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Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
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19 Dec, 10 tweets, 4 min read
If you find the failure to get a deal here frustrating as hell, you are not alone.

But we need to be honest about why this is happening. Failure to say who held this up helps them keep doing it.

So be precise. "Congress" is NOT holding this up, Senate Republicans are. Look–
1/
Who fought tooth and nail to stop Americans from getting direct payments aka stimulus checks?

Senate Republicans did.
And when it was clear that checks were going to happen, who cut the size of your checks in half?

Senate Republicans did. 3/
Who fought to make sure that needy Americans who had lost their jobs wouldn't get the checks Senate Republicans had already cut in half?

Senate Republicans did. 4/
Who fought tooth and nail to cut enhanced federal benefits for America's unemployed in half?

Senate Republicans did. 5/
Who is fighting against rental assistance and extending moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures?

Who is fighting against funding to help feed the hungry and prevent people from starving?

Senate Republicans are. 6/
Who refused to even discuss a new relief package for nearly four months through the Spring and Summer because they said over and over again that there was no urgency?

Senate Republicans. 7/
Who relentlessly sabotaged bipartisan discussions on a new relief bill throughout the fall?

Senate Republicans did. 8/
And who is holding up the final deal right this minute over last-second demands that have nothing whatsoever to do with the virus?

Senate Republicans are. 9/
Saying "both sides" are to blame or putting this down to "Congress" being dysfunctional just isn't true, and it helps Senate Republicans evade accountability and public pressure. They depend on it. And it just ensures they will keep obstructing. 10/10

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Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
19 Dec
The “slush fund” to which he refers is a Fed program that helps prevent states and localities from going bankrupt and having to lay off police, teachers, and firefighters — and one of the loudest voices highlighting the need to help states is the (Republican) Governor of Arkansas
These Senators are trying to use the suffering of the American people to force budgets cuts on states, cities, and towns in the middle of a pandemic that they are on the front lines of.

They are holding the whole bill up over this, and lying about it.
Again, Republicans are just straight-up lying about this. It isn’t a “blue state bailout” or a “slush fund,” it’s about saving American jobs.

Over ONE MILLION Americans jobs have been lost in the public sector. Your community loses services AND takes a big economic hit.
Read 4 tweets
Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
27 Nov
This is an extremely important story that isn't getting the attention it deserves.

After GSA initiated the presidential transition, I warned that there would still be new Trump sabotage to come. This is exactly what I was concerned about.

Here's what's happening-- 1/
Presidents appoint leaders of federal agencies, for instance Cabinet secretaries and their staffs, but most civil servants are career federal employees, a professional staff that provide continuity no matter which party is in power. Congress passed laws to create this system. 2/
It wasn't always this way. There was a time when an incoming president handed out government jobs to loyalists and supporters after taking office, and the civil service constantly turned over with administrations. That was terrible for the country. 3/
Read 13 tweets
Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
6 Nov
November 9, 1932:

"I congratulate you on the opportunity that has come to you to be of service to the country, and I wish for you a most successful administration.

"In the common purpose of all of us, I shall dedicate myself to every possible helpful effort.

"Herbert Hoover."
November 3, 1976:

"The President urges all Americans to join him in giving your united support to President-elect Carter as he prepares to assume his new responsibilities."

- President Gerald Ford (whose laryngitis prevented him from speaking) and First Lady Betty Ford
November 4, 1980:

"I congratulate you and pledge to you our fullest support and cooperation in bringing about an orderly transition of government... My best wishes are with you and your family as you undertake the responsibilities that lie before you."

- President Jimmy Carter
Read 5 tweets
Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
29 Oct
Donald Trump will spend the much of the coming days making wild claims about the economy.

Here's what he won't tell you: the American economy has huge problems right now.

Trump made many of them worse by failing to address the pandemic or negotiate an economic aid package. 1/
Seven months into the pandemic we are still seeing more new jobless claims every week than the worst week of the Great Recession.

Unemployment remains historically high. 2/
Mass layoffs keep hitting the workforce. Tens of thousands of small businesses have already closed, and many more say they are on the verge of closing. 3/
time.com/5895669/pandem…
nytimes.com/2020/09/01/bus…
Read 11 tweets
Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
28 Oct
Important: tomorrow morning we will get big economic news in the form of the regular quarterly GDP report.

Trump will claim it means we have an amazing economy, a great economy, the strongest economic recovery ever, etc.

He will be wrong.
1/
The headlines are likely to point to a growth figure for the third quarter (Q3) around 30% annualized (more on this in a minute), give or take a few points.

This will be the highest figure in history, but for reasons that are not all good. 2/
Trump will focus on the sharp increase *without crucial context* in an attempt to mislead the country about his economic record.

How do we know this? Because his campaign is already running ads about it on Facebook. Per @sahilkapur @SRuhle: 3/ nbcnews.com/news/us-news/t… Image
Read 7 tweets
Rep. Don Beyer Profile picture
22 Oct
As we get closer to Nov. 3 Donald Trump is growing more desperate to get reelected. He's proving there's nothing he wouldn't do to help his campaign.

Here are some ways Trump is recklessly abusing the power of the federal government – and your tax dollars – to get reelected. 1/
Trump has horribly abused taxpayer funds and official resources at HHS, repurposing COVID funds to spend on a propaganda campaign, trying to send potentially illegal "Trump drug cards" just before the election, and exerting political interference on pandemic response efforts. 2/
Trump is leaning heavily on the Attorney General and Secretary of State to use the official powers of the US government to attack and potentially prosecute Trump's political opponents just before the election. 3/
Read 22 tweets

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