Here we go again with Politico pretending that Mitch McConnell isn't the most toxic, destructive force in American public life this side of Donald Trump. Smack dab in the middle of an unprecedented public health and economic crisis, this kind of lazy reporting is just irresponsible. The "bitter leadership feuds" have leaders "squabbling like normal" Politico's crack Hill reporters say, seeming to forget the last month and a half of evidence of McConnell's obstruction and efforts to completely shut Democrats out of the process.
Instead we get "partisan sniping and long simmering squabbles" and a quote from McConnell: "It is surreal to see Democratic leaders treat support for workers and small businesses as something they need to be goaded into supporting. […] This should be above politics." Like Republicans are above politics? Like his president? Who just tweeted "Today people started losing their jobs because of Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, who should immediately come back to Washington and approve legislation to help families in America. End your ENDLESS VACATION!" Today? People started losing jobs today? Leaving him aside, the performance of McConnell from the beginning of this has been little short of derelict.
When the House passed that second big Phase 2 stimulus bill for $104 billion with sick leave and free coronavirus testing and emergency unemployment benefits, where was Mitch? Not working with Pelosi on the package. He was in Kentucky taking a victory lap for having gotten an unqualified judge on to the federal bench, for life. Not only did he fight against providing paid sick leave in that bill, he dragged his feet through an entire week before finally allowing it to pass. Then he was so pissed that the House got something done while he was so publicly AWOL, he tried to shut Democrats out of the process of negotiation for the next bill, the Phase 3 CARES Act.
Sure, he initially allowed Democratic senators in the meetings, but he forged ahead with a bill that Democrats had to reject—the $500 billion corporate giveaways and the massive tax break to the extremely rich. The Democrats refused to let that pass until there was also help for actual people, not just $1,200 in one-time payments, but real assistance with boosted unemployment insurance and that small business loan program that the administration initially totally screwed up and that is now the subject of the big fight Trump was talking about above.
Right now, McConnell is trying to force another $250 billion through Congress for that program. Democrats are fine with that, but want to make sure that it goes to the businesses who need it the most, and while they're at it, getting a big cash infusion to the hospitals and state and local governments that are still drowning. Seriously, this should not be controversial at all for Republicans—it's going to have to happen anyway and it NEEDS to happen NOW.
That's the reality. It's the reality anyone who doesn't feel like they have to minimize McConnell's perfidy in order to keep their access to him.