Federal "Hero Fund" proposed

[jesmu84]

Up to $25k for essential workers

https://www.the-sun.com/news/678192/essential-workers-25000-hazard-pay-hero-fund/

IMO, this proposal ain't going anywhere.

[tower912]

Give it to the medical staffs, paramedics and stockboys. 

[#UnleashSean]

Care home workers getting shafted again

[Jay Bee]

Care home workers getting shafted again

Isn't that what you're into?

[Hards Alumni]

Isn't that what you're into?

Breaking News at 9.  Another homosexual joke from a man who is uncomfortable with his homosexuality.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Care home workers getting shafted again

Isn't that what you're into?

I don't care about one's sexuality.

[tower912]

Care home workers getting shafted again

Give them the bonus, too.

[JWags85]

Thats a nice gesture, but maybe they should worry about properly funding the PPP program which is turning into a quagmire of epic proportions

[tower912]

Yes, the coordination there has been poor.   A recurring theme.

[Skatastrophy]

Yes, the coordination their has been poor.   A recurring theme.

Not the coordination, which was a clusterunnatural carnal knowledge. The SBA said that the PPP is out of money.

[forgetful]

Thats a nice gesture, but maybe they should worry about properly funding the PPP program which is turning into a quagmire of epic proportions

The PPP is out of money. States are out of money, and soon will not be able to pay unemployment. Hospitals are out of money and having to furlough workers/cut their pay in the middle of a crisis.

Everyone agrees that has to be fixed. Do it all now.

Not sure why this has to be a 1 or the other. These were all bipartisan initiatives.

[Hards Alumni]

The PPP is out of money. States are out of money, and soon will not be able to pay unemployment. Hospitals are out of money and having to furlough workers/cut their pay in the middle of a crisis.

Everyone agrees that has to be fixed. Do it all now.

Not sure why this has to be a 1 or the other. These were all bipartisan initiatives.

You ready for inflation?

[JWags85]

The PPP is out of money. States are out of money, and soon will not be able to pay unemployment. Hospitals are out of money and having to furlough workers/cut their pay in the middle of a crisis.

Everyone agrees that has to be fixed. Do it all now.

Not sure why this has to be a 1 or the other. These were all bipartisan initiatives.

I'm aware.  And yet another reason Ive been so wildly uncomfortable with this idea of keeping businesses closed and just let the government pick up the slack financially. Its a disaster

[forgetful]

I'm aware.  And yet another reason Ive been so wildly uncomfortable with this idea of keeping businesses closed and just let the government pick up the slack financially. Its a disaster

That's why I'm so angry about the failures on testing. From the beginning that has been the route to success, and we failed over and over again.

I know you think I'm far away from you in terms of stances (I don't think we are). Where we differ (I think), is on whether to take the gamble without testing. I think that makes things worse, I believe, you think, we're f'd either way, so might as well take a gamble. 

I can't emphasize how pissed I am at how poor we have handled testing from the get-go.

[rocky_warrior]

I'm aware.  And yet another reason Ive been so wildly uncomfortable with this idea of keeping businesses closed and just let the government pick up the slack financially. Its a disaster

Being honest, all the options are a disaster.  But keeping businesses closed temporarily is helping to slow the infection rate of a highly contagious virus - and thus save lives - and thus helping to insure enough people available to be productive in the future.  US GDP is reliant on people and productivity.  It was (and still is) a logical decision.

[JWags85]

That's why I'm so angry about the failures on testing. From the beginning that has been the route to success, and we failed over and over again.

I know you think I'm far away from you in terms of stances (I don't think we are). Where we differ (I think), is on whether to take the gamble without testing. I think that makes things worse, I believe, you think, we're f'd either way, so might as well take a gamble. 

I can't emphasize how pissed I am at how poor we have handled testing from the get-go.

I don't disagree. The delays and roadblocks in testing is beyond infuriating. We're aligned there. I just refuse to come around to a mindset that lets businesses bleed to death .

Being honest, all the options are a disaster.  But keeping businesses closed temporarily is helping to slow the infection rate of a highly contagious virus - and thus save lives - and thus helping to insure enough people available to be productive in the future.  US GDP is reliant on people and productivity.  It was (and still is) a logical decision.

