President Biden steers his Covid relief plan through bad faith whining about unity, Mitch McConnell tries to prevent Democrats from taking control of the Senate, and the MAGA extremists are winning the Republican civil war. Then White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki talks to Tommy about being back in the briefing room and the first week of the Biden Administration.

Show notes

Biden’s Covid Relief Plan 

• The Hill: Romney: Total figure for Biden coronavirus stimulus is ‘pretty shocking’ 
• NBC News: Imperiling quick $1,400 checks, moderate Republicans push back on Biden’s economic plan
• Politico: Republicans bludgeon Biden’s big stimulus plans
• Boston Globe: Biden stimulus gets skeptical response from Republican moderates 
• Vox: “A colossal waste”: Some Republicans question Biden’s Covid-19 relief plan 
• Axios: Biden to attempt “emergency economic relief” by executive order
• Reuters: ‘We can’t wait:’ Biden to push U.S. Congress for $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 relief 
• WaPo: Turned off by Biden’s approach, GOP opposition to stimulus relief intensifies
• HuffPo: Republicans Are Mad Joe Biden Isn’t Uniting The Nation Around The GOP Agenda 
• Slate: The GOP Is Complaining That Joe Biden Is Being “Divisive” by Governing Like a Democrat
• MessageBox: Unity is Already Being Weaponized Against Biden 
• CBS News: Bipartisan group of senators plans to meet with White House on COVID bill
• NYT Analysis: In Biden’s Washington, Democrats and Republicans Are Not United on ‘Unity’ 
• NY Mag: On COVID Relief, Dems Should Go Small Then Go It Alone
• The American Prospect: The Checks and Shots Strategy
• Politico: Democrats weigh their stimulus options: Go big or go fast
• NYT Op-Ed: Democrats, Here’s How to Lose in 2022. And Deserve It. 
• Axios: Sanders says Democrats will push coronavirus relief package through with simple majority
• CNN: White House wants Democrats to be patient on stimulus talks as Biden pushes for bipartisan path, officials say 

Filibuster Reform

• WaPo: Fight over the rules grinds the Senate to a halt, imperiling Biden’s legislative agenda
• Vox: The 50-50 Senate is already running into trouble figuring out its rules
• Politico: Delay in power-sharing pact leaves Senate in limbo
• WSJ: Filibuster Rule Snarls Senate Power-Sharing Deal
• Politico: McConnell seeks to protect filibuster in talks with Schumer 
• WaPo: Fight over the rules grinds the Senate to a halt, imperiling Biden’s legislative agenda
• LA Times: Column: You thought McConnell was tough as majority leader? Wait until you see him as minority leader
• Slate: Who Will Hold the Power in the New Senate? 
• Salon: McConnell’s plan to derail Democrats’ takeover — and nuke the economy — is already in full swing 
• Politico: Chuck Schumer’s 99 problems 
• Politico: Democrats rebuff McConnell’s filibuster demands
• CNN: Democrats frustrated as fight over filibuster stalls power-sharing agreement in Senate 
• The Hill: Democrats shoot down McConnell’s filibuster gambit 
• NY Mag: The Defining Battle of Biden’s Presidency Is Already Raging in the Senate 
• WaPo Op-Ed: The Senate doesn’t have to be the graveyard of the Biden agenda
• NYT Op-ed: Joe Biden May Have Only Two Years to Get Things Done

GOP Civil War? 

• NYT: 10 Republicans Voted to Impeach Trump. The Backlash Has Been Swift. 
• Politico: McCarthy voices ‘concerns’ with Cheney after impeachment vote
• Politico: Republicans who impeached Trump are already on the chopping block 
• AZ Central: Arizona GOP narrowly reelects Trump loyalist Kelli Ward; censures Cindy McCain, Gov. Doug Ducey, ex-Sen. Jeff Flake 
• NYT: Arizona G.O.P. Censures Three Top Members Criticized by Trump Loyalists  
• CNN: Prospects of convicting Trump erode as GOP grows vocal against Senate impeachment proceedings 
• NBC News: ‘The trial is stupid’: Senate Republicans throw cold water on Trump impeachment 
• Politico: Marco Rubio: It’s ‘arrogant’ to impeach Trump to ban him from running again
• NY Mag: Republicans Have Decided Not to Rethink Anything 
• Politico: Senate Republicans uniting behind impeachment defense
• ABC News: Democrats, weighing witnesses, plan to launch impeachment trial by end of week, sources say
• Axios: Schumer calls for IG probe into alleged plan by Trump, DOJ lawyer to oust acting AG
• NYT: Pennsylvania Lawmaker Played Key Role in Trump’s Plot to Oust Acting Attorney General
• WSJ: Trump Pressed Justice Department to Go Directly to Supreme Court to Overturn Election Results
• NYT: Trump and Justice Dept. Lawyer Said to Have Plotted to Oust Acting Attorney General 
• WaPo: Trump jumps into a divisive battle over the Republican Party — with a threat to start a ‘MAGA Party’ 
• NY Mag: Trump Won’t Start a Third Party — But He Might Break the GOP
• The Atlantic: Trump’s Parting Gift to Joe Biden 
• WSJ: Trump Has Discussed Starting a New Political Party

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