.....And the House weighs in

[civilwarbuff]

Loaded with lots of pork for special constituencies. If anyone cares the bill is attached....all 1119 pages of it.....
Never let a crisis go to waste! When the government sees an opportunity to obtain more power they take it. Thing is they will never let go once it gets that power.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi displayed that attitude today with her “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act.”


Don’t you love the names they give their bills? You cannot vote against it because then you hate workers and families!

The bill does have a few parts that will actually help workers and families:

• $30 billion directly provided to states to help them stabilize their funding for schools.
• $10 billion to help alleviate the harm caused by the coronavirus on higher education institutions, while providing them with added flexibility to continue operating during the crisis.
• The legislation also would help current borrowers with their student debt burden and GI Bill benefits.

Pelosi’s press release on the bill only highlights the parts that address those affected by the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. Even then it leaves out the parts that describe ways the government will continue to impede private businesses.

So let’s look at the pork and big government portions of the bill.


Rachel Bovard at The Conservative Partnership Institute did an excellent job outlining the material not related to coronavirus.

The bill includes a bailout for the post office. The Democrats want to force big corporations to have diversity on the corporate board. There are a few parts about voting because that fits in with this pandemic.

Don’t forget retirement plans for local journalists!
Pelosi's So-Called Coronavirus Bill Filled With Pork, Over-Reaching Government

 

[Hazelelponi]

If the U.S. government is going to shut down industry in the fight against this virus they need to provide relief, otherwise, they need to let Americans get back to work

Now isn't the time for games when a large portion of this country has been forced out of work by its government and now cant manage keeping a roof over their heads.

This is just tyranny at this point.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Loaded with lots of pork for special constituencies. If anyone cares the bill is attached....all 1119 pages of it.....
Never let a crisis go to waste! When the government sees an opportunity to obtain more power they take it. Thing is they will never let go once it gets that power.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi displayed that attitude today with her “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act.”


Don’t you love the names they give their bills? You cannot vote against it because then you hate workers and families!

The bill does have a few parts that will actually help workers and families:

• $30 billion directly provided to states to help them stabilize their funding for schools.
• $10 billion to help alleviate the harm caused by the coronavirus on higher education institutions, while providing them with added flexibility to continue operating during the crisis.
• The legislation also would help current borrowers with their student debt burden and GI Bill benefits.

Pelosi’s press release on the bill only highlights the parts that address those affected by the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. Even then it leaves out the parts that describe ways the government will continue to impede private businesses.

So let’s look at the pork and big government portions of the bill.


Rachel Bovard at The Conservative Partnership Institute did an excellent job outlining the material not related to coronavirus.

The bill includes a bailout for the post office. The Democrats want to force big corporations to have diversity on the corporate board. There are a few parts about voting because that fits in with this pandemic.

Don’t forget retirement plans for local journalists!
Pelosi's So-Called Coronavirus Bill Filled With Pork, Over-Reaching Government

Let's look at the things Bovard calls out:

"Risk-limiting audits of elections" - We're coming up on a major election and there's a real possibility that many more people will have to vote by mail or some other special circumstance than have in the past. Republicans are worried about election security, right?

"Division N - USPS Provisions" - We're bailing out the rest of the economy. Why not bail out USPS, too? They're going to be hit by this.

"Pay Equity" - This section is only a reporting requirement and only applies to companies that take these funds.

"Same Day Voter Registration" - Lots of government offices are closed right now, or are working in severely limited capacity, which means it will be harder for people to register to vote in advance.

"Division P - Federal Employee Collective Bargaining" - I got nothing on this one.

"Airline carbon emissions" - This only applies to companies taking federal money.

"Newspaper pension funding" - I don't understand this one, but a law was passed a few months ago to reduce local newspapers' pension obligations. I suspect they're related.

