Democrat Jared Golden Flip-Flops on $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Bill

Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) said earlier in February that it “should be morally unacceptable” to move forward with a months-long reconciliation coronavirus package instead of immediate relief; now, the Maine Democrat backs the $1.9 trillion coronavirus package.

Golden said in early February that he opposes the Democrat leadership’s decision to move forward with a partisan coronavirus bill unless Congress first passes funding to facilitate vaccine distribution.

The Maine Democrat said passing a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill through budget reconciliation would likely take weeks or months. Instead, he called for Congress to pass a $20 billion relief bill to provide immediate coronavirus aid.

“Any delay in ramping up vaccinations should be unacceptable to a president who seeks to prove that his administration can effectively govern the nation through this crisis, and it should be morally unacceptable to members of Congress whose constituents remain at risk each day,” Golden said in early February.

Now, at the end of February, Golden supports the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill even though Congress has not passed his requested immediate aid.

“We need to walk and chew gum. And when it comes to investments that can speed up vaccination programs and our capacity to test around the country, that should go first,” Golden said Monday.

He added, “We should simultaneously be able to continue building a response plan to other needs out there like the looming deadline for unemployment. But these things shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) asked rhetorically, “If it was ‘morally unacceptable’ for Dems to move forward with the liberal wish list earlier this month, isn’t it even more “morally unacceptable” to support the corrupt COVID [coronavirus] bill after telling Mainers you’d stand up against it to get them real relief?”