"I just want everyone to know I am not against the medical providers fighting this virus. But at the same time there isn't enough financial assistance from the government to pay rent or buy food." - A bystander (interviewed last night on NBC News), watching a Virginia protest against a state lockdown
"Those who are agitating to reopen everything are knowingly or unknowingly doing the bidding of conservative groups tied to Republican megadonors and the White House, all of whom want us all back to work so they can start making money again. They don’t care about us. They never, ever have.
"If social distancing is lifted before a national testing regimen has been undertaken, before a free vaccine for everyone is as available as fast food, COVID-19 will come back again and again until the precious economy these industrialists want us to die for will be nothing but dust and ashes." - William Rivers Pitt, 'Governor Kemp Is Lubricating the Economic Machine With His Constituents Blood'
"All of us are being stalked by this virus, and though some of us may see poetic justice in the likelihood that lots of these "protesters" will likely be dead or dying of it in a month because of their belligerent bullshit, we surely know that they have put the rest of us at risk, too. So, you bet your sweet ass it could be worse. Plan for it. As the saying goes, hope for the best; prepare for the worst. Get your affairs in order. It's entirely possible you won't be here to celebrate the 4th of July, nor be able to thank all those patriots who were so willing to sacrifice your life for their "freedom." - Could It Be Worse? Fuckin' A! - Jaime McNeill, smirkingchmp.com
If perverse conservative opinion - such as we see in the WSJ (e.g.'Paying Americans Not To Work', April 23, p. A14) - becomes the norm in dictating new legislation, we can expect not one more cent will be enabled for the 26 million Americans now unemployed. This follows the latest job report (WSJ, today, 'Jobless Claims Swell By 4.4 Million', p. A1) that showed an additional 4.4 million workers - out of work from the shutdown - have now filed claims.
This is amidst an antiquated unemployment insurance system, literally creaking from decades-old software and slow speeds, not designed to meet such demand. This is why many of the newly unemployed are sometimes having to call their state offices up to 50 times a day to try to file, too many with zero results. As we learn from the WSJ "regular" (not op-ed) pages ('State Funds for Jobless Drained', April 21, p. A6):
"States have struggled to process an unprecedented number of claims applications. States also face added coronavirus-related spending while shutdowns of much of the economy - along with delays in income tax filings- have threatened to crimp state budget revenues."
Further, we learn (ibid.):
"No state has run out of money but state officials are already planning for the possibility".
The takeaway? According to most economists, the states could run out of money in the coming weeks for paying regular unemployment benefits. The rational solution in this time of crisis would be for a new federal rescue spending package to replenish state trust funds to pay the unemployment claims.
I mean, you only need to check in with the nightly news to see how many Americans are struggling to even make basic payments, and for whom the $1200 "stimulus" just barely pays the rent and maybe the water bill and a few groceries. One guy interviewed on ABC two nights ago said his check was going to barely cover his overdrawn account at his bank.
And what "solutions" do we find from the skinflint GOP who'd rather give massive support to the corporations than workers? Well, nothing but cheapo, ridiculous proposals. For example, instead of the states getting any more money from the gov't they can instead apply for "interest free loans from the Treasury". This advice from Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia. (Misbegotten for sure, but not as nutso as Mitch McConnell's proposal that all the Democratically-governed states just "declare bankruptcy" - instead of "getting another blue state bailout". Of course this would be unconstitutional and violate the Contracts Clause.)
The loan thingie, of course, has been beaten to death the past few weeks. Recall last month WSJ contributor John Cochrane ('How to Treat the Financial Symptoms of COVID-19') had this to say on the superiority of loans:
"Loans are better than gifts. Rather than give each of us $1,000, allow us to borrow a fraction of last year's income from the Internal Revenue Service and repay it when we file our taxes."
So the BK, Target or KFC worker has to go cap in hand to the IRS to beg for a $10,000 loan to pay back when he has to file taxes in 2021? When he already will likely be in hock for back rent, utilities, etc? But this kind of "let 'em suck air" thinking pervades the reactionary Wall Street Journal op-ed pages.(E.g. March 18, ('The Fiscal Stimulus Panic', p. A16):
"The checks no doubt will be popular....but they won't come cheap, running at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars for the first round. What happens if the pandemic lasts into the summer? The clamor will be for another round and then another."
