Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Let me file that under fuck it.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Even though I know this is a bad idea, I’m off to do it anyway!

Shut up, hissy kitty!

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Maybe you would prefer that we take Joelle’s side in ALL CAPS?

In my day, never was longer.

Republicans in disarray!

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

“Cheese and Kraken paired together for the appetizer trial.”

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

It’s not hopeless, and we’re not helpless.

It’s easier to kill a dangerous animal than a man who just happens to have different thoughts/values than one’s own.

If West Virginia and San Francisco had a love child.

I conferred with the team and they all agree – still not tired of winning!

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

This fight is for everything.

You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / All the politicians making crazy sounds and all the dead bodies piling up in mounds

All the politicians making crazy sounds and all the dead bodies piling up in mounds

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This post is in: ,

It’s not just Richard Burr, there’s another Republican Senator trying to make a buck off the suffering and possible deaths of millions of Americans:

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) reported the first sale of stock jointly owned by her and her husband on Jan. 24, the very day that her committee, the Senate Health Committee, hosted a private, all-senators briefing from administration officials, including the CDC director and Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institutes of Health of the United States, on the coronavirus.

I doubt the press will make much of this story. If Michael Bloomberg wanted to make himself useful, he’d run an eight-figure ad buy at these assholes. He won’t though.

It’s a given that neither Burr nor Loeffler will face any real consequences for this. But I hope we can run them out of office.

I’m a bit hesitant to do any fundraising right now with all the worthy causes in need of help, but if you do want to, you can click through here to the Democratic Senate nominee funds for Georgia (there are two, this is the Special Election one) and North Carolina.

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Reader Interactions

136Comments

  1. 1.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Ooohhh, thank your God that I’m not aware
    And thank God that I just don’t care
    And I guess I just don’t know
    And I guess I just don’t know

  2. 2.

    Jeanisdead

    Burr’s seat doesn’t reopen until 2022. And although the current governor of North Carolina is a Democrat, state law requires that a replacement Senator be from the same party as the Senator whose seat was vacated.

  4. 4.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

     doubt the press will make much of this story. If Michael Bloomberg wanted to make himself useful, he’d run an eight-figure ad buy at these assholes. He won’t though.

    It’s a given that neither Burr nor Loeffler will face any real consequences for this

    Serious question: why do you think this? Isn’t this overly pessimistic?

  7. 7.

    Hunter Gathers

    If this had happened back in 2011 when Feinstein was in Burr’s position, Obama would have been impeached within 15 minutes of publication.

     

    Burr and Loeffler will soon be be praised by Dana Bash.

  8. 8.

    Mike in NC

    Seems like about 9 weeks after the first coronavirus case was reported in the US, a majority of FOX News viewers still think it a hoax. It might well burn through The Villages like a Hollywood wildfire. Until today most Florida beaches were swarming with Spring Breakers.

  10. 10.

    Mike in NC

    Somebody posted that Burr claims to be retiring in 2022, but predicated on Fat Bastard being defeated in November, I guess.

  11. 11.

    sdhays

    @Hunter Gathers: Loeffler is on the ballot in an already competitive election. And Georgia actually has two Senate seats up for grabs. This could potentially end up costing the Republicans 2 seats in Georgia and one in North Carolina if voters associate Tillis with Burr.

  12. 12.

    C Stars

    @Mike in NC: just found out tonight that my SIL is still planning to take a 5-hour flight (with kids) to visit her 73-year-old parents on the East Coast. Next week. She’s full of good intentions, except, I guess, when it comes to having to change her plans.

  15. 15.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @C Stars:

    No offense, but that’s very foolish of your SIL. One of my other uncles is going flying to Florida this Saturday to help his elderly father move back to Ohio. I have to wonder if domestic flights will be curtailed soon

  17. 17.

    joel hanes

    Kelly Loeffler is married, IIRC, to the head of the New York Stock Exchange, and the couple is worth over half a billion dollars.

