Upside down world in Washington: Trump, like many Democrats, calls for US citizens to be paid more during the crisis. Mitch McConnell, the leading Republican in the Senate, is putting the brakes on.

The demand of the outgoing US President Donald Trump for higher corona aid payments to citizens who are affected by the corona crisis has sparked a heated debate – with unusual alliances: The Republican majority leader in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell, now blocked the attempt by the Democrats to get a quick vote on an increase in direct aid and was criticized by Trump for this. Unless the Republicans had a “longing for death,” they would have to make the $ 2,000 payments possible as soon as possible, the president wrote on Twitter.

In this debate, Trump and the so hated Democrats are unanimously for once – and that shortly before the election campaign for the runoff elections for two important Senate seats in the US state of Georgia. Next Tuesday, the elections will decide whether the Republicans can hold their majority in the powerful chamber and block plans by future President Joe Biden.
After months of discussion, the US Congress passed an economic stimulus package worth around 900 billion US dollars a good week ago to cushion the corona pandemic’s effects. This also includes one-time aid payments of $ 600 for citizens with a certain maximum income. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that the citizens could receive the first payments on Wednesday night.