Covid Relief Bill thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Upping this thread to talk about current negotiations with the new Administration. Moderate GOP are meeting with Biden today. I hope he makes them feel embarrassed about coming to him with such a ridiculous lowball.

Their number is more reasonable than the $1.9 T that is filled with non-Covid crap.
And, in terms of projections:

The Congressional Budget Office upgraded its U.S. economic outlook, saying GDP growth will recover "rapidly."
GDP is expected to return to its pre-pandemic size in mid-2021 and the labor force is forecast to rebound to its pre-pandemic level in 2022, the CBO said.
Importantly, the CBO said its rosier projections do not assume any new stimulus, including President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion plan.
The CBO projects the unemployment rate to fall to 5.3% in 2021 and to 4% between 2024 and 2025.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/cbo-report-foresees-rapid-growth-recovery-labor-force-revival-by-2022.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Upping this thread to talk about current negotiations with the new Administration. Moderate GOP are meeting with Biden today. I hope he makes them feel embarrassed about coming to him with such a ridiculous lowball.

Their number is more reasonable than the $1.9 T that is filled with non-Covid crap.
And, in terms of projections:

The Congressional Budget Office upgraded its U.S. economic outlook, saying GDP growth will recover "rapidly."
GDP is expected to return to its pre-pandemic size in mid-2021 and the labor force is forecast to rebound to its pre-pandemic level in 2022, the CBO said.
Importantly, the CBO said its rosier projections do not assume any new stimulus, including President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion plan.
The CBO projects the unemployment rate to fall to 5.3% in 2021 and to 4% between 2024 and 2025.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/cbo-report-foresees-rapid-growth-recovery-labor-force-revival-by-2022.html

Those numbers aren’t as positive as you say. 2025? That’s too long.

[Anonymous]

In the $1.9T proposal is $170B for schools to aid them in re-opening. What sense does that make after $54B was just allocated for that same purpose in the recently passed $900B bill?

Does anyone really think that money will have any impact on schools opening. By the time it gets out the school year will almost be over. The school re-opening plan are the vaccines.
This is just spending money as a show of power because you can. $170 Billion is a lot of money.

[Anonymous]

170 billion is a lot of money.
Deep thoughts.

[Anonymous]

In the $1.9T proposal is $170B for schools to aid them in re-opening. What sense does that make after $54B was just allocated for that same purpose in the recently passed $900B bill?

Does anyone really think that money will have any impact on schools opening. By the time it gets out the school year will almost be over. The school re-opening plan are the vaccines.
This is just spending money as a show of power because you can. $170 Billion is a lot of money.

I disagree. While teachers may be vaccinated by fall, none of the students will be vaccinated and many of their family members will not be vaccinated either. Returning in the fall without PPE, test kits and HVAC improvements, and the ability for sick kids and teachers to move into distance learning for a few weeks may not result in the immediate mass deaths and hospitalizations of the elderly BUT if COVID circulates unchecked in school environments then more mutations..including ones that are more resistant to vaccines can emerge. Public school systems don't have or allocate enough money for pencils so thinking that they will be able to simply find the money for PPE, test kits and HVAC improvements is unrealistic. Funding these things would not only allow schools to open safely but would enable a return to many of the school community activities and normalcy while protecting public health.

While PPE and test kits are specific only to COVID, HVAC improvements and the technology that enable people who are sick to engage remotely are just as important. These are also advantageous investments as HVAC is infrastructure and the tech for remote learning helps low income students have access to resources that previously only upper income students had widely.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised that there isn't more discussion about the $15 minimum wage increase. This is very significant and in many states will close to double the wages for hourly employees. 42% of US workers make minimum wage so this is a raise for a substantial number of people. Data has shown that increases in minimum wage does not yield long term reduction in jobs in small businesses and often increases the economic activity within communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised that there isn't more discussion about the $15 minimum wage increase. This is very significant and in many states will close to double the wages for hourly employees. 42% of US workers make minimum wage so this is a raise for a substantial number of people. Data has shown that increases in minimum wage does not yield long term reduction in jobs in small businesses and often increases the economic activity within communities.

