It’s going to be a miracle if the Republicans avoid getting slaughtered at the polls in November. Beyond the problems the president is creating for them, they’re absolutely hopeless at legislating. Consider this:

Government aid has dramatically propped up the economy during the current contraction, according to government data. From April to June, the federal government pumped about $1.2 trillion into the economy. Unless Congress renews programs currently set to expire, that number will plummet to about $200 billion from July to September, a $1 trillion decline in federal stimulus, according to Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JP Morgan.

In April, American workers’ pay fell by 7 percent, the federal government reported Friday. Federal support made up the difference. When including government aid, Americans’ personal income jumped by 10.5 percent, a record increase. Without the government support, Americans would have seen a major contraction in their incomes at a time when the pandemic is already causing consumers to constrict their spending.

The Republicans are so incensed that workers actually saw an average increase in pay after they provided stimulus that they don’t intend to renew anything other than the program aimed at saving small businesses. That means they’ll let everything else lapse. No more checks. No boost in unemployment benefits. And certainly no rush:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday that lawmakers would wait about a month before making a decision on going forward with a broader relief package, though he said Monday that the small-business aid would proceed very soon.

This strikes me a suicidal politics, and I’d applaud their self-destruction if it were not also destructive to so many people’s lives.