The battle to secure additional help to struggling Americans and businesses amid COVID-19 hangs in limbo.
With the stimulus bill (in regards to COVID-19 itself) in limbo along with the spending bill in limbo — the stakes couldn’t be higher for the United States. In this guide, we’re going to explore exactly what’s at stake in the U.S if the government fails to represent its own people plunging the country even further into preventable chaos.
What’s on the table:
- An annual spending/defense bill that has been vetoed.
It is unclear if lawmakers will attempt to override Donald Trump ‘s veto which was put in place after he objected to what he called ‘wasteful’ spending and the failure to repeal certain aspects of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Those sections provide a sense of protections to platforms like Twitter and Facebook from being sued by what some of their users may post. Donald Trump is currently in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago estate and it is unclear if he is going to return to Washington at all.
2. The Coronavirus relief bill aka the stimulus bill.
It hangs in limbo because the GOP believes that nobody is really struggling.
The COVID-19 bill is also now in limbo after Donald Trump also threatened to veto that if it didn’t see $2,000 checks instead of $600 checks given to struggling Americans.
Despite Democratic efforts, GOP leaders unanimously shot down their requests for additional help.
While Democrats appear to be unanimously in support of such a measure, House GOP members are most certainly against it and curtailed all efforts to do so. Thus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still appears to be scheduling a vote on Monday.
Now the terrifying part for many Americans and again brought on by a pandemic that isn’t their fault.
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The following items are expected to expire on Saturday just days after Christmas.
- Unemployment (additional) benefits that were originally provided in addition to the usual benefits by the federal government.
Known as the CARES Act, the CARES Act established a series of unemployment benefits for the usually unemployed (brought on by the pandemic) and then those that wouldn’t normally qualify for unemployment. Such workers as gig economy workers; Uber drivers, actors and actresses, and the like all qualified for the unemployment. The PUA was designed mostly for those people and more. The programme will expire on Saturday thrusting millions of people (believed to be at least 12.5m or more) into a dark realm of uncertainty. Without those benefits and increasing numbers in job losses —- so many families are expected to plunge into poverty.
The GOP argues that jobs aren’t going anywhere and that Americans don’t need a check.
2. The federal moratorium on evictions in the United States.
Earlier this year, the CDC issued a blanket restriction on evictions nationwide as the first bout of the Coronavirus took hold. It was an effort to quell people from being thrown out into the streets during a natural disaster. That moratorium has held for some families, but, has not held for others depending on where people live.
For example, in Michigan and parts of the state for that matter — judges are still greenlighting evictions and people are being thrown out. Thrown out in the midst of a natural disaster and near sub-zero temperatures depending on where one may live.
3. The $150B given to states and local governments must be used by 30 December.
Oddly enough there was a requirement put into place that states and local governments must use the relief provided to them by 30 December or else. According to a survey published online, it appears they met that requirement although should’ve been given more money and more time.
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On the other hand — if the government doesn’t get a spending bill (what is above is related to the COVID relief bill) things could get dramatically worse for America and fast.
The original spending bill was nearly agreed to earlier this week although when it went public the backlash was swift. In the bill (again this is the spending bill not the Corona bill) —- dozens of countries were set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars amidst America’s worsening domestic crisises. Many argued including lawmakers that such was a foul move considering so little was being given to everyday Americans and instead a ton of money was headed overseas. The spending bill had things like $20m+ to the Kennedy Centre; tens of millions to museums, a wild chunk to Burma, a weird programme in Asia nobody has ever heard of, and more. The bill was vetoed by Donald Trump along with the defense portions of the bill because of the fact of the so-called wasteful spending and one other sticking point.
That sticking point being none other than Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. That act protects platforms from being sued over content that their users post. A prime example would be Twitter and say if someone posted something like say a far-right conspiracy theory about a “left wing” figure or politician or group. Twitter can’t be sued right now because of the act that is in place — but if it were to ever be removed it would likely lead to significantly more moderation on social networks and even on some of the popular blogs and websites that people read today.
The problem with the spending bill apart from its monster price tag is the fact that just hours before Trump departed for his Winter White House, he, announced that he would not sign the spending bill nor the COVID bill. He in a video announced that on the COVID side — he demands that Americans be given $2k checks rather than $600. On the spending side — he demands that the act be repealed and the names of military bases that carry conotations to past slaveholders be left alone.
Both bills are now in limbo and almost certainly guarantee without a miracle that the government will come crashing down on Saturday alongside millions being evicted from their homes. A small handful of states like NY have already promised to extend the eviction moratorium, although, it is unclear how long they may have the authority to do so without a federally mandated order behind them.
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