2020 US Election (Part Two)

[Sommerswerd]

Makes me very thankful that my long-term plan to get my ass to Cali was a smart move.

Or... alternatively...

 

[Timsup2nothin]

The expanded unemployment benefit...

This is a first glance thing and hopefully I'll find something in the legislation to counter it, but...the feds are piling $600 a week on top of the state benefit, which is great for the person receiving the benefits. But there's a whole lot of language about what the state has to do, and no indication that the feds are going to help pay for it. Extend benefits to the self employed, extend benefits to contract workers, deal with 10% of the workforce getting laid off all at once...the state level unemployment insurance programs are going to bankrupt the states.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

When you were recently on unemployment there was a remarkably low number of people on it with you. The person handling your case was enjoying leisurely days and actively waiting for your responses so they would be able to contribute to their supervisor's "oh, no, we're not overstaffed" memorandum. Phone calls now are going to be put on hold for an interminable wait so you can get snarled at by a harried bureaucrat, and e-mails are going to pile up into masses of "well, if I just move these to a 'get back to this' folder my inbox will be clear and I can pretend I'm caught up and start from scratch." Social services workers do not respond well to increases in their workload.

The phone calls and physical letters were mostly of my own choosing. Most of the system operates entirely online without human interaction. There are case workers behind the scenes, but the system is highly automated. I chose not to use the online portal.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

The expanded unemployment benefit...

This is a first glance thing and hopefully I'll find something in the legislation to counter it, but...the feds are piling $600 a week on top of the state benefit, which is great for the person receiving the benefits. But there's a whole lot of language about what the state has to do, and no indication that the feds are going to help pay for it. Extend benefits to the self employed, extend benefits to contract workers, deal with 10% of the workforce getting laid off all at once...the state level unemployment insurance programs are going to bankrupt the states.

In fairness to the GOP, this was one of their issues with the expansion of the program. I assume though it's all being paid for with the $500B earmarked for this.

 

[Sarah232]

Check this website:
https://www.untildays.com/how-many-days-until-presidential-election-in-us/

 

[Timsup2nothin]

In fairness to the GOP, this was one of their issues with the expansion of the program. I assume though it's all being paid for with the $500B earmarked for this.

Unless you are talking about a different 500 billion...the money for expansion of unemployment benefits is to cover the costs of the 'federal bonus on top.' I don't see anything about reimbursement to states for the grotesque expansion in their costs.

Andrew Cuomo is already screaming like a scalded cat. Apparently the assistance to states is not only far less than the increased costs they face overall, but there's no clear enforced guidance on distribution and the administration is already making it clear that a "swing states first, red states second, hard blue states suck it" system will probably be applied.

 

[Lexicus]

@hobbsyoyo So I just spoke with someone from DC's Department of Employment Services (DOES) after a 4 hour and 45 minute hold time, and they said I no longer need to report job contacts when I do my weekly certifications. DC has apparently passed legislation which allows DOES to extend the duration of unemployment benefits but I have seen no indication that they've actually done this yet.

Andrew Cuomo is already screaming like a scalded cat. Apparently the assistance to states is not only far less than the increased costs they face overall, but there's no clear enforced guidance on distribution and the administration is already making it clear that a "swing states first, red states second, hard blue states suck it" system will probably be applied.

I have a degree of sympathy for this, but at the end of the day states are going to have to jack up taxes on the rich to pay for this stuff. If they're too cowardly to do that they can suck it.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Good luck dude

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I have a degree of sympathy for this, but at the end of the day states are going to have to jack up taxes on the rich to pay for this stuff. If they're too cowardly to do that they can suck it.

The problem is that we are basically allowing the GOP to buy a club for electoral purposes with disaster relief money...again. The states that already have high taxes (generally hard blue) are the states that will get no relief and have to jack taxes. The generally horrifically mismanaged low tax red states will once again be rewarded with federal money to support their claims that "Republican government is fiscally responsible and keeps taxes low."

 

[Lexicus]

Good luck dude

Eh, I'll be fine. I'm likely moving back in with mom and dad at the end of June, but that isn't as bad as it sounds because I got a bunch of financial aid from Rutgers, so I'll likely be going there unless I can use their offer to extort money from one of the schools I applied to in the DC area (which I find unlikely).

With the financial aid and living rent-free for a while I likely won't have to take on any debt to get my degree which is excellent.

The problem is that we are basically allowing the GOP to buy a club for electoral purposes with disaster relief money...again. The states that already have high taxes (generally hard blue) are the states that will get no relief and have to jack taxes. The generally horrifically mismanaged low tax red states will once again be rewarded with federal money to support their claims that "Republican government is fiscally responsible and keeps taxes low."

