~* Make America Great Depression Again -- Official Thread of Corona Virus infected markets *~

[SaysWho?]

Inside Bidenworld’s plan to punish the GOP for opposing Covid relief - POLITICO

WWW.POLITICO.COM

---

A robust sales job will follow passage (should it happen) as the president and his allies want to avoid the missteps of the Obama years.

 

Quote

“This is one of those rare instances — maybe not exceedingly rare, but it doesn’t happen often — where the best policy perfectly aligns with the politics,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a Biden ally. “If I’m a candidate in 2022 running for the House or Senate, I think I’d want to be able to say we’ve had a robust Covid-19 relief bill, we raised the minimum wage, we made progress on health care, we’ve started to make progress on combating climate change and a whole range of issues candidates would want to run on.”

 

Quote

But their eyes have also started to drift toward what comes after the package becomes law: a major political undertaking to cement the bill’s popularity among voters.

 

Quote

“It’s going to be very difficult for Republican lawmakers to look their constituents in the eyes and try to explain why they voted against giving them $1,400 checks, why they voted against reopening schools, and why they voted against speeding up vaccinations,” a White House official told POLITICO. “We’re going to keep making the case about why this package matters and Republicans on the Hill are going to have to decide whether or not they’re going to listen to their voters.”

 

Quote

And so, they’re proceeding apace with a public pressure campaign. Fourteen senior Biden administration officials have already sat for more than 100 national TV, radio and podcast interviews on the “rescue” plan alone, aides said, with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen appearing on several Sunday shows, communications director Kate Bedingfield on “The View,” and chief of staff Ron Klain rotating between evening TV networks. White House aides and outside allies have met with dozens of interest groups and community organizations while having some early success in convincing conservative governors, local officials and business groups to endorse the package — even if congressional Republicans are holding off.

 

...

 

“Our goal is to talk to everybody, whether it’s rural America, farms, agriculture, we’re not assuming anything. We’re not letting Republicans or anyone else be the only voice in any particular area,” Richmond added.

 

Central to the strategy, though, is to not allow the momentum for the package to let up.

 

 

Please don't screw this up. Forget means testing and push the bill through. And dare Manchin to vote against it because of the minimum wage increase.

 

This is a much easier sell than the last stimulus bill, which was watered down with tax things from Republicans that didn't do much, while the bulk was "shovel-ready" projects to put people to work. Good idea but harder to sell since most people aren't seeing the benefits from it compared to checks, minimum wage, help for families, and hearing about vaccination expansion.

[marioandsonic]

Are they voting on this this week, or what?

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

1 hour ago, SaysWho? said:

Inside Bidenworld’s plan to punish the GOP for opposing Covid relief - POLITICO

WWW.POLITICO.COM

---

A robust sales job will follow passage (should it happen) as the president and his allies want to avoid the missteps of the Obama years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please don't screw this up. Forget means testing and push the bill through. And dare Manchin to vote against it because of the minimum wage increase.

 

This is a much easier sell than the last stimulus bill, which was watered down with tax things from Republicans that didn't do much, while the bulk was "shovel-ready" projects to put people to work. Good idea but harder to sell since most people aren't seeing the benefits from it compared to checks, minimum wage, help for families, and hearing about vaccination expansion.

To be fair, the minimum wage opposition is due to claims by some that the wage increase can't pass the byrd rule regarding reconciliation. Aside from the fact that the filibuster should be abolished, there is a very easy case to make that the wage increase meets the byrd rule requirements. If the Senate parliamentarian disagrees, fire them or overrule them, as the VP can.

[SaysWho?]

17 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

To be fair, the minimum wage opposition is due to claims by some that the wage increase can't pass the byrd rule regarding reconciliation. Aside from the fact that the filibuster should be abolished, there is a very easy case to make that the wage increase meets the byrd rule requirements. If the Senate parliamentarian disagrees, fire them or overrule them, as the VP can.

 

Please get me up to speed on the Byrd Rule because fuck.  

 

I'm seriously looking at Biden and his messaging with other Democrats -- we can't do too much, but we can do too little -- and I see someone who could have a very good two years no matter how annoying or crazy opposition may become. It's even more golden of a moment than when Democrats had even more control in 09/10 because Democrats, by all accounts, seem to understand the lessons of 2009 and 2010 very well -- negotiating a long time with bad-faith Republicans, the stalling of legislation, the hypocritical sudden caring of the debt.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

25 minutes ago, SaysWho? said:

 

Please get me up to speed on the Byrd Rule because fuck.  

