As coronavirus cases continue to spike, and as a number of economic relief provisions expire in the coming weeks, congressional leaders are hard at work assuring voters that a stimulus deal is right around the corner ― any day now, maybe, hopefully, probably not.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Monday that there was “no reason, none,” why Congress shouldn’t deliver another “major pandemic relief package” to help Americans through potentially the last chapters of the coronavirus fallout.
Without congressional action, nearly 12 million people will lose federal unemployment benefits the day after Christmas, a limited moratorium on evictions will expire, and student debtors will have to resume making payments on their loans. Congress created these coronavirus relief initiatives in March, when they expected the pandemic to last only a few months.
The reality is Republicans and Democrats remain far apart on a COVID-19 deal, despite cases surging to new heights and job growth slowing while unemployment claims rise.
But for some reason, Democrats and Republicans are showing hope that a deal could materialize soon. | 