Well, what's the alternative? Prevent any relief package from passing so they can say how badly Trump screwed up?

 

[IglooDame]

Unless you are talking about a different 500 billion...the money for expansion of unemployment benefits is to cover the costs of the 'federal bonus on top.' I don't see anything about reimbursement to states for the grotesque expansion in their costs.

Andrew Cuomo is already screaming like a scalded cat. Apparently the assistance to states is not only far less than the increased costs they face overall, but there's no clear enforced guidance on distribution and the administration is already making it clear that a "swing states first, red states second, hard blue states suck it" system will probably be applied.

aka the Christie Protocol?

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Well, what's the alternative? Prevent any relief package from passing so they can say how badly Trump screwed up?

There probably isn't one. They fought over and over to get oversight and keep the GOP administration from just going on a looting spree with this, and they missed a spot. It happens. We'll probably find that they missed more than one.

Never forget that the Bush administration's initial attempt at dealing with the financial crisis was a five page document that amounted to "hand the treasury secretary a trillion dollars then never ask him where it went." That illustrates the fundamental root of every GOP disaster looting opportunity bill ever proposed in congress.

 

[Lexicus]

I read in National Review that Justin Amash may single-handedly hold up the relief bill by denying the House unanimous consent of the Senate package.

 

[Traitorfish]

Even if there was "pressure exerted by the Democratic Party leadership," of which there is little evidence that I can see, how is that "foul play" in any sense?

Powerful entrenched interests attempting to manipulate election results in favour of their preferred candidate is, at a minimum, not in the best democratic spirit. Explicit breaking or circumventing of the rules may not even be required when one of the groups with a stake in the outcome of the election are tasked with running it; selective and creative application of the rules- changing the format of a debate to favour one candidate, for example- may be sufficient.

I don't think anyone could look at a sporting event in which one of the participating teams was allowed to appoint one of their own players as the referee and think "this is fine", but this is apparently good enough for the American voting public.

edit: tl;dr

Spoiler :

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Powerful entrenched interests attempting to manipulate election results in favour of their preferred candidate is, at a minimum, not in the best democratic spirit.

The candidates that dropped out of the race did so because of the election results, not in spite of them. Nobody forced anyone in Iowa, or New Hampshire, or Nevada, or South Carolina to vote the way they did.

 

[Takhisis]

A mess...

Teleprompter reading + teleprompter choreography is the #1 criterion for choosing a POTUS?... or its somewhat important?... or not that important?... to you personally (the royal you) ... that's the question.

Your continued use of ‘royal you’ is a mess on its own, man. It's straight out of The Princess Bride.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Well, what's the alternative? Prevent any relief package from passing so they can say how badly Trump screwed up?

For a minute there, I was thinking that they were actually going to do exactly this... but in typical Democrat form, they reluctantly decide to do their jobs, for the greater good and such instead of maximizing political gain at all costs. Silly Democrats... always caving in at the last minute, putting the well being of the country and its people ahead of their political power... noobs.

I read in National Review that Justin Amash may single-handedly hold up the relief bill by denying the House unanimous consent of the Senate package.

He has nothing to lose since he's been drummed out of the Republican party for having the nerve to oppose the Supreme Leader. He can afford to be a bomb-thrower.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Your continued use of ‘royal you’ is a mess on its own, man.

It's time to let that go Tak. It is what is is and it ain't going nowhere... At this point its outside of anyone's control... It can't be stopped. Move on with your life.

 

[Takhisis]

It's time to let that go Tak.

Inconceivable.

It is what is is and it ain't going nowhere... At this point its outside of anyone's control... It can't be stopped. Move on with your life.

OK, Donald.

 

[Patine]

At this point "various" is basically Trump and Biden... that's the only relevant comparison at this stage

Yes, as usual, only two parties, each with a candidate, that are the only the rigged system will allow to win. Both are showing atrocious leadership and have no real meaningful or good plan for this crisis. Hopefully, THIS will bring some sense and lead to the corrupt two party system and it's rigged elections, and Constitutional dinosaur relics, such as the EC, States districting their own Federal House districts and managing election laws for Federal elections, and, though not Constitutional, the dominance in the media and electoral process of ONLY the two main parties' Primary process. Hopefully this utter gong show of an election leads to such a serious re-elevation. It would be something good coming out of it - and, as they say, true change and reform come from crisis, not ordinary circumstances.

This is explicitly not that kind of forum imo. You should discuss to learn imo.

Yes, there are a LOT of geniuses, scholars, sages, erudite philosophers, and wise men on the mountain on this forum - or so you'd think by reading their posts with all of their puffery, pretense, arrogant attitudes, and vicious defense of every word rather than every admitting to being wrong.