    So of course it was critical that she protect a few million from the stock market plunge she knew was coming because of the information she learned in a confidential government briefing.  Because if they were reduced to a hundred million, that would be penury.

  22. 22.

    Martin

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Because it’s up to Barr to prosecute them, and they’re not going to give up those seats.

    McConnell is asking federal judges to retire so he can fill their seats. Trump is willing to kill 5% of the country to stay in power. They’re not going to let some insider trading fuck up the plan.

  23. 23.

    sdhays

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t think we have nominees yet (they just pushed back the primary), but I think Loeffler’s challenger is a charismatic minister personally recruited by none other than Stacy Abrams herself.

  24. 24.

    Mary G

    I don’t know anything about this account, but he seems to be going through and evaluating every state’s senators, and he doesn’t think highly of David Perdue from Georgia, either.

    If I were @sendavidperdue I would be speed dialing DC SEC attorneys Right Booking NOW
    His March 2020 “transaction” report 82 individual transactions
    2/24/2020 = FIFTY ONE TRANSACTIONS
    Sell- Red = Caesars Entertainment Corp
    Buy – Blue – Big Bio Pharmahttps://t.co/Lu25tZnS5r pic.twitter.com/3ZZXQfvhDd
    — File411 (@File411) March 20, 2020

  25. 25.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Martin:

    Because it’s up to Barr to prosecute them, and they’re not going to give up those seats.

    Why not just hound Barr then? Make his life a living hell until he does the right thing

  26. 26.

    Mandalay

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Serious question: why do you think this? Isn’t this overly pessimistic?

    More like overly realistic.

    Loeffler is married to the Chairman of the NYSE (a notable and odd omission from her Wikipedia  entry), so there is no way Bloomberg is going to fuck with her. And if he won’t fuck with her then how can he go after Burr?

    Besides, I’m sure that there will be others – possibly Democrats – who come crawling out of the woodwork. Bloomberg would (rightly) get pilloried if he selectively targeted the profiteers.

  27. 27.

    sdhays

    @Mandalay: I believe Bloomberg hates Dump. I don’t believe he sees the Republican Senate majority as the existential threat that it is. I agree with what you say except the part where he doesn’t want to be criticized for not going after Democrats. I don’t think he would give that a second thought.

  28. 28.

    C Stars

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I’m livid. She’s putting my spouse’s parents and my children’s grandparents at risk. I won’t ever think of her the same way again. Anyway, yes, I do hope leisure travel is closed down soon.

  30. 30.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Mandalay:

    Loeffler is married to the Chairman of the NYSE (a notable and odd omission from her Wikipedia entry), so there is no way Bloomberg is going to fuck with her. And if he won’t fuck with her then how can he go after Burr?

    What powers does the Chairman of the NYSE have? Surely a man as rich as Bloomberg wouldn’t care and how would Loeffler’s husband (I presume) retaliate without drawing attention? It would look sketchy as hell

  31. 31.

    Martin

    Good news about that $1T GOP stimulus

    An early analysis showed the vast majority of middle class people would receive the cash payment, but the percentage doing so falls dramatically toward the bottom of the income distribution. About 22 million people earning under $40,000 a year would see no benefit under the GOP plan, according to an initial analysis by Ernie Tedeschi, a former Obama administration economist.

    So, the cash payments are going to salaried people like me, who aren’t being laid off, rather than the hourly workers who are.

    Great plan, GOP. Give money to everyone except those that really need it.

  33. 33.

    hilts

    Addendum to Cole’s “Send this Motherfucker to Jail”

     

    We’ve got ourselves a second motherfucker:

     

    The Daily Beast reports that Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) — who is married to Jeffrey Sprecher, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and CEO of the business services company Intercontinental Exchange — attended a classified briefing about the coronavirus in late January. On that same day, she sold somewhere between $50,001 and $100,000 worth of stock from Resideo Technologies.