 

I'm seriously looking at Biden and his messaging with other Democrats -- we can't do too much, but we can do too little -- and I see someone who could have a very good two years no matter how annoying or crazy opposition may become. It's even more golden of a moment than when Democrats had even more control in 09/10 because Democrats, by all accounts, seem to understand the lessons of 2009 and 2010 very well -- negotiating a long time with bad-faith Republicans, the stalling of legislation, the hypocritical sudden caring of the debt.

Quote

Under the Byrd rule, the Senate is prohibited from considering extraneous matter as part of a reconciliation bill or resolution or conference report thereon. The definition of what constitutes "extraneous matter" is set forth in the Budget Act; however, the term remains subject to considerable interpretation by the presiding officer (who relies on the Senate Parliamentarian). The Byrd rule is enforced when a Senator raises a point of order during consideration of a reconciliation bill or conference report. If the point of order is sustained, the offending title, provision or amendment is deemed stricken unless its proponent can muster a 3/5 (60) Senate majority vote to waive the rule.

Tl;dr if it's in the reconciliation bill, a senator can raise a point of order (object) to something being added based on the criteria (discussed later) and the presiding officer (VP) can make a ruling based on recommendation from the senate parliamentarian. This recommendation is not binding, and the presiding officer can overrule the parliamentarian, though it hasn't been done in like 50 years or so. There's also a recent case of the majority leader firing the parliamentarian to get the interpretation they want (in like 2001 or so by a republican, bill frist iirc)

 

As to the criteria, the byrd rule states that 

Quote

Byrd rule tests - Section 313(b)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act sets forth six tests for matters to be considered extraneous under the Byrd rule. The criteria apply to provisions that:

 

*do not produce a change in outlays or revenues;

*produce changes in outlays or revenue which are merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision;

*are outside the jurisdiction of the committee that submitted the title or provision for inclusion in the reconciliation measure;

*increase outlays or decrease revenue if the provision's title, as a whole, fails to achieve the Senate reporting committee's reconciliation instructions;

*Increase net outlays or decrease revenue during a fiscal year after the years covered by the reconciliation bill unless the provision's title, as a whole, remains budget neutral;

*contain recommendations regarding the OASDI (social security) trust funds.

So basically if any of these are met, or thought to be met, a senator can raise a point of order and then the presiding officer can make a ruling based on the parliamentarians interpretation of the rule and piece of the bill. 

 

I would argue that the closest item that the $15/hr min wage would fall under would be the incidental rule. But I also think that increasing the minimum wage increases revenue in a way that is not incidental. Higher wages directly increase revenue and would directly decrease expenditures on safety net programs like SNAP. So there's a lot of room for interpretation and if they can't get someone in position to make a similar ruling then they're dumb as rocks and deserve to lose 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Here's a CBO report, and uh, something to think about

 

 

[Guest]

Minimum wage hikes are bandaids on gunshot wounds when the things destroying buying power are housing and healthcare.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

5 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Minimum wage hikes are bandaids on gunshot wounds when the things destroying buying power are housing and healthcare.

I mean, it's still needed. 

 

There's also the cost of child care, elder care, and education that is spiraling out of control cost wise. The cost of private transportation (the way the vast majority of people travel for any reason) keeps going up as well, even if the value is better (safer cars with better milage, but more expensive)

[Spork3245]

10 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Minimum wage hikes are bandaids on gunshot wounds when the things destroying buying power are housing and healthcare.

 

I'd argue that you throw student debt/tax-payer funded state/local college in there too.

[Uaarkson]

12 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Minimum wage hikes are bandaids on gunshot wounds when the things destroying buying power are housing and healthcare.

Bingo

[Massdriver]

32 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

Minimum wage hikes are bandaids on gunshot wounds when the things destroying buying power are housing and healthcare.

The frustrating thing about it is the Democrats have power, but we will be lucky to get some type of bandaid on the ACA rather than some sort of fundamental reform.

