Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

The Democrats' bill, which is more than 1000 pages long, would prevent corporations from using taxpayer money for stock buybacks, boost unemployment insurance, strengthen the child tax and earned income tax credits, and inject nearly $40 billion into schools and universities to stabilize funding.

It also directs billions in grant funding for states to carry out this year's election through the Election Assistance Commission.

You quoting the D talking points or something?

C'mon.

Yeah, quote the Republican talking points instead. Joe Manchin and Jon Tester are withholding sorely needed funding for hospitals in their states because they are demanding tax credits for solar panels and lower airplane emissions.

[iam416]

Instead of the D talking points...try things...https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/...Worst%20Reason

The Senate bill was put together in a bipartisan fashion. I know this because Chuck Schumer was on cable television telling me it was. But apparently House speaker Nancy Pelosi controls the Senate as well, as she flew back from California on Sunday and sank the agreement. The bill is already filled with goodies for Democrats, $100 billion going straight to hospitals, and all kinds of government interventions. She wants more. According to Townhall

And...

Clyburn gave the game away. He knows it. We all know. To paraphrase him, this tragedy is a chance to remake America in the D's vision. That's why we're here.

[iam416]

One minute Schumer is claiming that they're almost done with a bipartisan bill. Then Pelosi chimes in and they won't even vote on anything, including Amendments. The Ds COMPLETELY BLOCK the legislative process. Not voting against the bill, but againt even debating it and improving it (from their perspective). Fuck them.

[Dr. Strangelove]

One minute Schumer is claiming that they're almost done with a bipartisan bill. Then Pelosi chimes in and they won't even vote on anything, including Amendments. The Ds COMPLETELY BLOCK the legislative process. Not voting against the bill, but againt even debating it and improving it (from their perspective). Fuck them.

From McConnell's perspective at least part of his frustration and anger is probably directed at the White House, Trump, Mnuchin, whomever, because he keeps getting undercut anytime the Dems say "we want to negotiate" and Mnuchin says "what will it take to get your vote?"...

Almost everything on the floor is theater today. Reporting suggests things are much calmer & cooler behind closed doors.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Completely missed this yesterday but the NYPD has almost 100 members who've tested positive (70 uniformed officers, 28 civilians). They had double the usual number calling off sick. They say staffing isn't an issue yet but man...how many more must be quarantining?

https://nypost.com/2020/03/22/nypds-covid-19-cases-near-100-as-hundreds-more-cops-call-out-sick/

[Whitley]

Olympics have been postponed unclear to what date they are postponing it to.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Boris Johnson pretty much locking down all Britain as I speak. Very similar to the stay in place orders being issued here but to last at least 3 weeks.

[iam416]

Known infections are currently at roughly 375,000. That's about 0.0047% of the world population. And we're supposed to up to at least 40% -- so....good times ahead.

[froot loops]

My wife now has to work midnights to oversee/train all the nurses who are either new or new to ICU. The hospital is running out of room to open additional units. Anybody who thinks that they can ease.the social distancing in the next couple weeks is living in lala land.

[Dr. Strangelove]

[iam416]

[Whitley]

Whitmer issues a stay in place order effective at midnight until 4/13

[Jeff Buchanan]

Yeah, the discord in the Congress as it is being portrayed by the press is an embarrassment. I'm inclined to think that the discord between key players is less than it is portrayed to be. I do believe there are significant differences between the two sides ...... I also tend to think that the WH, as DSL points out, may be causing issues as Trump sends Munchin down to the Senate to kabitz or play hard ball, Trump style the purpose of that being to win votes to the R side so he can look good.

First, Pelosi isn't going to buy that with the relationship between those two. Second, I really doubt Trump knows about, let alone understands what is being debated. It's all about Trump being the tough guy and getting the credit for making a deal and bailing out the US economy regardless of the fine points of the two bills the two sides are probably arguing about.

I do agree though with talent, WTF does anything in the Green New Deal or increasing employee bargaining power have to do with a fiscal stimulus package. Jeebus. If the Ds are trying to push some hidden shit through involving labor rights or the environment, fuck them....... I also wish I knew enough about procedural rules and steps to get legislation passed such as, isn't there a way to limit stuff that isn't pertinent to the stimulus package being added to the legislation?

I do have issues with the reporting (surprise) becasue details are missing. Like I said up thread, I'm not going to read that 1000 page document Pelosi supposedly came up with and line by line compare it to McConnell's bill. Some hot dog analyst in the private sector ought to be doing that and providing a bulletized brief to the public so we can know exactly what it is that the Ds and Rs disagree on and take our own positions on them.

Until that happens I'm grabbing a bag of popcorn

[Whitley]

Part of the problem is that McConnell is binding the two things both sides agree on (cutting checks and Small Business Loans) with the corporate bail outs.

Who needs help right now? Working class people and Small Businesses. The corporate businesses (the large ones) are not going to go belly up in a week or two. Break these things apart and get American people the help they need.

Now, for the corporate bailouts there had better be a good number of strings attached to that money.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'd be very careful with the term "corporate bailouts." That's lefty talk.

Can you tell me exactly what it is in the two bills that involves providing government support in the form of helicopter cash, loans, tax breaks or other financial guarantees .... I mean specifically and if there are or are not any "strings attached" as you call them in either bill. I have no idea and I'm not sure you do either. That's the problem for us sitting out here in the cheap seats.