     

    h/t https://www.mediaite.com/politics/second-republican-senator-reportedly-sold-off-stock-holdings-ahead-of-coronavirus-market-plummet/

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/sen-kelly-loeffler-dumped-millions-in-stock-after-coronavirus-briefing

  34. 34.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Martin:

    Are you fucking serious?! Pelosi should tell the GOP to pound sand on this stupid plan. What happened to every adult getting $1000?

  35. 35.

    Mandalay

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    so why would Bloomberg spend the money if there’s no political advantage

    Well you’re right – he probably wouldn’t. We’re just shooting the breeze because DougJ tossed it out as a thought in the OP.

  36. 36.

    mrmoshpotato

    Allow me to fire up the Punch You Rethuglican Trash In The Face-inator!

    It runs on anger and disgust.  (And has no self-destruct button.)

  37. 37.

    Mary G

    Horrific story in the Hill:

    A CEO of a Georgia-based hospital on Wednesday said the supplier of a protective mask critical for health care workers treating COVID-19 patients is charging $7 for the masks that typically cost 58 cents.

    “We were just looking at sourcing these at a company out of Mexico,” Scott Steiner, CEO of Phoebe Putney Health System, said in an appearance on CNN’s “At This Hour with Kate Bouldan,” referring to the N95 masks.

    “They want $7 per mask, they’ve got a million of them on hand. And this is a mask that would normally cost us 58 cents.”

    “But I would tell you, we’re probably going to go ahead and take them for $7 each because we’re that desperate,” Steiner said.

  38. 38.

    danielx

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Make his life a living hell until he does the right thing

    Whatever makes you think that William Barr is now or ever going to do the right thing – the right thing as perceived by any reasonably decent person, that is to say? Fat bastard is probably sitting in his office this instant researching every near-plausible excuse for postponing the November election. He sure as shit is not going to permit the filing of insider trading charges against a couple of Republican senators.

    William Barr doing anything, never mind the right thing, for any reason other than the wishes of Donald Trump…well, really….

  41. 41.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Alan Rappeport@arappeport· 3h
    Pelosi/Schumer on Senate GOP relief plan: “We are beginning to review Senator McConnell’s proposal and on first reading, it is not at all pro-worker and instead puts corporations way ahead of workers.”

  42. 42.

    Mandalay

    @Mary G:

    Perdue’s transactions look really, really bad – very conveniently selling casino stock and buying drug companies???!!!

    The only thing saving him is that he also bought stock in Delta. His lawyer will probably argue that Perdue isn’t a crook but simply dumber than a door knob.

    Case dismissed!

  44. 44.

    danielx

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    No offense intended, seriously. But depending on or even thinking about William Barr doing the right thing under these circumstances or any circumstances, for that matter, is…misguided.

  50. 50.

    Mary G

    NBA PLAYER: *gets access to a coronavirus test*
    SENATOR: *uses inside info to sell stocks before the market crashes*
    NORMAL PERSON: *trades family heirloom for black market toilet paper*
    — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 20, 2020

  51. 51.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @danielx:

    Probably not on his own initiative, unless coerced, I’d assume. Sometimes you just gotta believe evil people will get their just deserts and work towards that becoming a reality. The best way to do that I reckon is electing Biden and turning Congress completely blue

  52. 52.

    bluehill

    @Mary G: Just skimming the list transactions, Perdue was also buying Delta Airlines, Devon Energy (shale gas), Dupont (chemicals) and Disney. These stocks have all been hit pretty hard. Can’t say he wasn’t trying to make money off inside info or maybe he’s a long-term investor, but either way he’s not a good short-term trader.

  53. 53.

    Mallard Filmore

    @Mandalay: Its easy to fix.  Have a nice Democrat suddenly change parties and appoint him/her.  After all, several people have done that recently in order to run for President.

  54. 54.

    Martin

    Peak capitalism

    So, the government is bidding against the government for supplies. So, minimal efficiency in distribution combined with maximal cost. Good job everyone.

  56. 56.

    Tom Q

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: As I understand it, if it happens soon enough, whichever Republican is appointed will have to stand for election THIS year, not wait till 2022.  (He or she would then have to run again in two years.)

