BREAKING: A bill to increase direct payment checks for COVID relief from $600 to $2000 per adult has passed in the House of Representatives with a greater that 2/3 majority, 275-134. The bill now goes to the Senate, where Democrats plan to ask for unanimous consent tomorrow.
— Ali Velshi (@AliVelshi) December 28, 2020
Pelosi just got the House to approve $2,000 stimulus checks
— Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) December 28, 2020
This will die in the Senate, because this was always just a political stunt by Trump. If he really wanted to pass it, more than 44 House Republicans would've voted for it https://t.co/2MLkdTSZNa
Rep. Kevin Brady on #CASHAct: "Will this stimulate our local economies? Not a lot. What we know is that much of this extra $1600 will go to pay down credit card debt, or savings, or even make new purchases online at Walmart, Best Buy, or Amazon." pic.twitter.com/7u2ASWdp8m
— The Hill (@thehill) December 28, 2020
In voting for the $2,000 relief checks demanded by Trump, the Democratic-led House puts the Republican-led Senate in the position of approving sums they previously resisted or defying the defeated president of their own party. @CatieEdmondson https://t.co/ILoNyqUx9u
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) December 28, 2020
— John Kruzel (@johnkruzel) December 28, 2020
The $900 billion economic relief package from Congress will deliver vital aid to millions of struggling households and businesses. But President Trump's delay in signing the bill means it will take longer for the financial support to arrive. https://t.co/Mws42RrINh
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 28, 2020
NEW: US Treasury Dept. anticipates being able to start delivering the $600 direct stimulus payments included in the Covid relief legislation by the end of this week, senior Treasury Dept. official tells @NBCNews.
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) December 28, 2020
Also…
BREAKING: US House votes to override President Trump’s veto of the $740B defense authorization bill, the first override of one of Trump’s vetoes by a chamber of Congress during his time in office; override moves to Senate. https://t.co/qkOPFOTlBD
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 29, 2020
#Florida man completely laser-focused on stopping the #coronavirus plague that has killed — oh wait, never mind. https://t.co/3QqUXuvGmZ
— Craig Pittman (@craigtimes) December 28, 2020
Trump’s intentional delay in signing the Covid relief and government spending bill — only approving it after the damage was done and unemployment benefits expired — is the latest example of his increasingly erratic behavior in the waning days of his term.https://t.co/TY1VWQe4YU
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) December 28, 2020
Count for yourself how quickly these two men climb over #TrumpsGreatWall.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) December 28, 2020
Congress is voting to spend ANOTHER $1.4 billion for this complete disaster that protects no one. https://t.co/QlBepxvs6f
Two Texas billionaires got a $35 million pandemic-relief loan for one of their fracking companies, but only after Sen. Ted Cruz weighed in https://t.co/RYtsfiHMvp
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 28, 2020
Moore calls for tax cuts in latest COVID-19 relief bill https://t.co/WP6oFURxRh pic.twitter.com/Wwr7xAte8u
— The Hill (@thehill) December 28, 2020
This should be industry-standard. https://t.co/1DaGvaI72v
— Simon Marks (@SimonMarksFSN) December 28, 2020
To be fair, it’s not even in the top 100 of the most deranged lies he’s told since Election Day pic.twitter.com/EIjIz2bsEo
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 29, 2020
Republican Members of Congress who swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution are suing the Vice President to force him to grab power and overturn the election.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) December 28, 2020
Yes, it’s absurd. But it’s also evil and un-American. They betray the Constitution and their constituents. https://t.co/NSe5OfXC9J
Meanwhile…
Nashville mayor says Trump hasn't called since bombing https://t.co/cBvpr1b7zI pic.twitter.com/NLs8S9SMc8
— The Hill (@thehill) December 28, 2020
Neighbor says bombing suspect told him days before Christmas explosion that 'Nashville and the world is never going to forget me.’ https://t.co/ui1821QsTf
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 28, 2020
Just boggles the mind how the end of this story on the Nashville bombing reads as if people in Tennessee have no idea that the state is an epicenter of the raging coronavirus pandemic https://t.co/GITDJ2XKlz pic.twitter.com/q7pJ09G2Od
— Mark Follman (@markfollman) December 28, 2020
***
AS VOTE NEARS, BRITAIN IN DENIAL OVER BREXIT
Brexit is done. What happens to ordinary Brits next week? Not much. https://t.co/R83fu506ZT
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 28, 2020
There is almost nothing in the deal for Britain’s biggest single export sector, financial services https://t.co/lC6vgECNNp
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) December 28, 2020
There are more votes in protecting Britain's fishermen than its moneymen. The future of the City of London after Brexit is consequently uncertain https://t.co/TMN5NpuUBf
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) December 29, 2020
Cost of Brexit: Holidaymakers or online shoppers buy items from the EU valued at more than £390 will have to pay customs duties.
— Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) December 28, 2020
You don't know what you got until it's gone!https://t.co/VPOkWJKjpy
Britain’s Descent: Supremacy Not Sovereignty was Always the Dark Heart of Brexit – Byline Times https://t.co/GEu6UuCz0M
— Byline Times (@BylineTimes) December 28, 2020
In many good commentaries the essence is crystal clear: let’s not be blinded to the hard realities of this deal by comparison to no deal. From Friday things get much tougher. Totally unclear where tangible benefit is to be found (not free ports). https://t.co/jNO9btQsyf
— David Miliband (@DMiliband) December 28, 2020
The vote on Johnson’s deal has to be left to individual consciences and not to diktat. Starmer has no business telling any of his MPs how to vote. It’s their reputations that are on the line. pic.twitter.com/C5ZLR0ryQy
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) December 28, 2020
this is just trolling now pic.twitter.com/cYu8OBCXej
— Friend of Deep State 🐋 (@PickardJE) December 28, 2020
So all those ERG MPs and @nigelfarage (Lord Farage to be) have gone very quiet on the issue they said they would die in a ditch for …. Betrayed': UK fishing industry says Brexit deal threatens long-term damage | Brexit | The Guardian https://t.co/SYQTjLD2P8
— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) December 28, 2020
Historians of the future will really struggle to understand how the significance of this promise being broken was missed so spectacularly by so many at the time. It changed *everything* except Johnson's record as an egregious liar. I'm afraid even I believed this one… https://t.co/a9fy5XMJsK
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) December 28, 2020
Excellent analysis of #BrexitDeal from @CER_Grant whose view is that “If Scotland were to gain independence through legal means, and then seek membership, most EU leaders would be delighted.” #BrexitReality #indyref2 https://t.co/P0MrWmg50w
— Joanna Cherry KC (@joannaccherry) December 28, 2020
The DUP campaigned for Brexit but have voted against every version of Brexit put before them in the House of Commons since.
— Eóin Tennyson MLA (@EoinTennyson) December 28, 2020
It’s almost as though – I don’t know – they’ve realised Brexit is damaging for NI and they’re trying to distance themselves from the consequences…
Without a border either in the Irish Sea or on the island of Ireland, it was always destined to be No Deal or No Brexit. The DUP's inexplicable failure to understand this gave cover to an awful lot of chancers who merely pretended not to understand. Chiefly, the Prime Minister. https://t.co/4oatXbNr4W
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) December 28, 2020
The Overnight Note 