Well, uh yeah! DUH! Because people ordered to stay locked down, no work, no paychecks coming in, will still need some moola to buy food, pay off utility bills etc. How hard is this to get into your noggins?
Then we also see, on April 21, the advice from Peter J. Wallison ('Americans Need Forbearance Not More Stimulus', p. A16) that the solution is simple. The mass of jobless folks, as well as small businesses struggling. ought to just take care of their priorities (like food) and pay off other debts and obligations later. Just cite the need for "forbearance" to any creditors. Well, good luck with that!
We've also beheld other crackpot, skinflint suggestions from these cheapskates like workers ought to raid their 401(k)s for extra money to live on. Ask the IRS to think of it as a loan or ask congress critters to beg the IRS to suspend any tax penalties.
Another choice proposal is to "suspend the payroll tax", the latest iteration of that nonsense appearing four days ago (WSJ, 'Suspend The Payroll Tax', by Steve Forbes and Arthur Laffer, p. A17). These two bozos argue - presumably while not on opioids or MJ candy- that the objection that this will drain the Social Security and Medicare Trust funds is misplaced. According to this dense duo:
"The Treasury will just transfer money from the general fund, fully making up the shortfall."
Right, and pigs fly and Capuchin monkeys speak Chinese. Let's remind ourselves here that both of these clowns for years have pumped the bollocks that no Social Security Trust funds actually exist, nor are the T-bonds to back those Trust funds real.
Given all of this austerity codswallop one is led to ask what is driving this incredible parsimonious conservo attitude to the plight of millions, struggling to feed themselves and keep a roof over their heads. Janice's response as usual is brusque and to the point, e.g. "They were all born cruel, with cruel DNA and a brutal, hateful nature!" Well, maybe. It certainly explains a lot, such as the cynical. nasty attitude displayed in yesterday's WSJ editorial ('Paying Americans Not To Work'). The overriding concern in that piece is not that millions may not be able to keep a roof over their heads, or food on the table, but rather that given the increase of $600 / week federal bonus in unemployment insurance, "Why would anyone take a pay cut and go back to work?"
I.e. so when the bonus expires on July 31, too few 'Muricans would be willing to go back for a $416 a week job, say if they can hold out for a further extension in the bonus benefits. Blithely ignoring that millions of higher wage workers would be taking a pay cut - even with the $600 weekly "bonus". But see, these cranks think like this because they are ensconced in their own little ivory tower condos, gated community apartments or high rises, so have absolutely no idea of what it's like to be an ordinary wage earner now stuck with mounting bills and too little money to pay them, as well as get food.
Interestingly, another fiscal "Scrooge", Kim Strassel ('Congress' Coronavirus Mess', p. A13, WSJ today), wasn't too thrilled that all the Dems know how to do is "spend, spend, spend". The WSJ witch then cited Kurt Huffman, the owner of ChefStable, who insisted he "can't get his employees back on the job" - in the wake of the last CARES package and its enhanced unemployment benefits. Perhaps a more pressing issue is how he expects to get reluctant customers back into his place. I suppose he might use the tactic discussed on CBS this morning: have all customers sign a waiver form, then if they get the COVID-19 they disavow filing any lawsuits. I.e. admit they were too dumb to attend to state lockdowns.
This is the other side of the cruelty coin: to deny the gravity of the pandemic while preventing more money reaching Americans trying to survive. The goal? To attempt to crank up the pressure for them to demand to return to work early, never mind the risks. Or the polls that now show the "silent majority" of Americans (not the yahoos shouting and flouting lockdown rules) would not go out to eat, to the cinema or any other things - even if the economy opened up fully. (48 percent in a recent NBC poll indicated no inclination to leave their homes until the outbreak is over, or a vaccine is available. Well, that's a long time!)
Never mind, the game of the GOP and conservative skinflints is to try to ratchet up the economic and political pressure to get the millions of unemployed to take to the streets - just like the loud, knuckledragging Trumpie buffoons. The ones who've had to be stopped in their tracks by the unsung, overworked medical heroes, e.g.
Doing their level best to get the low IQ screamers and apes off the streets and back into their homes. (Incredibly, to see how inflated the Right's rhetoric can be, Steve Forbes - the nut proposing the payroll tax cuts- compared these protesting losers to Rosa Parks - who refused to give up her seat to a white cracker on an Alabama bus. The total failure of any analog is, of course, lost on Forbes - who was not long ago denied a seat on the Federal Reserve on account of his abysmal lack of knowledge, experience.) To quote economist Paul Krugman ('The Right Sends In The Quacks')
"Moore's a quack with a long history of inventing facts to support his ideological agenda."