    North Carolina is clearly a competitive state, and the November electoral situation is looking like a hellscape for GOPers.  The chance of picking off both seats in NC is a golden opportunity for Dems, and would greatly increase their chances of capturing Senate control.  If they could put Ron Johnson’s seat up as well ( I don’t know the details on his trades), all the better.

  57. 57.

    Calouste

    @Mandalay: I think there is going to be fall out on the NYSE if the spouse of the chairman is engaged in insider trading. I doubt he will last very long in that position. I mean, it’s not that they are screwing over the rubes, everyone does that there. They’re screwing over other rich people. Same thing that became a problem for Bernie Madoff.

  58. 58.

    Mandalay

    @Mandalay:

    Imhofe got some ‘splainin’ to do!

    • Imhofe received the confidential briefing about shit getting ugly real fast on Friday, January 24.
    • On Monday, January 27 he sold five stocks with a combined value of somewhere between $180,000 and $400,000.

    These fuckers know that their transactions are going to become public. Are they so cocooned that they just don’t care, or are they so up themselves that they truly believe that they didn’t do anything wrong?

  59. 59.

    hells littlest angel

    @Jeanisdead: Is there anything to stop a North Carolina Democrat from “switching” parties? Get appointed as a Republican, vote with the Democrats, and switch parties again at election time.

  60. 60.

    Mary G

    @Mandalay: The devil is in the details –

    Sen. Dianne Feinstein disclosed that her husband, Richard C. Blum, sold a biotech stock in January, when it was trading near its 2020 intraday lows.

    The cancer research stock he sold rose after he sold it at $21.28. It was up to $27.00 at the end of February.

    In response to a request for comment on the transaction, Sen. Feinstein’s office provided the statement that she “has no involvement whatsoever in her husband’s financial and business decisions aside from the Senate’s routine reporting requirements.”

    So not really the same thing.

  61. 61.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Martin:

    Trump earlier Thursday repeated his belief that the onus should be on the states — and not the federal government — to obtain needed equipment to combat the pandemic, saying his administration is not a “shipping clerk” for the supplies that could potentially save lives.

    I hate this man so much. He’s such a lazy fuck. And a coward. Outsourcing the pandemic response to the states and pretending that he’s doing something

  62. 62.

    BR

    @Thaddeu:

    I don’t get why the California order isn’t available anywhere — the link in Newsom’s tweet goes to the main state page which has nothing about the stay at home order…

  64. 64.

    Calouste

    @Mandalay: Feinstein could do something useful there and resign after dragging this a bit more in the spotlight, to set an example. It’s not like we’re going to lose that seat.
    Oh, and one piece of wisdom from my gran  for all these Senators: you can’t take your money with you when you die.

  65. 65.

    Brachiator

    All these GOP scumbags think that they can grift it like Donald.

    Too bad they can’t claim executive privilege.

  66. 66.

    The Dangerman

    @Cacti:

    So how is that going to work for the 150,000 homeless?

    There was a rumor going around that Newsom was going to rent out 110,000 motel/hotel rooms for homeless and hospital. I can tell you that I have a contact in the hotel industry that kinda confirms it. Same contact also wants absofuckingnothing to do with the homeless and the sick. I suspect lawyers will be paid well to get it resolved.

  69. 69.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Link?

    NVM

    Sumter County is one of those counties on the map that has high observed illness and atypical illness 2.90% above normal. That’s where the Villages is. Yikes

  70. 70.

    HalfAssedHomesteader

    Why do we allow congress people to own stocks outside of indexed funds? That’s just totally insane.

  73. 73.

    Mandalay

    @Mary G:

    So not really the same thing.

    Agreed. In fact he sold at the worst possible time. And the sale was on 1/31 rather than immediately after the briefing on 1/24.

    So Feinstein should be in the clear (apart from taint by association with lower life forms like Ron Johnson).

  74. 74.

    The Dangerman

    All the politicians making crazy sounds and all the dead bodies piling up in mounds

    So the kids they dance and shake their bones
    And the politicians throwing stones
    Singing ashes, ashes, all fall down

    Grateful Dead, “Throwing Stones”

  75. 75.

