Catastrophic delays
Of equipment for patients and carers
Reveal huge flaws in America’s design.
One thing I do
Not hear discussed
Applies to the “have nots’”
Vying for their tiny share of
Income from the supposed stimulus:
Registering their presence without
Use of computers and Internet?
Shadowy reminders of those we forget.
Small businesses
Tethered lightly to viability
In line for loans
Must wait months to see $$
Urgently needed, as
Life savings go out padlocked doors
Unless some Cuomo-esque souls
Snip through the bureaucracy…
Relying on small amounts,
Each home health aide, waiter,
Likely most in gig economy, live
In fear of dislocation,
Eviction, illness, as the
Fat big business cats purr in delight.
Phase 4 bill? The Dems want more $$ to
Aid states/locals still fighting virus,
Care via family/medical leave,
Keep first responders safe,
Add to Fed food aid,
Gird pensions for stability,
Extend more checks to meet great need.
(See below…)
_________________
The three bills were bipartisan, a remarkable accomplishment at this time that meant both sides compromised. To date, the Republicans say no more stimulus is needed–except Lisa Murkowski, who wisely notes that serious mental health needs arising from the pandemic will have to be addressed.
The Democrats improved the Republicans’ bill, but said they’d be back for more. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the first two bills were for emergency relief; the third for mitigation. The fourth will be for recovery.
In this fourth bill, the Democrats will plead for all in Phase 4 above, plus virus-revealed issues: money for Internet services, now a necessity; money for states and the Post Office for vote-by-mail to ensure our democratic processes can continue despite the pandemic.
(Will the President sign this bill? Speaking of the previous bill’s funding request for vote-by-mail, which is expected to enable more Americans to vote, he stated:
“The things they had in there were crazy…that if you ever agreed to, you would never have a Republican elected in this country again.”)
Two parties; two different wish lists.
For Phase 4 to pass, We, the People, must loudly say we agree. Do you? Will you?
Annie
annieasksyou... 
Yes, Annie, I want to loudly agree! Where and how do I do this? Fred
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Contact your Senators and Representative—and pass the word to others to do the same! Thanks, Freddie.
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Really emotive piece Annie. Over the pond here it remains to be seen whether the financial stimulus package will be enough to see many small businesses through.
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It’s hard to imagine the extent of the need, knowing these necessary closures will be going on for some time. But I think you’re fighting a different battle in the UK, where people are more accustomed to a governmental safety net.
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It seems early to push a package to assist the eventual recovery when we don’t even know what the problems will be. If this is a short term thing and we can keep employers afloat and money in the hands of the jobless, then things should resolve fairly quickly once the crisis has passed. Individual problem areas can be addressed once they show themselves.
If this situation drags on for months, then we may have much bigger problems than this package is designed to address, so shouldn’t we wait for a few weeks to see where this is going? Our resources are not infinite, and anything spent now will not be available later .
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I think if we’ve learned anything to date, it’s that important decision-makers underestimated the impact, and—sadly—we are well beyond the point that this will
be a short term thing. We already know that states are in a huge hole, that unemployment insurance is surpassing anything anticipated, that many people will need a whole lot more than $1200 checks to get them through the month. Vote-by-mail alone will take months to set up. I could go on and on. Today’s New York Times reports that there actually is some agreement on a large infrastructure package that would put people to work doing important repairs that have been neglected for years and have left us with dangerous bridges, railroad tracks, etc.
I am biting my tongue not to respond more fully to your “our resources are not infinite” remark in view of the huge tax cut
the Republicans rammed through and the $500 billion in the most recent legislation, with built-in oversight that this President has vowed to ignore.
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At every turn the Trump “administration” has dragged its feet, delayed taking action, and tried to minimize the problem. We could have had factories switched over to producing medical equipment months ago. We could have had a nationwide social-distancing order to slow the spread weeks ago. We could have started work on the relief package a month ago and the money would already be at least starting to go out to the most needy — as it is, some people will need to wait months to get anything (how many of those checks will be delivered to vacant apartments with the payee long ago evicted or dead?). We can already see that this will kill at least tens of thousands of Americans and possibly millions. The time for further delays is over.
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Infidel, I emphatically agree—with equal parts sadness and anger. I saw Rachel Maddow interview Andrew Cuomo last night, and his closing words were “The thing that keeps me up at night is that it didn’t have to be this way.”
And still the man who pretends to be president won’t do what’s needed to flatten the curve. Disgraceful, appalling, the inevitable but still horrific response to all who said, “and he hasn’t even been tested in a REAL crisis”…
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
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So much need. So long still to see through. Such a fast-moving world. Dizzy yet?
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Hangin’ on! Hangin’ in! Hope you are too!
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Every crisis is an opportunity. We can ignore the lessons or apply them. What is clear is that once again the taxpayer has been told to bailout a failed capitalist economic system. It happens every 15 years or so. As long as folks cling to ideology, rather than evidence, we are likely to see the same results over and over.
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Alas, Joseph—I fear you speaketh the truth! But maybe, just maybe, the enormity of this disaster will make people realize the important role of good governance and a strong safety net. One can only hope…
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The vote by mail will be a good thing, especially if this COVID crisis has a second or third wave.
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For sure, but one party and the President worry that they’re at a disadvantage when increasing numbers of people exercise their franchise!
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But… if we vote by mail so many people will vote. Then what happens? People who work all day can vote. The disabled. . College students. Pretty soon you’ll be letting black folks vote as well. Keep this ditty in mind:
If we vote by mail
Republicans will fail.
But just suppress the vote
And Dems will have no hope.
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So much voting, Joseph! What will do with all that voting?
As to your ditty: The scary thing, I must report, is the strange behavior of the Supreme Court!
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