Biden vs. Trump on small business relief

This piece was originally published in the March 16, 2021 edition of CAP Action’s daily newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.

“Maybe he wasn’t afraid because, effectively, Ron Johnson was a marshal of the insurrection.”

— Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes on his senator’s racist assertion that he would only have been scared on January 6 if the Capitol mob had been made up of Black Lives Matter activists

Americans are tired of our government only working for the rich and powerful.

So is the Biden administration.

Share this graphic on Twitter and Facebook to get the facts out:

IN THE NEWS

• President Biden kicked off his “Help is Here” tour today in Delaware County, PA to promote the significant economic relief benefits in the American Rescue Plan, which are on their way to millions of people as you read this.
• The tour, which will continue through the end of the month and beyond, is aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of this just-passed legislation, a top priority for Biden given past challenges previous Democratic presidents faced in raising awareness about the benefits of their legislative accomplishments.
• Despite no Republican members of Congress — zero, zilch, nada, not a one — voting for the American Rescue Plan Act, they are somehow trying to take credit for the assistance it will bring to their constituents. We’ll begin with Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, who’s effectively a carbon copy of Mitch McConnell and who rarely strays from his caucus’ party-line votes. Wicker, of course, voted no on the ARP. Yet, moments after Biden’s plan became law, the senator took it upon himself to post the following tweet:

• Great point, senator. So then…why did you vote against it? When asked just that, Wicker told a reporter that it was a “stupid question.” We’ll spare you further examples, but you can check out this Vox article for more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• CAP Action’s research team combed through the data to find out how the small business aid in Biden’s first major relief bill compares to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans doled out under Trump. As you might have guessed from the graphic above, Biden is already taking a much different approach. The loans issued in the American Rescue Plan are almost entirely (92%) going to small businesses, while more than half of Trump’s PPP loans went to bigger businesses. Read the full breakdown here.
• White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced today that President Biden will hold his first official press briefing next Thursday, March 25.
• Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is restoring voting rights to nearly 70,000 formerly incarcerated individuals across the Commonwealth. On Tuesday, the Governor announced that he will use his executive authority to unilaterally re-enfranchise returning citizens who have completed their prison terms.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Joe Biden just launched the second war on poverty by Dylan Matthews (Vox)
• My wife and I are doctors. We have an opportunity to lead by example by getting the COVID-19 vaccine. by Dr. Dave Stukus (Ohio Capital Journal)
• Maps Reveal Redlined Areas Face Higher Flood Risks by Kriston Capps and Christopher Cannon (Bloomberg)
• Ron Johnson’s racism is breathtaking by Eugene Robinson (Washington Post)