Sasse, 3 GOP colleagues slow down $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill over jobless benefits

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Aaron Sanderford

U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and three fellow Senate Republicans are demanding changes to a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill before allowing a vote on Wednesday.

Sasse, along with Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rick Scott of Florida, say that they object to a proposed increase in unemployment benefits and that they won't allow the stimulus bill to be fast-tracked without changes.

At issue, Sasse and the others said in a joint statement, is the addition of $600 a week in federal money to state unemployment benefits, regardless of the person's previous earnings.

Their concern, Sasse told The World-Herald, is that some people could make more money on unemployment than by working at a grocery store, gas station or pharmacy, even home health aides. So, in theory, a worker might choose unemployment over a job.



Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., greets people at his 2020 reelection announcement at the Millard Airport.

ROSEANN MORING/THE WORLD-HERALD

Read more: https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/health/sasse-gop-colleagues-slow-down-trillion-coronavirus-stimulus-bill-over/article_9251e2cf-f2dc-5b2d-97b4-65e3d7cfed31.html

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But Sasse doesn't mind paying farmers not to grow crops!

[BlueIdaho]

1. Somebody beat the shit out of these guys

Republicans hate ordinary Americans - it can’t get any clearer that this.

[slumcamper]

4. Then WHY do ordinary Americans vote for them? What do WE need to do?

[BlueIdaho]

5. Ordinary Americans?

No - they hold office largely because of voter suppression and gerrymandering. Outlaw gerrymandering and restore the voting rights act and these cockroaches will scurry back into the darkness.

Do you have a better idea?

[slumcamper]

2. But those assholes toe the line for corporate & billionaire tax breaks.

Magats believe these people represent their interests.

How is this possible?

Could it have anything to do with the need for us to up our political and policy messaging game???

Or is there something else?

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Collecting unemployment plus $1200?

Do all adults get $1200, or only those who actually paid taxes or got a refund. They usually find a way to make sure the poorest Americans get nothing.

[Turin_C3PO]

6. From what I understand,

all adults get $1200 each and $500 for each kid. This also includes those on Social Security and disability. If you make more than $75,000 then you get a smaller check. Someone correct me if I’m wrong on this.

[cstanleytech]

8. If I am understanding it correctly yes you can get the money even while collecting unemployment.

What I do not get is the Republicans whining over it since its not a permanent amount that will be given out to people every month and the same goes for increasing the unemployment benefits a little since once a person runs out of that they are SOL.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Republicans have lost this round

Anything they do is inadequate to the economic collapse. They are trying to avoid any commitment to additional payments. But there will be a lot of enthusiasm to continue this for 2-3 months, or more. They are opting for a jump start, but the whole wiring system needs replacement. They would have been better off with payments of 80% of wages up to a certain amount, but for several months.

Republicans are obsessed with ending the Trump economic collapse ASAP, and ending the pandemic ASAP, all for Trump's reelection campaign. By thinking quick and dirty, once and done, no more problems because we control the PR spin, they are driving their bus off a cliff. The twin pathogens of COVID-19 and looming Depression will sink them in November.

[cstanleytech]

7. No, this has nothing to do with a legit concern but rather it has everything to do with them being

giant douchebags.

[DENVERPOPS]

9. Exactly

The Republicans probably had these objections planned all along with no reason except to continue to muck things up and slow down the relief to a crawl.

FUCKING COCKSUCKING WORTHLESS MAGGOT PIECES OF SUB HUMAN EXCREMENT.........THEY ARE A FASCIST TYRANNY ALREADY.

How can a few piss ants yield enough power to stop this all on their own, without the rest of the Republican Senate being in on it????
I'm not the least bit religious, but I sure hope there is some sort of Judgement Day for the thousands of these fuckers that have destroyed this nation, and gloated while doing it. What a bunch of truly SICK excuses for human beings........
Their objections are nothing but pure pandering to the rich to get their continued backing for their continued plundering and pillaging everyone and anyone in the lower 99%.

[SunSeeker]

13. Yup. nt

[roamer65]

10. Time for UBI.

Universal Basic Income.

[Ponietz]

11. Bizarro World--the day began with "White House and Senate reach agreement"

and Schumer’s enthusiastic statement of support.

[lees1975]

12. What? Griping about unemployment benefits when they are giving $500 billion to corporate interests?

You've got to be kidding.

[SunSeeker]

14. They have no shame, nor sense of irony. nt

[PatrickforO]

15. And yet, they wanted to give Mnuchin $500 billion for corporate welfare

without any oversight.

But if someone laid off from a minimum wage job gets a lousy $600 a week extra for 26 weeks, the sky will fall because we'd be giving money away to wage earners instead of corporations and billionaires. This is my call to my US Senators tomorrow.

[mr_lebowski]

16. This is a legitimate concern ... that's $2500 a month EXTRA for unemployment ...

That's on top of what people already get for it, which I think is normally 800-1800/month or thereabouts.

There will indeed be a significant % people who aren't going look for work when there's a $40K/year job (about $20/hour) doing nothing available to them.

I'm not saying don't help people but that's a LOT of dough to many people, and a LOT of them will do exactly what they're suggesting.

Should be a bump based on a % of what you're already getting, like an extra 60% or whatnot. MHO.

I mean, F*** these guys, of course ... just on general principle. But this isn't a totally illegitimate concern ... you don't want 'not working' to be a MUCH better gig than 'working' even in these times. Paying people $40k/year (not to mention the money you save in gas and wear/tear on your vehicle) to do nothing is not something you want to do lightly.

Flame away ...

[NickB79]

18. Is this a short-term payout, or continuous?

I can see your point if it's continuous, but no one will quit a job if these extra payments only last a month or two.

[maxrandb]

19. Hmm, wonder why when Retrumplicans do this they are "slowing down"

If it's Democrats, it's "blocking"?

Nah, I'm sure this is just an oversight on the part of our corporate media.