If the relief bill dies thanks to Trump’s tantrum, one likely result is a new effort after president Biden is inaugurated, with Republicans likely to be far less cooperative after special elections in Georgia on Jan 5. decide which party controls the Senate.
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