Posted on 08/19/2020 4:08:34 AM PDT by 11th_VA
Rank-and-file Democrats are pushing party leaders to vote this week on an extension of federal unemployment benefits that expired at the end of July.
Democratic leaders have already made the remarkable decision to cut the summer recess short, calling the House back to Washington on Saturday to vote on legislation providing billions of dollars to the Postal Service.
Now, dozens of Democratic lawmakers want to expand the weekend itinerary, pressing leadership to stage another vote reinstating the lapsed $600 weekly unemployment insurance that benefited millions of workers laid off by the coronavirus recession.
In a soon-to-be-sent letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the lawmakers are urging consideration of legislation to extend that subsidy until the public health crisis subsides by tying it to automatic economic triggers.
"Nearly 30 million Americans, or one in five workers, are currently relying on unemployment benefits to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table, and keep their kids healthy," the lawmakers wrote. "The enhanced unemployment compensation of $600 per week provided families support to meet their needs, replaced lost earnings, stabilized household spending, and in turn, stimulated the broader economy."
The letter is being organized by the head of the New Democrat Coalition, Rep. Derek Kilmer (Wash.), and two other members of the group, Reps. Scott Peters (Calif.) and Don Beyer (Va.). As of Tuesday afternoon, it had gathered the support of roughly 50 other Democrats, with more endorsements expected before day's end.
The fight over an extension of unemployment benefits has emerged as a central sticking point in the bipartisan negotiations — now stalled — over another emergency coronavirus relief package.
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have insisted the $600 subsidy as part of the CARES Act in late March...
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Then he can stand at the press conference and say, "They could have had this weeks ago ..."
I predicted this as a way for Dem/media to hide a fold to Trump.
Media can’t report that!.
hasn’t happened yet, we’ll see.
If Congress would pass WuFlu immunity for biz, more people could get back to work instead of waiting for a handout.
Only in the Demonrats version of America is this not some kind of sick joke.
Unemployment doesn’t last a year, and a lot of decent people were destroyed by this. Talking shit by calling everyone lazy is BS.
Back to work where?
the senate and Trump should make sure a few other items are included, things with bipartisan support like the $1200 direct payments and more PPP. If they can pass a bill with most of the well supported basics, the pressure to ever pass any of the other Democrat wish list items goes away.
That $300/wk is supposed to be *in addition* to unemployment.
I think it very fair in that circumstance.
Pelosi will probably agree on a vote for this because they know it'll die in the Senate and they can use it as a campaign issue.
is the payroll tax still on the table?...and what about the 2nd stimulus?.....
“Unemployment doesn’t last a year”
It went nearly that long in the 2008 Housing bubble crash, tell me why this will be different?
No not all people whom lost jobs are lazy dolts, but free money makes it very easy to become just that. And if you haven’t read the many stories FROM EMPLOYERS of people not going back to work when offered because of the $600 a week then you choose to live life with shutters on. Sorry if I touched a nerve.
the senate gets their say as much as the House does, so if the house sends a stripped down bill for UI, the senate could add stuff (just a little) and the stimulus has bipartisan support, not sure if Dems like the payroll tax cuts.
President Trump v. President Obama
"No not all people whom lost jobs are lazy dolts, but free money makes it very easy to become just that. And if you haven’t read the many stories FROM EMPLOYERS of people not going back to work when offered because of the $600 a week then you choose to live life with shutters on. Sorry if I touched a nerve."
Why would a waiter go back to work for 25% of the hours and 10% of the tips? We need to completely open for returning to work to make sense. Most importantly, there's an election coming up. We lose, and we will all be sorry.
Believe me I understand that some lives and businesses were destroyed by the shutdown.
But as DAC21 points out there are employers who can’t get people to come back to work either.
I am an example:
Back in late July I fell down a client’s stairs and broke my ankle. Needed surgery and now am non-weight bearing for 6 weeks. I called one employee to comeback to work. She refused because she didn’t want to “mess up her unemployment.” In her case I can honestly say she missed out on close to $800 per week or more with tips. She left me in the awkward position of having to cancel those clients and help them locate another service provider. Which now equals lost clients! Sure, I will recover from this set-back too, but needless to say I am pissed. And no she doesn’t have a job to come back too when the unemployment finally runs out. Option #2 is to report her. She could have come off unemployment for 6 weeks and by then we’d be heading deep into the holiday run. Covid strikes again...she would be furloughed and could collect.
I needed her help to keep the company turning a profit, instead she cost me profits. SMH.
I believe you, and DAC21, that many won’t return as it’s not incentizived. I would far prefer everything opens completely, and we return to “normal”. That’s going to take longer than November, and we need to win as the number one priority.
Also, for every story like yours, there’s one where the person has no job to return to.
My original point was how DAC21 essentially, in my opinion, called everyone lazy that was getting UI benefits. Maybe I took it wrong.
Many people are taking UI for the first time in their life after putting in for 10,20,30 years. Those people will always be a net benefit to society, at least economically.
No jobs, its all shut down by the ostrich head in the sand mentality. I blame democrats in power even in red states that are too afraid to fight. Look at Hawaii, the most paranoid state overall. They just might as well turn it into an island prison. Its already a police state going after everything.
But...best thing I saw this week...antifa getting their asses kicked at Sturgis. Which btw...why hasn’t all those bikers died from not wearing masks? 300,000 mask free Americans, guess thats not in the MSM agenda.
SO tell us, you have a government job, or some other job unaffected by the Chinese Plague?
Well? Don't run away, tell us what you do.
If they want America locked down, they better damn well extend the $600, or $400 or SOMETHING. Letting it expire it unacceptable.
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