    Jay

    @Mary G:

    there is/was a US Company that ramped up mask production for SARS and saved the US “Healthcare” Providers asses during a Global Shortage. As soon as the SARS outbreak was over,

    the US “Healthcare” Providers switched back to Chinese made masks,

    for a savings of $0.05 per mask.

    The US Company, having invested in new workers and additional equiptment had to lay off much of their staff and barely survived.

    $7 a mask for a Mexican Company for a one time sale to racist, Mexico bashing, wall fondling USA, to a state that crucifies Mexican “guest workers”, when Mexico is also going to need masks sooner or later, sounds very much like a fair deal, a bargain even.

  78. 78.

    Mandalay

    @Calouste: See Mary G’s post #60.

    I loathe Feinstein but in this particular instance I think she’s squeaky clean, and has done nothing wrong at all.

  79. 79.

    Mary G

    Somehow I just don’t believe her:

    This is a ridiculous and baseless attack. I do not make investment decisions for my portfolio. Investment decisions are made by multiple third-party advisors without my or my husband's knowledge or involvement.
    — Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) March 20, 2020

    Of course, since he husband runs the stock exchange, she’s probably Teflon.

  81. 81.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Mary G:

    Yeah. A tad too coincidental with her just having had a classified meeting on the virus the same day the stocks were sold off

  86. 86.

    Brachiator

    @Martin:

    About 22 million people earning under $40,000 a year would see no benefit under the GOP plan, according to an initial analysis by Ernie Tedeschi, a former Obama administration economist.

    Jesus. McConnell certainly got some balls. It’s an election year and he is spitting in the face of people who most need some extra cash.

    I don’t think there are any Democrats on the Senate team writing this shitty bill.

    The Democrats, especially Biden, Sanders, Warren and Pelosi should push back hard against this.

    ETA. Here is just what California is dealing with:

    In a speech Wednesday evening, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state had received 80,000 unemployment applications just on Tuesday alone.

    “We average about 2,000 unemployment insurance claims a day,” Newsom said. “Two days ago or three days, we saw about 40,000 applications. After that 70,000 applications. Yesterday, 80,000 unemployment applications.”

    In the latest official count for the week ended March 14, California topped all states for claims.

  91. 91.

    The Dangerman

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Does no one know the Velvet Underground around here?

    Lou Reed’s New York is one of my most listened to discs, so I went to a concert of his circa … I dunno, 2010? It was wildly … boring. I have no idea how much VU was in it because … well, I don’t know their stuff.

  92. 92.

    Martin

    Ooh, more late stage capitalism.

    Hospitals are holding back from ordering more medical ventilators because of the high cost for what may be only a short-term spike in demand from the coronavirus epidemic, supply chain experts and health researchers say, intensifying an anticipated shortage of lifesaving equipment for patients who become critically ill.

    The lack of ventilators — and growing calls for a more aggressive government role to fill the gap — was a subject of tense exchanges this week between President Trump and state officials. The issue also revealed a disconnect between different parts of the health-care industry, with the main hospital association disputing the accounts about the adequacy of supply of the lifesaving equipment.

    You know how quickly a coronavirus infused ventilator depreciates in value once you drive it off the lot?

  93. 93.

    Jay

    @Brachiator:

    "Schumer added that expanded unemployment benefits would be a more effective way of helping workers than a $1,000 check from Washington."Freelancers, part time workers and the already unemployed don't qualify for unemployment, you absolute numptyhttps://t.co/xfhKxp3gkc— Molly Crabapple?? (@mollycrabapple) March 19, 2020

    There was/is and always will be a significant gap between the reality of work in End Stage Capitalism and certain Politicians on “both sides”.

  95. 95.

    HalfAssedHomesteader

    @Mary G: Now see if Hillary was president she’d be on the phone with Mexico’s president to put pressure on this supplier.  With Trump we’ll get excuses if not outright praise for the supplier making such a smart move.