Well, we already saw that earlier when I pointed out his balderdash that it's no problem to raid the payroll tax. The Treasury will just "replace the shortfall". Well, not in any Republican administration, that's for damned sure!
But again, as we watch these scenes play out on TV news it is always well to bear in mind that these protesters are only a loud minority, nowhere near a majority. But the cynical GOP Scrooges are betting they can shut off the government money spigots long enough so that more citizens will crack and take to the streets to demand businesses open, jobs return. Putting their own welfare- and their families' - on the backburner.
This is clearly the bet of another WSJ hack, Dan Henninger (April 23, p. A13, 'How We'll Live With Coronavirus') who insists:
"Millions of years of human behavior are going to overwhelm the state lockdowns"
Clearly betting that eventually, i.e. when no more money gets into citizens' accounts, the rest of the 26 million will crack and join the Trumpie protests and push for reopening. Never mind it risks a second wave which could shut things down much much longer. The biggest lie spouted by Henninger, after he admits flattening the curve was achieved to an extent - via the lockdowns - is:
"That suppression strategy accomplished its goal. Hospital capacity is returning in most major cities."
But don't believe it. Hospital capacity is still literally overflowing or at the margins of doing so. It would only take another wave - say from premature reopening - to overrun the system. Hell, don't take my word for it. But do pay attention to Trauma nurse Amy Pacholk, from Stony Brook University Hospital, New York:
"All I keep hearing is that the curve is flattening, the curve is flattening. That may be true but all the ICUs are still full. The sickest are still there. People are waiting to be intubated. We're full and we can't handle anything more. We can't open this country. If you want to live you stay home. My God, don't open up this country. It needs to be closed until at least June."
The message for Americans is not to be caught in the trap being laid by the GOP's skinflint brigade: whether politicos, FOX blowhards or WSJ pundits. Citizens (sane ones) ought to be especially terrified given the downward spiral in response to the pandemic after Trump removed Nancy Messonnier from her CDC post, i.e. as head of the coronavirus response. Why did he do it? Because she chose to level with the American people and told them to "expect significant disruption to their lives from severe illness." That was back on Feb. 28th . Dotard was enraged because this scientist was messing up his PR bullshit happy talk, and trail of lies to get re-elected. Not only was she removed from her post but all independent CDC briefings were halted, and Drs. Fauci and Birx were forced to become part of Trump's daily Moron rally - passed off as "briefings" to the hoi polloi.
Who did Trump's top asswit at HHS (Alex Azar) replaced Dr. Messonnier with? Well, Brian Harrison, former head of 'Dallas Labradoodles" - a dog breeding outfit. The twit has no medical education, and from all accounts fits Janice's profile of somebody who got a degree in dog poop collection. Be afraid, be very afraid. These are the morons we have running the pandemic response. You should not believe a word any of them say, and also any justification they try to invoke -including the "need" to halt any more "bailouts" (transl. Essential monies for people to feed their kids, pay their bills.)
Put pressure instead on congress critters- especially the quartet of Repuke Senators still pushing for more austerity in any future bills - to try to make it so the struggling citizens can't meet their basic needs. These four punks are more terrified of "statism" . Conveniently the same 4 anti -bailout "heroes" were named in that WSJ editorial:
Lindsey Graham (SC)
Ben Sasse (Nebraska)
Tim Scott (SC)
Rick Scott (Florida)
Want to do something? Get their telephone numbers from a congressional directory and blitz them into passing another CARES act that delivers more money - not in interest free loans- to those who desperately need it. How much more $$$ ought to go out in the next relief package? Given the next rent payment for those locked down is due May 1st, and the previous $1200 is already spent, I'd say at least another $2400 per each adult. This is no time to go cheap, or to appeal for Americans to take on more personal debt and hope for creditors' 'forbearance'. We are in a "war" as Mnuchin puts it, and we need war-scale deficit spending on a level earlier used for WWII. In an earlier post, I predicted that $6 trillion -odd bucks will be needed to get through this crisis, and I haven't budged from that!
The fiscal hawks and austerity freaks need to suck it up and stop whining about "statism" and "expanding government". Now is when Americans desperately need that government, as they did in the 1930s.
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