How many of that 42% work in local areas that have already raised their minimum wage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised that there isn't more discussion about the $15 minimum wage increase. This is very significant and in many states will close to double the wages for hourly employees. 42% of US workers make minimum wage so this is a raise for a substantial number of people. Data has shown that increases in minimum wage does not yield long term reduction in jobs in small businesses and often increases the economic activity within communities.

This was the main sticking point for the GOP. Biden told them to shove it.

Love it! Go with Reconciliation, Manchin is on board. West Virginia is about to get a whole bunch of goodies.

[Anonymous]

Democrats want to include milliions for Kennedy Center. ugh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Upping this thread to talk about current negotiations with the new Administration. Moderate GOP are meeting with Biden today. I hope he makes them feel embarrassed about coming to him with such a ridiculous lowball.

Their number is more reasonable than the $1.9 T that is filled with non-Covid crap.
And, in terms of projections:

The Congressional Budget Office upgraded its U.S. economic outlook, saying GDP growth will recover "rapidly."
GDP is expected to return to its pre-pandemic size in mid-2021 and the labor force is forecast to rebound to its pre-pandemic level in 2022, the CBO said.
Importantly, the CBO said its rosier projections do not assume any new stimulus, including President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion plan.
The CBO projects the unemployment rate to fall to 5.3% in 2021 and to 4% between 2024 and 2025.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/cbo-report-foresees-rapid-growth-recovery-labor-force-revival-by-2022.html

Those numbers aren’t as positive as you say. 2025? That’s too long.

5.3% in 2021. Full employment in the US is around 5% when you account for the unemployable and people who don't really want jobs but need to look for whatever reason. That extra 1.3% in 2025 is practically irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Upping this thread to talk about current negotiations with the new Administration. Moderate GOP are meeting with Biden today. I hope he makes them feel embarrassed about coming to him with such a ridiculous lowball.

Their number is more reasonable than the $1.9 T that is filled with non-Covid crap.
And, in terms of projections:

The Congressional Budget Office upgraded its U.S. economic outlook, saying GDP growth will recover "rapidly."
GDP is expected to return to its pre-pandemic size in mid-2021 and the labor force is forecast to rebound to its pre-pandemic level in 2022, the CBO said.
Importantly, the CBO said its rosier projections do not assume any new stimulus, including President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion plan.
The CBO projects the unemployment rate to fall to 5.3% in 2021 and to 4% between 2024 and 2025.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/cbo-report-foresees-rapid-growth-recovery-labor-force-revival-by-2022.html

Those numbers aren’t as positive as you say. 2025? That’s too long.

5.3% in 2021. Full employment in the US is around 5% when you account for the unemployable and people who don't really want jobs but need to look for whatever reason. That extra 1.3% in 2025 is practically irrelevant.

😆

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Democrats want to include milliions for Kennedy Center. ugh

It's owned by the federal government, dolt. It's a bureau of the Smithsonian. Thousands of people make their living from the Kennedy Center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Democrats want to include milliions for Kennedy Center. ugh

it is a public facility. Like everything in the arts and performance space, it has taken a huge hit, so why not? Or would you prefer it just evolved into being a white elephant on the Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Democrats want to include milliions for Kennedy Center. ugh

it is a public facility. Like everything in the arts and performance space, it has taken a huge hit, so why not? Or would you prefer it just evolved into being a white elephant on the Potomac?

They put in millions last year---and the director proceeded to do major layoffs right afterwards. You need to check out the salaries of the executives there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Democrats want to include milliions for Kennedy Center. ugh

it is a public facility. Like everything in the arts and performance space, it has taken a huge hit, so why not? Or would you prefer it just evolved into being a white elephant on the Potomac?

They put in millions last year---and the director proceeded to do major layoffs right afterwards. You need to check out the salaries of the executives there.

They're comparable to similar positions at similar organizations. It's one of the marquee performing arts venues in the country, of course they're paid well. I'm not happy about the layoffs, but plenty of companies got money and laid people off and will get new money.

-NP