"Minority banks" - She should read the bill a little more closely. Contrary to her claim, this isn't establishing anything new. The sentence immediately preceding the one she quoted reads, "(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1204 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement 10 Act of 1989 (12 U.S.C. 1811 note) is amended to 11 read as follows: ". IOW, it's amending an existing law. And the whole section is about loans and other support for small businesses and small financial institutions.

"Diversity Inclusion Offices" - This is from the same section as the one about Pay Equity. Heck, it's even on the same page. I don't know why it needed a separate comment. Again, it's only a reporting requirement and only pertains to companies that took federal money.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

"Risk-limiting audits of elections" - We're coming up on a major election and there's a real possibility that many more people will have to vote by mail or some other special circumstance than have in the past. Republicans are worried about election security, right?

I would argue that this perhaps belongs in its own bill.

 

[iluvatar5150]

If the U.S. government is going to shut down industry in the fight against this virus they need to provide relief, otherwise, they need to let Americans get back to work

Now isn't the time for games when a large portion of this country has been forced out of work by its government and now cant manage keeping a roof over their heads.

This is just tyranny at this point.

You don't think Cotton is playing games?

 

[iluvatar5150]

I would argue that this perhaps belongs in its own bill.

All that section does is make grants available to states who want it. That section starts out with: "‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF GRANTS.—The Commission 6 shall make a grant to each eligible State to conduct risk-limiting audits as described in subsection (b) with respect 8 to the regularly scheduled general elections for Federal office held in November 2020 and each succeeding election 10 for Federal office"

 

[civilwarbuff]

Let's look at the things Bovard calls out:

"Risk-limiting audits of elections" - We're coming up on a major election and there's a real possibility that many more people will have to vote by mail or some other special circumstance than have in the past. Republicans are worried about election security, right?

"Division N - USPS Provisions" - We're bailing out the rest of the economy. Why not bail out USPS, too? They're going to be hit by this.

"Pay Equity" - This section is only a reporting requirement and only applies to companies that take these funds.

"Same Day Voter Registration" - Lots of government offices are closed right now, or are working in severely limited capacity, which means it will be harder for people to register to vote in advance.

"Division P - Federal Employee Collective Bargaining" - I got nothing on this one.

"Airline carbon emissions" - This only applies to companies taking federal money.

"Newspaper pension funding" - I don't understand this one, but a law was passed a few months ago to reduce local newspapers' pension obligations. I suspect they're related.

"Minority banks" - She should read the bill a little more closely. Contrary to her claim, this isn't establishing anything new. The sentence immediately preceding the one she quoted reads, "(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1204 of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement 10 Act of 1989 (12 U.S.C. 1811 note) is amended to 11 read as follows: ". IOW, it's amending an existing law. And the whole section is about loans and other support for small businesses and small financial institutions.

"Diversity Inclusion Offices" - This is from the same section as the one about Pay Equity. Heck, it's even on the same page. I don't know why it needed a separate comment. Again, it's only a reporting requirement and only pertains to companies that took federal money.

And you think that somehow all those things are going to have beneficial effect on combating the disruption to society that the corona virus is causing?....that they can't be put off for their own bill at a later time?....

 

[civilwarbuff]

I would argue that this perhaps belongs in its own bill.

Absolutely after debate between parties and both houses of congress....

 

[civilwarbuff]

You don't think Cotton is playing games?

How so?....though I do like the sound effects.....LOL

All that section does is make grants available to states who want it. That section starts out with: "‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF GRANTS.—The Commission 6 shall make a grant to each eligible State to conduct risk-limiting audits as described in subsection (b) with respect 8 to the regularly scheduled general elections for Federal office held in November 2020 and each succeeding election 10 for Federal office"

It does not belong in a corona virus relief bill...

 

[Kentonio]

And you think that somehow all those things are going to have beneficial effect on combating the disruption to society that the corona virus is causing?....that they can't be put off for their own bill at a later time?....

I actually agree with you about the distastefulness of packing important bills like this with non-relevant stuff. But let's not pretend this is new or in any way a purely Democratic tactic. Both parties have done this for a very long time time now, and it's just become part of the twisted way congress does business.