  97. 97.

    piratedan

    @Mandalay: everything I’m seeing about Feinstein says that it was her husband that dumped a single stock holding that had been on the slide over the course of a year, so not looking like a case of profiteering., more likely a case of cutting losses while there was still something to salvage

  98. 98.

    Mary G

    @HalfAssedHomesteader: Hillary would’ve bought 50 million masks a day or two after China shut down Wuhan. When I think about how much better shape the country would be in if she had been president, I want to cry.

    ETA: Her tweet from today has more than 121,000 likes:

    Let’s try this again, @realdonaldtrump:

    Hospitals are already running out of ventilators and beds.

    Nurses are using bandanas as masks.

    If you’ve already ordered more with the Defense Production Act, tell us now.

    If you haven’t, you’re failing to lead and failing Americans.

    — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 19, 2020

  100. 100.

    Mary G

    NYC Gristedes supermarket chain is privately owned by President Trump's close friend, John Catsimides, also a major donor to his campaign.
    We're hearing they've jacked up the price of a 4-pack of toilet paper to $28.
    Castimides' daughter is the chair of the Manhattan GOP.
    — Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) March 20, 2020

  102. 102.

    Jay

    I guess the Border Patrol is now selectively disclosing pictures of Asian people arrested at the border as part of their coronavirus messaging?There’s an interesting FOIA in the communications surrounding the choice to take and publish this picture. Cc @kenklippenstein. https://t.co/IZ6c6g7H0C— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) March 19, 2020

    Trump is crossing out "coronavirus" and replacing it with "Chinese virus." He's actively attempting to incite violence against Chinese people, and all the East Asians his supporters confuse for Chinese.The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes is blood on the hands of the @GOP. https://t.co/AcGsnBud5a— AntiFash Gordon (@AntiFashGordon) March 19, 2020

  106. 106.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Jay:

    Boy, I wonder what Moscow Mitch must think of this, considering he’s married to a woman of asian descent

    And it’s too late for Trump to “rebrand” this. It’s “coronavirus” and “COVID-19” in the minds of the public now

    Methinks this partly stems from not just Trump’s racism but also the CCP’s recent denials that the virus originated from China

  107. 107.

    Jay

    Last twitter repost for the night, off at 4:30am to provide medical service to the unhoused, fun day off.

    “Democrats have dangerously and intentionally misled the American people," she said about the threat of MASSIVE DEATH in order to buy herself time while she was selling millions of dollars worth of stock.https://t.co/i9L32uK70y— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) March 20, 2020

  108. 108.

    Fair Economist

    @Major Major Major Major: I don’t see how there could be nothing going on in California.Cluster in NY looks right and the activity in and around GA is plausible as GA has had a lot of independent cases. FL a giant disaster area? Dunno, not too plausible IMO.

  110. 110.

    Jay

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    it originated on the Nazi Channels back in December and has Steven Millers fingers all over it.

    two, three weeks ago Cheetolinni was saying that his “great, great friendship” with Xi would ensure that the US would have all the medical supplies from China they needed.

  111. 111.

    piratedan

    @Jay: sorry, but painting Nancy Pelosi as an austerity hawk? really?  The same Pelosi who handed Donald Trump his fucking balls on multiple occasions is now a traitor to the masses?

    She’s faced with the fact that THIS administration is not only inhabited by traitorous scum, they’ve also proven to be wholly incompetent and can’t even figure out how to get money out to the masses without putting their thumbs on the scale, she’s now supposed to follow up with another massive bailout on the heels of just getting this last one out with McConnell sitting on it for four extra days and Gohmert and Paul pulling their grandstanding bullshit and NOW… NOW she doesn’t know how to legislate based on the fact that this is a SENATE (GOP controlled boondoggle) plan that she’s had zero chance to work over.

     

    Christ people, park your purity ponies over by the vehicle recharge station and remember to shelter in place.

  112. 112.

