The initial coronavirus relief funding package (CARES Act) included $380 billion targeted to small businesses as part of the larger congressional relief package.  Within the SBA section small and medium businesses can apply for loans to cover payroll (75%), called payroll protection plan (ppp); and expenses (25%).  If the PPP funding is used to keep employees on payroll the loan is forgiven.   Thousands of businesses have applied.

Due to the success of the SBA targeted funding, the $380 billion may run out before all of the applications are covered.  Treasury Secretary Mnuchin asked Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader McConnell for an additional $250 billion infusion into the program.

Senator McConnell framed a bill to provide the additional funds and asked for unanimous consent to advance the legislation.  However, speaker Pelosi doesn’t want to miss an opportunity to add pet project (constituent funding) to the bill.  Speaker Pelosi instructed Senator Ben Cardin to object to the unanimous consent request and block the funds.

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican push to unanimously pass a bill to put $250 billion more into a loan program for small businesses devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

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U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr appears for an interview by Laura Ingraham about COVID-19, and what the Justice Department is doing. The second part of this interview will be broadcast tonight.

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At the end of the liturgy on Holy Thursday evening, in every Catholic Church around the world, the Blessed Sacrament is removed to the altar of repose, the altar is stripped, the church is bare, empty. Tomb-like. It is a striking and heartbreaking tradition, and I make sure to attend each year, to allow my heart to break, my tears to fall, my spirit to be clouded in gloom and dread, preparing for Good Friday, and Christ’s passion.

This year the priests will celebrate this Mass as they have most of the Masses throughout Lent, alone, without the faithful able to attend due to the Corona virus. Most churches are now closed to the faithful, although many congregations are able to worship online, have virtual Bible classes, and many other activities.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Stephanie Grisham Twitter @StephGrisham45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Dr. Anthony Fauci did it again.  The first time Fauci was noted signaling to his allies in media was when he signaled to ABC’s Jonathan Karl after an antagonistic exchange with President Trump at a task force briefing [SEE HERE].

Today, another briefing, and CNN’s Jim Acosta had a similar antagonistic exchange with President Trump. Once again Dr. Fauci hangs back to give Acosta a similar signal.  Subtle like a brick through a window.  WATCH:

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It’s weird. Dr. Fauci doesn’t make his little signals to any other media in the briefings other than those who seem to be purposefully antagonistic to the efforts of the administration?

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White House trade advisor and current lead policy advisor for the Defense Production Act, Peter Navarro, discusses China’s geopolitical schemes and their intentional downplaying of the Wuhan virus.

Additionally, Navarro outlines the framework of his warning memo to the National Security Council about China and the potential consequences of the pandemic.  Navarro explains how he delivered his warning the day after the coronavirus task force was assembled; on the same day President Trump initiated the China travel ban.

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It would appear that DC reporters are now asking the real questions Americans need answers to…. And thankfully we have a president with a great sense of humor and authenticity, who is able to just roll with it.

Too funny:  “which son? Must be Don; I had a feeling it was Don”…

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You gotta love President Trump’s ability to roll along and engage every question. Humor one moment, serious and deliberate the next,… stern, funny, serious… In short, authentic.

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Sketchy Nikki Haley endorsed Sketchy Kelly Loeffler right before Loeffler’s insider trading schemes surfaced.  Given the fact that Haley and Loeffler are both ‘Big Club’ insiders; and considering the extremes Ms. Haley is going through to retain her mask; there is a dose of karmic comedy as we watch sketchy Ms. Loeffler slowly implode.

The latest polling shows Representative Doug Collins is now crushing the corrupt and sketchy Big-Club-appointed Senator Loeffler by 23 points.  Under increasing scrutiny for her insider Wall Street schemes; and in a futile attempt to save herself; Loeffler now promises to liquidate all her stock holdings:

WASHINGTON DC – Sen. Kelly Loeffler plans to liquidate all of her individual stock holdings after weeks of political firestorm over trades made amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Loeffler (R-Ga.), who was sworn into the Senate in January after her appointment to fill a vacant seat and is on the ballot in a special election this November, has been criticized heavily by Democrats and her Republican opponent in recent weeks for stock trades made in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak.

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Very good news.  Keep the prayers going; it works.  The latest reports from the U.K. indicate positive health improvements for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

(Via Daily Mail) Boris Johnson is ‘improving’ in hospital after two days in intensive care battling coronavirus, Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed this afternoon.

In news that will come as a relief to the nation he said that the Prime Minister had also been sitting up in bed after two nights in St Thomas’s Hospital in London.

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