US Politics, March 2020 — There’s a very good chance you’re not going to die.

http://www.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/donald-trump-gallup-approval-polling/index.html

I'm someone who stopped saying "this will change" about two years ago, but, once again, I'll foolishly suggest this will change.

even reagan legitimately came up from humble begins and managed to crawl his way through the top as he slit throats. this recent batch of GOP overlords are just cartoon villains from the gilded age

humble ^beginnings^

akm, Cuomo said he wouldn't *quarantine* the city (or any city), not that he was opposed to shelter in place.

I am no fan of his but y'know "better than the guy who's trying to kill us all"

the Giuliani Phenomenon

― Webcam Du Bois (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, March 25, 2020 11:36 AM (fourteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Was just about to say, we should all go ahead and brace ourselves now for Cuomo 2024.

gonna be tough to unseat Biden

*cries softly*

America's Governor

maybe special unpaid personal lawyer cuomo can go on a mission to another continent to dig up dirt on biden's 2024 political opponent

man, that'd be fucked up

he did that for his dad (Vote for Cuomo, Not the Homo)

the state of America's institutions remain strong and serve as a model to the rest of the world, the shining light on the hill. like in that movie the Lighthouse

saaaaaame kind of atmosphere as in the Lighthouse

so this 'relief' bill seems pretty bad, wish this was a surprise

the DOW is up 1000 points, it is obviously very very good

so this 'relief' bill seems pretty bad, wish this was a surprise

― global tetrahedron

is the text out yet?

i've been working all morning and haven't had time to check, but general reaction seemed to be positive at first? what is pretty bad about it? more stuff like the Boeing thing?

frankly absurd that Boeing isn't nationalized already

i will say that my friends in Europe, american and otherwise, seem to have a more O_o reaction to the whole "mailing out checks" thing. the small bit of economic stuff i've read on it has generally praised the idea as one that would most quickly get hands into people's hands so that it can then get into the economy. but then again, when bush did this everyone was saying it was fucking dumb

If it is a typical compromise bill from Congress, it will be so complicated that no one can understand it without a $1000/hour legal interpreter. So, the rich and the corporations will get all the benefits included, while ordinary people will be routed through an overburdened system staffed by workers whose training consisted of being emailed a 22 page PDF of poorly written guidance. But at least some relief will get through those obstacles.

beggars in mortal danger can't be negotiators

sending the checks is probably helpful to some people, but if it's that helpful to you I'd think better unemployment would be more helpful. I'm not opposed to it though (I'm not going to get one because our income is too high).

sending the checks is probably helpful to some people, but if it's that helpful to you I'd think better unemployment would be more helpful. I'm not opposed to it though (I'm not going to get one because our income is too high).

jointly

oh wait, sorry! i was very confused for a second

true though

have any details been released on the different benefits for working people, furloughed, unemployed, disabled and retired?

congrats, Karl and akm

i feel like until all that stuff comes out it'll be hard to tell how many will slip through the cracks

DJP if you could please set up a registry in our honor (cash/paypal only please)

xxpost lol

i also accept ethereum and ripple

😎

martinis at 5!

Not really news, but this entire thing is about stabilizing asset prices with a bit better than the usual crumbs for the plebs. https://t.co/TAOVFoJuck

— Nikhil Pal Singh (@nikhil_palsingh) March 25, 2020

this entire thing is about stabilizing asset prices

Eh, capitalist empires. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all.

at least i believe that truly dumb-ass idea got ditched of giving less money to people with no income tax burden. i'm fortunate enough that i'll probably put most if not all of what I get into my pitiful tranche of savings, but people with less cushion are obviously more likely to actually spend that money and stimulate the economy.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s8125

rent freeze proposal in NYS; little yea/nay button on the right side

(In my own personal policy, I reckon nationalising Boeing, jailing its CEO, and sending everyone $2000 tax-free a month would have been a very very moderate first proposal, but I don't expect that to have been signed this week.)

― Dollarmite Is My Name (sic), Wednesday, March 25, 2020 10:27 AM (yesterday)

A cute four part story pic.twitter.com/WuxAwPbq0F
— Michael Tae Sweeney (@mtsw) March 25, 2020

― mookieproof, Thursday, March 26, 2020 1:06 AM (three hours ago)

once again, reality has shamed me for my insufficient leftiness

The bill would increase the maximum state unemployment benefit by $600 per week for up to four months

A tacit admission that the existing unemploying benefits are at least $600/week too low. Sure they’ll get right around to fixing that someday

Vote being held up by 4 GOP cumts including Graham rn

Also how the fuck is this a terrible bill? Like i know there are some parts that are shit but would like to hear the argument of how paying furloughed workers for four months is bad.

That is in there. It's what Lindsey's clique is pretending to have only just noticed.

Bernie isn't budging

is he resisting it? AOC also said she wants to call all house members back to scrutinize it.

Yes he is.

Tbh the House should come back to vote

It seems the four POS Senators are just trying to force an optics grabbing vote even if it loses.

It's gonna pass. They just wanna get licks in first.

And of course nobody will give them shit for trying to take money away from civilians

Mitch will rein them in when it's time, incredibly enough

sorry, but the details do NOT look real good

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/senate-democrats-donald-trump-coronavirus-bill_n_5e7b77a6c5b62a1870d62d83?5b

Evil, petty shit. There’s easy and already proposed workarounds. The obvious goal of this is minimize payouts to struggling people while claiming the PR victory of a cash handout https://t.co/2XxHjjxM19

— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) March 25, 2020

4.5 trillion dollars for Steve Mnuchin to spend at his own discretion

the rest of us: four months thank you may I have another

what an utter fucking joke

General Strike 2021

people will starve but at least we'll be proud of up-front means testing.

too little too late takes on a horrifying meaning.

— Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) March 25, 2020

So this is what all we need read from the article:

Final text of the bill has not been released, but according to a legislative draft, the new law would establish a $4.5 trillion corporate bailout fund overseen by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, with few substantive constraints. Some outlets are reporting this as a $500 billion fund, but $425 billion of that can be leveraged 10 times over by the Federal Reserve, resulting in a multi-trillion-dollar program.

The bill permits bailed out companies to lay off up to 10% of their workforce over the next six months, with no restrictions thereafter. Mnuchin would have authority to waive any upside for the public in its new investments, and the bill’s restrictions on stock buybacks at bailed-out firms are too temporary to be significant. Bailed out companies could even pay dividends to their shareholders.

Bailout money will flow to the shareholders of large corporations, otherwise known as rich people. The oversight terms that Democrats secured are purely cosmetic, replicating the toothless provisions of the 2008 bank bailout that enabled watchdogs to report abuse but not actually prevent or rectify it.

Yet Monday's bill was far worse.