    Martin

    @Jay: I’ve outlined my objections to cash payments in other threads, preferring an indefinite rent and loan repayment policy that would put vastly more stimulus on consumers in a much faster period.

    But if Pelosi is doing what I think she’s doing, it’s a smart move. Rather than a one-time payment, she’s preferring to bulk up the entitlement programs that the GOP is shredding, which is why the GOP is also suddenly so eager for cash. Putting money into food assistance infrastructure will last beyond this crisis, and they don’t want that.

    I don’t see this as a momentary shock the way 9/11 was. If you give people cash today, you’re going to have to still be able to give them cash 6 months or 12 months from now when we’re still dealing with this. Better to build programs the way FDR did. They endured.

  113. 113.

    Jay

    @piratedan:

    massive numbers of workers are done for, because Politicians do not understand the “nature of work” in End Stage Capitalism.

    eg. Trudeau announced immediate, expanded EI coverage for workers that have lost/will lose their jobs. While it expands coverage broadly to categories that have lkng paid EI, but can’t collect, ( small business owners, some categories of self employed), it does not cover the 68% of part time workers, who don’t earn the 32 weeks of 30 hour employment needed to qualify, or most of the Gig Economy workers.

     

    A fun recent one is:

    EI: were your fired or laid off?

    Worker: they cut my hours to 0 for the last 3 months.

    EI: Were you fired or laid off?

    Worker: Neither, they just cut my hours to 0 for the last 3 months.

    EI: so you are still employed. I’m sorry, but you have to be unemployed to qualify.

  114. 114.

    WereBear

    @Fair Economist: FL a giant disaster area? Dunno, not too plausible IMO.

     

    I disagree. Days ago I shared that Florida is a perfect storm of senior citizens who love to go cruising and a Red State government that cares far more about tourism dollars than their own citizens.

    A service economy with no labor protections, no health insurance, and no sick leave.

    Florida’s unique human ecology was setting up for a disaster, I said. And considering they only shut down the beaches today…

  115. 115.

    Jay

    @Martin:

    the current GOP offer is a one time payment of $1000.

    the current “plans” from the Democratic Party will help a lot of workers who have been gainfully employed, for the past year, in traditional wage and salaried positions, by midlevel Companies, who currently lack many protections in the Covid Depression.

    Many, many more are SOL, and will remain SOL for the 2-5 years at best, that any kind of recovery will take place.

    A whole bunch, are just going to die, because The Precariate ain’t all that healthy or living in a safe space.

  116. 116.

    WereBear

    @Martin: I agree, and since tRump is only thinking about re-election, very few will have much of a Merry Christmas after that.

    It’s not just that they are sick, heartless, thugs. They couldn’t be merely-competent if there was a pot of gold in it for them.

  118. 118.

    West of the Rockies

    Californian here… I feel oddly relieved by the governor’s decision.  I hope it helps flatten the curve.  It’s scary, but it IS a proactive decision.

  119. 119.

    WereBear

    @West of the Rockies: The White House abdication of responsibility means people will live or die by their governor. Specifically, what their governor has already done.

    In addition, every cluster of Red Staters who believed Fox News and licked doorknobs to “own the libs” have set the own fate into stone.

  120. 120.

    West of the Rockies

    @WereBear:

    That term, “own the libs,” is so damn juvenile, immature, mean-spirited, and ultimately pointless.  I suspect those who use it in earnest probably have seriously arrested development.  It sounds like something a hoping-to-sound-cool 10th grader would say (apologies to sophomores everywhere).

  121. 121.

    West of the Rockies

    @WereBear:

    You may well be right.  I’m so glad to live where I do.  I hope you’re somewhere with a progressive state government.

  123. 123.

    mrmoshpotato

    @West of the Rockies:

    That term, “own the libs,” is so damn juvenile, immature, mean-spirited, and ultimately pointless.  I suspect those who use it in earnest probably have seriously arrested development.  It sounds like something a hoping-to-sound-cool 10th grader would say (apologies to sophomores everywhere). 

    You’re just saying that to own the libs. ?

  124. 124.

