The Last Dash Before the Election

Playbook: “Washington is about to begin a four-week sprint that will include the House Democratic leadership and the Senate GOP leadership wrestling over another coronavirus relief package. Republicans have laid their marker — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the next package needs to protect kids, protect jobs and reform liability laws so entities can’t get sued. Democrats have pushed for state and local government relief, additional unemployment insurance and direct payments and bolstering testing.

“Time is short, of course, and this will go down to the wire. Both sides agree that a package will get passed by the end of the month. With McConnell saying that liability reform is his red line, the question becomes: What does he have to give up to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to get it?

“President Trump and the White House are still making noises about a payroll tax cut — their only idea, it seems. Keep your eyes on chief of staff Mark Meadows. We expect he — not Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — will be the chief negotiator this time around.”