Pretend-hero Mitch McConnell ties $2000 stimulus checks to Section 230 repeal, election fraud commission

Trump supporters are on the Mitch McConnell roller coaster ride. Earlier today, he blocked a quick approval of the $2000 stimulus checks to be sent out to American citizens, going against the President’s stated wishes. Then, he introduced legislation calling for the $2000 checks, but with repeal of Section 230 and a commission on voter fraud attached to it.

This made some Trump supporters pleasantly surprised as it packages together what are arguably the three most important items on the President’s legislative wish list. But don’t get too excited just yet. By packaging them together, he is essentially making a “poison pill” that will make it impossible to pass the legislation should he bring it to the Senate floor. And even if he pulls off a miracle, there’s zero chance it will pass in the House.

It’s a game of stupid political brinkmanship, something the Senate Majority Leader knows much about. Trying to get enough Senators and Representatives to approve such a bill is like trying to get them to agree on solving the healthcare crisis. It’s almost certainly not going to happen, prompting a round of finger-pointing. His allies will say he’s offering up what the people want. His detractors will call it out as a ploy to not have to pass the $2000 stimulus checks while offering cover for his cohorts who support it.

Both Georgia Senators—Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue—have expressed strong support for the standalone stimulus bill. President Trump has even named them specifically as trying to help get aid to the people. With most Democrats and enough Republicans in the Senate also supporting it, the only way McConnell could have prevented it while not giving Democrats fodder to use against Loeffler and Purdue in the January 5th runoff election was to add the poison pills to the bill.

This is the type of game that McConnell has mastered over the decades. It’s very similar to the symbolic Obamacare repeal bills he’d pass every couple of months before President Trump took office. It’s a way to say, “see, we’re trying,” without actually having to do anything. President Obama vetoed all of them. But the moment he had a Republican President who would actually sign a repeal-and-replace healthcare bill, McConnell demonstrated his pure impotence.

It’s unfortunate that the Republican leader on Capitol Hill is forcing Trump supporters to embrace the policies of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Both support the President’s calls for a quick standalone bill for increased stimulus checks. Meanwhile, McConnell does what he has always done in his career. He plays games with other people’s lives.

Do not be fooled by Mitch McConnell’s Kabuki Theater. He’s like a comic book villain pretending to be the magnanimous good guy while springing his evil plan. He’s tanking stimulus, Section 230 repeal, and voter fraud investigations in one fell swoop.