    WereBear

    @West of the Rockies: I used the phrase “own the libs” to sum up the juvenile gloating I recently saw on Twitter all the time: and yes, I figure they are over 14 since it’s not Youtube.

    I am in NY, which is looking like a very good, now 40 year old, decision. Will be checking in with my massage therapist, a sweet, self employed, man who is likely in as bad a position as possible.

  125. 125.

    Martin

    @West of the Rockies: I’m oddly confident in things here. CA is better prepared than most states – decent number of hospital beds, the state had a lot of emergency gear in storage  – 21M masks, etc. We have the essentials. Our economy should recover better than others. Tech is going to going to recover strong.

  126. 126.

    West of the Rockies

    @Martin:

    I’m glad you feel that way.  I know you’re one of our extremely well-informed folks on this very concerning topic.

  127. 127.

    ballerat

    @Martin: The big guy shoves aside the little guy and grabs the few remaining packages of t.p. in the store.

    Who do you think Trump will direct those supplies to? The same people whose state government just got shoved aside?

  128. 128.

    Chetan Murthy

    @ballerat: Big guy (Feds) have monopsony power to prevent price-gouging.  Also, it’s a well-understood thing that, while in the long run the price-signaling mechanisms of the free market produce an optimal (in a sense that’s somewhat perverse, but whatevs) allocation of resources, in the -short- term when supplies are tight, time matters, and lives are in the balance, the free market *doesn’t* produce optimal outcomes.  Instead, it produces price-gouging, hoarding, and dead bodies.

  129. 129.

    Brachiator

    @WereBear:

    The White House abdication of responsibility means people will live or die by their governor. Specifically, what their governor has already done.

    Coming late to the thread, but just wanted to note that this is a great point.  In California, the governor and some of the mayors have really taken the lead in dealing with the economic fallout.

    And conservatives can’t complain, since they are always wailing that the federal government should defer to the states.

  130. 130.

    J R in WV

    So couldn’t sleep at all, neuropathy acting up, tingling and pain in hands and arms. So got up to see this utterly depressing and angering thread. Don’t know who to hate more, the Rs in the Senate or the White House… or our governor, who is dumber than a rock. Genocidal maniacal idiots in charge of the Fedral government. So great~!~

    Warm today here, will start to cool off soon. Frogs loving the warm wet day. They at least are doing well.

  131. 131.

    SFAW

    @Brachiator: 

    Too bad they can’t claim executive privilege.

    That will change when the Roberts “Court” declares it extends to Senators, because of Article XII (or maybe the Thirty-Seventh Amendment?)
    Of course, “it says right here that the privilege only extends to members of ‘Murica’s Party.”

  132. 132.

    SFAW

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Does no one know the Velvet Underground around here?

    Well, I did from your comment at #1, but I have to confess that I didn’t recall Doug’s title lyrics from the song

    ETA: I’m guessing that the extent of Lou-cognizance of most here begins and ends with “Walk on the Wild Side.”

  134. 134.

    Another Scott

    @Jay:

    This is one of the worst crises we’ve faced. We must act quickly, strongly to help people and workers.

    Senator McConnell's bill is not pro-worker at all. It puts corporations ahead of people.

    Democrats are united in fighting to put public health, people, and #WorkersFirst. pic.twitter.com/4yWyIaC5wG— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 20, 2020

    Yeah, mumble mumble both sides mumble mumble.

    (groucho-roll-eyes.gif)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  136. 136.

    Jay

    @Another Scott:

    Schumer is holding out for EI payments instead of cash.

    Most Americans don’t qualify for EI payments and EI is a State Run, not federal program.

    Sadly, most Politicians in the West are utterly ignorant of the Nature of Work in End Stage Capitalism.

    While the Rethugs are offering, maybe, a one time $1000 check,

    So far the various Democratic Party proposals are far better than the ReThug ones, but they still leave millions of the most vulnerable Americans uncovered, and don’t address that the Trump Depression will have short term effects for well over a year, and a decades long aftermath.

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