Trump hasn't yet released disaster unemployment funds

[left-of-center2012]

Source: Politico

The three states that President Donald Trump has formally declared coronavirus disaster areas have not received the disaster unemployment assistance that they expected to follow that designation.

New York, California and Washington state all requested access to several aid programs provided under a disaster declaration, including disaster unemployment assistance, which allows workers who aren't eligible for traditional unemployment benefits, like Uber drivers and other gig economy workers, to receive 26 weeks' unemployment benefits if their job loss is attributable to a disaster that eliminates their job or keeps them from reaching their job site. To receive disaster employment assistance, a state must be declared a disaster area by the president.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which, in conjunction with the Labor Department, manages the program that disburses disaster unemployment assistance, said that "federal emergency aid has been made available" when the president issued the three "major disaster" declarations on March 20 for New York and March 22 for California and Washington state.

But the disaster unemployment benefits, arguably the most crucial funds freed up by a disaster declaration, were not made available, even as Goldman Sachs estimated that jobless claims nationwide rose last week by more than 2 million, "a roughly ninefold increase over the pre-virus level." The Labor Department will release its tally for the week ending March 21 on Thursday.




Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/24/trump-disaster-unemployment-funds-147404

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The only aid the Trump administration has yet released as a result of the three disaster declarations is for “crisis counseling.”
Funds made available through a disaster declaration require separate approval, and are released at the discretion of the executive branch.

[SummerSnow]

1. He isn't in my opinion. He's talking about opening the country back by Easter.

[ananda]

2. Boy he's mean and vindictive.

I've never seen anything like this.

He really hates blue states and officials who
make him look bad!

That's what makes him a serial killer in broad daylight.

[elleng]

4. yes

[elleng]

3. New York, California and Washington state,

anything in common???

[cstanleytech]

10. You mean other than Trump still being butt hurt over not being worshiped there? Nahhhh

[Eliot Rosewater]

5. He explained this, it is here somewhere on twitter, he said unless they treat him nicely he wont

help them.

Yes, he said that.

[2naSalit]

6. This?

Trump: If states want federal gov't help, "they have to treat us well."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213166964

[flibbitygiblets]

13. As a native west coaster, Trump can kiss our collective ass

[thenelm1]

7. Not to be too cynical (and obvious), but beyond being epicenters for the current disease outbreak...

what else do these 3 states have in common?

(Hint: He lost all three states in 2016.) Is he that petty? He's clashed with all three of the state govs already. Multiple times with California at the least. And he just made some asshole comment about the Washington gov (Inslee?) last week.

I have no doubt that he is that nasty and despicable to withhold funds to his perceived "enemies". (And to think the pubbie Senate initially wanted to give him an unaccountable 500 billion dollar "slush fund" as a "stimulus" package? What could go wrong with that?)

[tanyev]

8. They're getting Ukrained.

[mtngirl47]

9. He's a shit. n/t

[slumcamper]

11. ENOUGH. Time to grab the pitchforks!

Where o' where is Robespierre?!

"Terror is only justice...prompt, severe, and inflexible. It is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing wants of the country."

Sigh...this is simply infuriating. We must depose this orange blight...in November.

[Warpy]

12. They might have to blast them loose with dynamite

All that money and he can't do anything but try to figure out how he's going to grab some of it.

[Javaman]

14. I believe that the orange asshole believe that money is actually HIS money.

and that's why he won't release it.

I think he really believes that.

[Hugin]

15. Old Yeller has indicated he isn't going to until they lay some wet slurpy kisses on his orange...

blubbery backside.

Probably in the form of some re-election insurance. Because, THAT IS ALL HE CARES ABOUT!

gah!

[MissMillie]

16. What favor is he expecting in exchange for doing so? (n/t)

.