Greg Abbott announces Texas will opt out of the extra $300 per week federal unemployment benefit

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Greg is an asshole

Link to tweet

[CincyDem]

1. What's amazing about this is it costs the state nothing.

I’m sure his argument is “pro business” in pushing folks back to work at lower wages.

All to make Biden look bad...or at least to not let the federal government look good.

Someone should be running ads in these states telling Texans, Ohioans, whomever about all the thing residents of California, Connecticut or Virginia are doing with their extra 300 bucks.

Closing line...ask governor Abbott where your 300 is.

[Cheezoholic]

34. It's not just the 300 extra bucks...

Most folks that are unemployed long term through this are on either PUEC or PUA, both federal programs to cover folks who've gone beyond the normal state UI time limits. You are correct that the 300 bucks costs the states nothing but also folks on the other two programs cost the states nothing. As a matter of fact the states actually get paid to implement all of those programs for the time and the cost to upgrade their systems to deal with the programs. The biggest issue, and the smoke and mirrors game, is these states are saying they are ending the extra 300 bucks. What the public is not being informed of is folks who are on PUEC and PUA federal programs also get dropped. That means since they've already drawn all of the state UI they can they not only lose the extra 300 bucks they lose the regular UI payments that the feds picked up for them after they exceeded the state limits. They go from something to absolutely zero with no chance for any relief again unless they can work for at least 6 months FULL TIME.
Last month the Dept. of Labor determined that 25% of current unemployed individuals are bringing home more with these programs than they were before job loss. 75% are bringing home less. The PUA program is for small business-gig workers who don't normally qualify and the estimate is 90% of them are bringing home significantly less than pre-pandemic.
This is all Rocket Ronnie welfare queen bullshit. The unemployment rate here in Indiana is at or below pre-pandemic levels yet they are mulling following suit with the other red states using the same excuse, nobody wants to work. Well that wasn't a problem in October of 2019 when the unemployment rate was what it is now. The Repukes were bragging about having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country back then. Now it's a problem? Fucking typical Repuke bullshit.

[czarjak]

2. Tell us more about The Rich White Guy Party wanting to be the party of the working class though...

Did Dannie Scott Goeb advise on this, Cruel Boy?

[Blue Owl]

4. Well he doesn't need it, why should anyone else?

[maxsolomon]

5. It's happening everywhere there's a GOP Guvnur.

As usual, trying to look like a hard ass.

[doc03]

6. What will happen to that money? Does it stay in federal

budget or does the state do as they please with it?

[Yavin4]

21. Some want to re-purpose unused CARES act money to help fund Biden's infrastructure programs.

Which is fine with me.

[world wide wally]

7. Do Texas voters have any clue what is going on?

How thick can they be?

[world wide wally]

11. I wish you lots of luck and offer these encouraging words...

Remember the Alamo!

[BannonsLiver]

16. Texas voters? Oh, they'll love it.

Or enough of them to allow Abbott to cruise to re election anyway.

[Politicub]

10. Stealing money from the pockets of the citizens. GQP is a sickness.

[GemDigger]

12. It is safe to say that every single R governor will do the same

across the the country. They all get the governors daily memo on how to screw the people today. Tomorrow will be another memo.

[crickets]

13. Why are states allowed to do this?

This is as frustrating as when states turn down the ACA Medicaid expansion. (Thanks, GA. ) It's petty, partisan meanness that interferes with federal monies and hurts people that the federal government is trying to help. I know it's probably a naive question, but why are states allowed to override a federal decision this way?

[dalton99a]

14. A goddamn asshole.

[gldstwmn]

15. This will help us turn TX blue.

[BannonsLiver]

17. It's more likely he'll be re elected.

I’m sure this was focused grouped to death.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. Greg has spent almost his entire career working for the government.

Link to tweet

[Skittles]

19. Abbott is a clueless, out of touch piece of GOP SHIT

utterly DISGUSTING

[spanone]

20. the gqp are heartless.

Irony is it will impact the magats

[Yavin4]

22. Texans keep voting for Republicans again and again.

They should be use to this by now.

[blogslug]

23. The 3-headed hydra of TX state government:

Abbott, Patrick and Paxton. The GOP legislature is its ass.

[Xolodno]

24. Their argument is....

...the extra FEDERAL money is stopping people from returning to work. That being, its cheaper to stay home than get a job. Here's the thing, without any data or looking at any, I'm going to bet than many people who got unemployed during the pandemic got some skills via online courses, finished their degree's, etc.

Now they may not be high paying jobs, but I bet its better than being a waiter or waitress, particularly when things haven't fully recovered. Many people have a hard time getting new job skills, degree's etc. when they are working 50-60 hour weeks, the pandemic may just have been the catalyst to allow them to move up a bit.

[TexLaProgressive]

25. If the enhanced unemployment benefit is keeping people from seeking work

perhaps the best option of the rPukes (like a dog they return to their own vomit) would be to support minimum wage hikes. For that matter the employers could do that on their own. Nah! they like their slaves grovelling.

[Ford_Prefect]

26. GOP is the party of Death to anyone not rich enough to own one.

[forthemiddle]

27. Indiana is doing the same effective June 19th

But they also announced that they are bringing back the 26 week maximum, and will no longer cover those that traditionally weren’t eligible for unemployment, independent contractors, self employed, etc.
Are the other states going that far?

[Historic NY]

28. They need people to take minumum wage jobs...

@7.25 per hour, they have saving of paying 290.00 per 40 hr work week.



[link:https://www.replicon.com/resource/minimum-wage-in-texas/|

[Mr.Bill]

31. I was going to say, Texas has a very low minimum wage

and a higher percentage of their jobs paying that wage than any other state.

[XanaDUer2]

29. unemployed Abbott voters

your take on this?

[RicROC]

30. if the Federal government happens to have a list of those unemployed workers,

Prez Biden should send them the $300 in an envelope with his letterhead.

[Major Nikon]

32. He's not in prison yet?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. Greg is an idiot

Link to tweet

[calimary]

35. Let's make sure to remind EVERYBODY: who denied them their money

from now until the next election!

And who refused to help them when they really needed help getting back on their feet as the pandemic wound down.

AND speaking of which, let’s ALSO keep reminding EVERYBODY, from now til the next election, who approved that money to help them through such a difficult time.

Republicans DON’T want to help you, America. They MUCH prefer comforting the already-comfortable.