President Deals Brings Back the 3-Martini Lunch

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

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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.

USA!

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A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just 4 days left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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