That's fine. But temporarily is a wildly variable time frame and unlike you, I don't believe the government always knows what's best, especially for my business. I work in enough countries where that's the prevailing mindset to know I want no part of that.  We will get to 6-8 weeks of that closure and be told that's not good enough, "we need to keep saving lives" and that's just unacceptable to me, cause the bailout plans won't be enough, anything more added will be fiscally irresponsible and bring inflation, and those business will be wrecked anyways. 

[#UnleashSean]

This all has to end in nationalized healthcare and basic income right? I don't see any other way right now.

[Hards Alumni]

This all has to end in nationalized healthcare and basic income right? I don't see any other way right now.

Honestly, yes.  The financial ramifications of this pandemic are going to be significant.  I'm guessing there will come a time that companies will look to invest in further automation before this is over.  More people will also be working from home permanently.

[forgetful]

This all has to end in nationalized healthcare and basic income right? I don't see any other way right now.

And widespread automation instead of relying on cheap overseas labor.

[#UnleashSean]

And widespread automation instead of relying on cheap overseas labor.

Ah yes, this as well.

[rocky_warrior]

\unlike you, I don't believe the government always knows what's best, especially for my business.

Whoa!  Assigning that opinion to me is a pretty wild leap!  If anything, I think I've shown don't actually trust the government (not just this current government) to do much right.  However, I do have high *hopes* that our government will do "good" and "sensible" things. 

I also don't know your business.  A large majority of businesses are still operating - "stay at home" in theory doesn't shut them down.  But, "stay at home" has limited a huge % of service and retail businesses.   This is all on top of an economy that wasn't really humming along as well as many would have liked us to believe.

Point being, I'm not saying government is always right, but I do believe that limiting the spread of this virus should be the topmost priority right now - businesses be damned - because they'll be damned for sure if we don't. 

[JWags85]

Whoa!  Assigning that opinion to me is a pretty wild leap!  If anything, I think I've shown don't actually trust the government (not just this current government) to do much right.  However, I do have high *hopes* that our government will do "good" and "sensible" things. 

I also don't know your business.  A large majority of businesses are still operating - "stay at home" in theory doesn't shut them down.  But, "stay at home" has limited a huge % of service and retail businesses.   This is all on top of an economy that wasn't really humming along as well as many would have liked us to believe.

Point being, I'm not saying government is always right, but I do believe that limiting the spread of this virus should be the topmost priority right now - businesses be damned - because they'll be damned for sure if we don't.

The collective "you". It's not exactly a unique opinion. Good and "sensible" for who? The government to decide. That doesn't work for me.

And sure, some people can work from home, I (and others within my organization) could work remotely indefinitely if absolutely necessary, but the end user or outlet is cut off, so there's nothing to fund or work towards. Advertising, consulting, tech services...all businesses that could operate fine WFH...but all at a standstill cause they support many more who cant. My GF works for a firm who invests in and manages apartment complexes, she's been busy, same with my friends who work for CPG companies that make essential items. Everyone else, by and large, are on some level of largely scaled back or no activity, which isn't long term sustainable.

And that right there, "businesses be damned". That's a mentality or outlook that makes sense for 4-6 weeks, after that, will kill far more than this virus ever would. Look at the unemployment numbers.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

And that right there, "businesses be damned". That's a mentality or outlook that makes sense for 4-6 weeks, after that, will kill far more than this virus ever would. Look at the unemployment numbers.

I am not going to say 'no one is saying that', because there has been all kinda of comments in these threads that span the reasonable to wild.

I will say that I dont think the majority of people are saying that.  Frankly just look at that meat plant in SD.  They were essential and open.  Through willful ignorance or just ferocity of virus, they are closed because so many workers are sick.  Doesnt that just scream that these govt 'restrictions' are a red herring?  Its about detecting and controlling the virus....thats what matters

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I was reading the latest National Geographic issue on climate change.  It was written before the pandemic.  There was some mention the government for lwsy ess than the 2008 bank bailout can convert every building in the United States to super energy efficiency.  (I can't remember specifically.)
Some of these arguments will be hard to argue against now after the money being spent on the pandemic. And there is actual payback on this type of spending too.