Over the weekend Republicans and Democrats in Washington were working toward an agreement on a Coronavirus relief package to assist businesses and employees being hammered by the economic shutdown. A bipartisan deal was close until at the last second Democrats moved to block the legislation, followed by an announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she would be drafting her own package.

The reason for the opposition? Democrats are trying to use the bill to pass their wish list of radical reforms! Some of the demands from democrats include:

  • Mandated Climate Change Studies
  • Increased fuel emission standards for airlines
  • Diversity reporting for corporate boards
  • Expanded collective bargaining power for unions
  • Same day voter registration
  • All mail-in elections
  • Elimination of all debt at the post office
  • Retirement plans for community newspaper employees
  • Study on all climate change mitigation efforts by all businesses benefiting from the legislation

Looking at this absurd list of demands from Pelosi and Schumer brings clarity to what House Majority Whip Rep. James Clybern meant when he said that the Coronavirus crisis, “is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.”

They don’t care that none of these items help patients, hospitals or the regular person currently sitting at home waiting for this to end. They see an opportunity to exploit the process and will try to bully Trump and Republicans into accepting their demands.

Make no mistake, every democrat sees this as a political opportunity to implement the Bernie Sanders plan, including Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Earlier this week she joined the democrats in blocking the Coronavirus relief package and then tried to spin it to be about providing enough help to small business and the health care community.  How exactly does eliminating the debt at the Post Office and mandated diversity on corporate boards keep small businesses open?  How does implementing the Green New Deal help hospitals fight Coronavirus?

It was a shameful display and exposed every Democrat in Washington. They may talk about the need to fight the current crisis, but when it came time to act it turns out that expanding union power clout is more important to them. Even Sen. Sinema was seduced by this power grab and went along.

Republicans have rightfully excoriated Democrats over their antics, and so far have not given in to their demands. They must hold firm—the public will understand why they are rejecting the liberal wish list and will hold them accountable. Not even the compliant media will be able to save them—although they will try.