https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-unveils-heals-act-gop-coronavirus-relief-bill

It looks like the senate Republicans have unveiled their plan for the next round of stimulus.

It would...

Add another $1200 stimulus

Extend additional unemployment benefits at a decrease from $600 per week to $200 per week through the first week of October, at which point it would be expected that states would cover 70% of the former wage.

Grant businesses, hospitals, churches, etc. protection from liability for covid infections

Allocate $16 billion for COVID testing, $20 billion for vaccine development, $20 billion to farmers, and $30 billion to military and defense bases.



What do you guys think? Personally I think it's not necessary to have liability protection for businesses, as it would already be a very high bar to prove they caused the infections. I also think it's pretty lackluster. We heard for weeks that they needed to research what worked and what didn't, and go from there, but it seems like something they could have rolled out weeks ago and there isn't anything special that resulted from their "additional research".

This is just a R mandate.. Any time money goes out the most goes HERE>
no questions please

Route the stimulus into unemployment benefits instead of reducing unemployment benefits.

As much as people appreciate some of our hard earned tax dollars back it should be going to who needs it. I have friends out of work with small kids and they're being told to just stay inside.

People who need welfare should get welfare, people who don't need it shouldn't get it, those who can avoid welfare should. We shouldn't deviate from that principle.

Lesson money to military and move it to farmers.

Priorities are fucked up in this bill.

This post was edited by Skinned on Jul 28 2020 05:41am

At this rate were going to spend our entire GDP just in stimulus this year. China is going to overtake us within five years at this rate.

China... spends its entire GDP in stimulus and that’s why they’re overtaking us.

If we went fucking bonkers on spending and put it into science, renewables, infrastructure, and STEM training we would quickly become a world leader in all forms of technology and manufacturing.

Too bad we'll spend it all on handouts and incentives for businesses not to fix core problems in our economy.

This post was edited by Thor123422 on Jul 28 2020 11:09am

military payout is odd, as well as farmer stimulus.

farming especially, given that it's never shut down and social distancing is easily done so they dont require many changes. that and in a food shortage futures on all crops/livestock was already up.

stim check, meh, ok ill take it.

as to liability, i dont like that morally, but legally it would be a nightmare for courts to settle as many disputes as people would raise. only people who win there are the lawyers, as not many cases would win.

overall tho, just another band aid fix with a not so bright future with regards to cases. all heading into election time.

never did i think i'd see the day when a president would end around the CDC, whether you think this is foul play by POTUS or the CDC doesn't matter. we're in some bleak times.

Wait. Do you just get stimulus cheques even if you didn't lose your job as a direct result of the virus?

If that is the case wouldn't or shouldn't it get clawed back if you make above a median level of income?

I don't give much attention to the USA's stim plan.

This post was edited by SBD on Jul 28 2020 11:20am

americans have been brainwashed to accept corporate payouts for only massive businesses who payout profits rather than saving for a rainy day, while also being upset if a homeless person gets a stim check but an investment banker worth 1m$ doesn't. but also we somehow accept that corporations are people via citizens united in terms of their political contributions.

we could solve the issue of social security solvency, at least in the short term, by taking payments away from people with a large retirement savings that dont even need s.s. But the "i paid in i deserve my check even if i blow it on a new boat" crowd always wins out.

there are so many issues we could solve by separating people into groups, but we don't. and then if u want to lump people together for insurance that's a problem too. its fucked tbh.

What a miserable system and precedent.

In Canada for instance if you become unemployed as a result of being laid off (cannot be dismissal for misconduct) you are eligible for employment benefits if you meet certain criteria like you have worked 400 hours in the year. If you make above a threshold set every year by the Canadian Gov't any EI above that amount will be clawed back on your income tax return so there is no benefit to applying unless its purely for cash flow timing since its all getting paid back. I believe that threshold is around 63K of taxable income this year (EI is included in taxable income). If that didn't exist it would be easily exploitable by those who don't need it and seasonal workers who would just claim they were laid off for the season and they could claim EI for the rest of the year.

Our CERB benefit which is our COVID-19 benefit is limited to those who have been dismissed or lost the majority of their income as a direct result of COVID-19. Specifically if you lost your job or make less than $1,000 in a four week period as a result of COVID. If you earn more than $1,000 in a four week period you are not eligible for CERB.

I, someone who makes 4x the average Canadian earnings would never expect to be given any type of benefit. It would be abusive to our system. I have one group of individuals who are all high earners that I frequently toss ideas around with, not one person has ever complained.

Its amazing the society differences based on precedents we set. The contrast of attitudes between American high earners , if what you say is reflective of the average high earner, and the attitudes of a Canadian high earner.

This post was edited by SBD on Jul 28 2020 11:42am