 

I really don't understand how politicians are able to get away with defending our healthcare system. Democrats insist, "If you like your plan, you can keep it!". Republicans charge, "He wants to take away your healthcare plan!!" Wait a second. Your employer can take away your healthcare plan any year they want and change it to something else. Individuals don't have any control over what health insurance plan they get year to year. You could have the best blue cross plan this year and have it go to shit next year. With the way premiums are continuing to go up on employers each year, employers are being forced into making tough decisions. 

[Jason]

 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

That's much better

[Guest]

Just get the thing done so they can start hand wringing over Covid Relief Bill 4

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Just now, sblfilms said:

Just get the thing done so they can start hand wringing over Covid Relief Bill 4

I, for one, can't wait for infrastructure week

[GeneticBlueprint]

Just now, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

I, for one, can't wait for infrastructure week

 

Don't forget the unveiling date of the ACA replacement. Which is always TODAY(+14)

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

what a bunch of crybabies

 

[SaysWho?]

'Era of small government is over': Democrats upsize Covid package with more cash relief

WWW.NBCNEWS.COM

---

Democrats are proposing monthly cash payments to families with children, the latest sign of the party embracing a larger safety net despite the price tag.

 

Quote

A new addition to President Joe Biden's plan is coming from Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and a key figure in crafting the bill, who wants to add monthly cash payments totaling $3,600 per year for every child under the age of 6, or $3,000 for children from 6 to 17.

 

Democrats have been yearning to act boldly on coronavirus aid, haunted by what-ifs from 2009 when they passed a pared-down stimulus package in the wake of the financial collapse, only to suffer for it as a slow recovery led to a bruising midterm election defeat in 2010.

 

Biden has sought to pave the way for that new approach by arguing that borrowing rates are low and now isn't the time to fear red ink.

 

The concept of a child allowance has been percolating in progressive policy circles for years. The Center for American Progress, a liberal group, made a case for it in 2015. In 2017, dozens of Democrats got behind a bill called the American Family Act that resembles the contours of the new Neal plan. A recent study by Columbia University found that it would reduce child poverty by 42 percent.

 

Nearly 11 million children in the U.S. — about 1 in 7 — are living in poverty, according to a paper by the center last month. It ranks as one of the highest rates of child poverty in the developed world.

 

This goes a little more into the strategy behind the monthly cash payments. 

[cusideabelincoln]

Fucking hell, the stat 1 in 7 children live in poverty is an eye opener.  This shouldn't even be a questionable policy. #saveourchildren is a popular trend for conservatives.

[marioandsonic]

19 minutes ago, cusideabelincoln said:

Fucking hell, the stat 1 in 7 children live in poverty is an eye opener.  This shouldn't even be a questionable policy. #saveourchildren is a popular trend for conservatives.

 

Conservatives only care about children that are either still in the womb or are being kidnapped by Hillary Clinton and her gang of satanic pedophiles.

[Fizzzzle]

They care about children as a philosophical concept. Those smarmy, snot nosed midgets can go fuck themselves.

[Littleronin]

5 hours ago, marioandsonic said:

 

Conservatives only care about children that are either still in the womb or are being kidnapped by Hillary Clinton and her gang of satanic pedophiles.

They don't even care about the children in the second part of that. They just care that they demonize democrats. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

 

 

 

[CitizenVectron]

Yeah I don't think people realize how big the child benefit will be.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

 

 

 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

 

 

[Joe]

2 hours ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

 

 

 

 

Schumer being good is a way crazier shock to me than Biden being good. And Biden being this good was already shocking!

[Uaarkson]

Yeah, they’re really not fucking around this time.

[marioandsonic]

Well, pass it already!

[Brian]

[SaysWho?]

35 minutes ago, marioandsonic said:

Well, pass it already!

 

Due to this being budget reconciliation since Republicans oppose a good bill, they could pass and sign it today and AFAIK we won't feel any effects until late March. 

[Guest]

Congress passed the Covid Bill 2 in December, right? It’s the second week of February and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant program doesn’t even have an application form ready. These things take time, and it sucks for those who are trying to hold on. My indoor theater will qualify for like $400k in grant money when this thing finally goes.

[Greatoneshere]

3 hours ago, ManUtdRedDevils said:

 

This. Let's go already.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

 

[PaladinSolo]

33 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said: