Democrats Up Stimulus Demand To $3.4 Trillion In Odd Negotiating Tactic

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just revealed that Congressional Democrats not only won’t budge on their $3 trillion stimulus package passed by the House in May – she’s upped the demand to $3.4 trillion in order to ‘settle’ on a deal.

Asked by CNN’s Manu Raju if she still wants a stimulus deal this week, and if she has a price tag she’d be willing to settle on, Pelosi replied “Yeah, $3.4 trillion.”

“We are just right now identifying the justification for what we’re saying it costs — how the money would be spent,” Pelosi said. “And we’re asking the same for some of the things they are talking about, so that we have a clear understanding. So it’s productive in that regard.“

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 4, 2020

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany described Pelosi’s new demand as ‘a mockery’ of the process.

.@PressSec on the administration working with Democrats on coronavirus relief: “It is Nancy Pelosi, it is Chuck Schumer, that are making an absolute mockery of this process.” pic.twitter.com/lmOCwJvfXZ

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 4, 2020

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – who has called the $3 trillion Democratic proposal “another big laundry list” – has flat out rejected the left’s package, and has instead defended the Senate GOP’s $1 trillion stimulus bill.

The top Democratic and White House negotiators have held hours of talks this week in hopes of reaching a deal on another round of stimulus spending as key deadlines on extending a federal eviction moratorium and federal unemployment benefits have come and gone.

Pelosi, when asked if it’s really feasible to get a deal this week given how far apart the two sides are, said, “At some point you just have to freeze the design.” –CNN

The Speaker said she hopes lawmakers can reach a bipartisan agreement this week in order to hold a vote in the House by next week – which will require a Rules Committee meeting to determine the parameters for debate over the bill on the House floor.

“We are just right now identifying the justification for what we’re saying it costs — how the money would be spent,” said Pelosi. “And we’re asking the same for some of the things they are talking about, so that we have a clear understanding. So it’s productive in that regard. And now we just have to negotiate what comes next.“