President Deals Brings Back the 3-Martini Lunch

Shaken, not stirred.Edwin Remsberg/VW Pics via ZUMA

Let our journalists help you make sense of the noise: Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter and get a recap of news that matters.The coronavirus relief bill is finished. Republicans agreed to 11 weeks of a $300 unemployment bonus payment and a one-time $600 stimulus payment for everyone. And, in order to get Donald Trump on board, negotiators also agreed to boost the current 1½-martini business meal deduction to a full, red-blooded, all-American 3-martini meal deduction:
Critics said it would do little to help struggling restaurants and would largely benefit business executives who do not urgently need help at this time.
….During negotiations, however, Democratic leaders agreed to the provision in exchange for Republicans agreeing to expand tax credits for low income families and the working poor in the final package, according to a Democratic aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of internal negotiations…. The cost to taxpayers of the proposal is not known, though tax experts expect it to not exceed a few billion dollars a year.
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