Day 44: Vote-a-Rama for Relief

After a more than 10-hour reading of the 628-page American Rescue Plan on the Senate floor and a day’s worth of amendment debates, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called for a pause on the vote-a-rama and requested that they reconvene Saturday morning. Alas, the vote did not sway in his favor.

Meanwhile, more states have adjusted their Covid-19 restrictions in a localized attempt to stimulate the recovery, much to the chagrin of Dr. Fauci and officials from the Centers for Disease Control.

California, the hardest hit by number of Covid-related deaths, announced today that they’ve administered more than 10 million vaccines — more than any other state — and are prepared to open ballparks, stadiums and other amusement parks at limited capacity and with masking and other restrictions, beginning April 1.

While it may be just in time for Major League Baseball’s opening day, for example, only local ticket holders are welcome in the stands, in line with the state’s previous mandate to restrict residents to a 120 mile radius of their home.

In West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice is allowing restaurants, bars and small businesses to open to full capacity so long as social distancing and indoor masking is followed.

“It’s my responsibility to lead us in the right path and be as cautious as I can be while still trying in every way for us to live with this terrible killer and get us back to as much normalcy as we can possibly get to,” he said.