Attacking one party and turning it into just yet another political attack does nothing to make either party want to change, this stuff is only going to change when people attack congress as an institution for their practices, hold both parties feet to the flames and demand EVERYONE there changes how they do things.

 

[civilwarbuff]

I actually agree with you about the distastefulness of packing important bills like this with non-relevant stuff. But let's not pretend this is new or in any way a purely Democratic tactic. Both parties have done this for a very long time time now, and it's just become part of the twisted way congress does business.

Not claimiing that at all but with the eyes of the country on what is happening in DC you would think that both parties would be working toward helping out the people and business affected rather than trying to score political points with their constituencies.

 

[iluvatar5150]

And you think that somehow all those things are going to have beneficial effect on combating the disruption to society that the corona virus is causing?....that they can't be put off for their own bill at a later time?....

Most of them, yes, I think are pertinent.

But let's not pretend this is the bulk of the difference between her bill and the senate's. The benefits in hers are considerably more generous and expansive. The parts quoted here are tiny and mostly insignificant.

 

[civilwarbuff]

Most of them, yes, I think are pertinent.

But let's not pretend this is the bulk of the difference between her bill and the senate's. The benefits in hers are considerably more generous and expansive. The parts quoted here are tiny and mostly insignificant.

Why am I not surprised at that remark.....

 

[iluvatar5150]

How so?....though I do like the sound effects.....LOL

Well, right off the bat, his comments about corporate board diversity are inaccurate (or at least misleading), as is his suggestion that the bill is designed to protect people from dying of coronavirus. It's not; it's an economic stimulus package. His comment about electric jet engines is just dumb - perhaps he doesn't know what carbon offsets are. If he does know what they are, then he's just lying.

Why am I not surprised at that remark.....

I don't suppose it's because you read my perfectly reasonable descriptions of why I think they're pertinent.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Politico has a run-down of some of the differences:
How the House Democrats' stimulus plan compares to the Senate's

 

[civilwarbuff]

as is his suggestion that the bill is designed to protect people from dying of coronavirus. It's not; it's an economic stimulus package.

It is both...there are provisions for healthcare system in it....Not very helpful to give people money when in the end there are a shortage of jobs because of business bankruptcies. Supporting one does not mean excluding the other.....

I don't suppose it's because you read my perfectly reasonable descriptions of why I think they're pertinent.

You would suppose correctly.

 

[civilwarbuff]

Politico has a run-down of some of the differences:
How the House Democrats' stimulus plan compares to the Senate's

Thanks for the liberal perspective....now for the other side of the coin just for comparison.....
What’s in Democrats’ coronavirus bill? Arts funding, union help and more
The fact remains that if it does not help people and businesses stay afloat as well as reduce the impact of CV impact on people and businesses it does not belong in the bill.

 

[iluvatar5150]

It is both...there are provisions for healthcare system in it....

Fair, but at the end of the day, it's an appropriations bill. His phrasing was hyperbolic.

Not very helpful to give people money when in the end there are a shortage of jobs because of business bankruptcies.

I don't understand that comment. A period of job shortages is exactly when you do give people money.

 

[civilwarbuff]

A period of job shortages is exactly when you do give people money.

No, the purpose of the bill was to incentivize companies to not lay people off, cut their hours or reduce pay....though only time will tell how effective that strategy will be.....

 

[iluvatar5150]

Thanks for the liberal perspective....now for the other side of the coin just for comparison.....
What’s in Democrats’ coronavirus bill? Arts funding, union help and more
The fact remains that if it does not help people and businesses stay afloat as well as reduce the impact of CV impact on people and businesses it does not belong in the bill.

A lot of stuff in that list helps people and businesses stay afloat. Why the heck are they complaining about funding for the Kennedy Center?

No, the purpose of the bill was to incentivize companies to not lay people off, cut their hours or reduce pay....though only time will tell how effective that strategy will be.....

You get federal money, you have to pay people instead of pocketing it. What's the problem with that?