Political Discussion

jaycee said:
why does that matter? i don't understand why you're harping on this?
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Because a federal database could be used to give relief based on cost of living verses a flat amount to all Americans. People in high cost of living areas could receive more help in emergencies.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Because a federal database could be used to give relief based on cost of living verses a flat amount to all Americans. People in high cost of living areas could receive more help in emergencies.
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As far as I know, the federal government already uses COLI, so I don't know why we'd need another database.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
One of the things people have said is we need an index of cost of living by region, and take it into account when issuing aid like this. This currently does not exist and could be very helpful.

I heard one person give an explanation of why this will absolutely not happen anytime soon. Reason being is this index could be used to for employees being moved by their employers to different cities across the country the index could be used to show the employer the cost of living is higher where they are being forced to move to keep their job and be used to help them negotiate a raise. Currently in situations like this, employers do not want to give cost of living raises to employees they consolidate into different offices.
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RenegadeMonster said:
Because a federal database could be used to give relief based on cost of living verses a flat amount to all Americans. People in high cost of living areas could receive more help in emergencies.
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That's not going to completely solve the issue you're describing, since not everyone receiving the stimulus funding actually needs it to pay for those cost of living expenses. For those who are out of work, sure: people with higher rent need more stimulus. But if I'm still working in Indiana and you're still working in Boston, and we're both making enough to cover our rent/mortgage, *then* why would you receiving more than me be an equitable solution?
 
Going back to my post about that father concerned his daughter is committing fraud.

While he him self is able to work from home during this time, her daughters job doesn't allow for that as we know when she got furloughed. He is now posting that the local grocery stores are hiring and looking for all the help they can get right now. His daughter should be looking for a job and applying at the grocery store. Not sitting at home collecting unemployment. He believes the fact that she would make more money on employment than getting a new job is fraud and motivating her not to work.

I think he is missing the point that the expanded unemployment benefits. The purpose is actually opposite as usual. To allow people to stay at home and not spread the virus.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
That's not going to completely solve the issue you're describing, since not everyone receiving the stimulus funding actually needs it to pay for those cost of living expenses. For those who are out of work, sure: people with higher rent need more stimulus. But if I'm still working in Indiana and you're still working in Boston, and we're both making enough to cover our rent/mortgage, *then* why would you receiving more than me be an equitable solution?
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For me it's because my good paying job in the higher rent area has me living paycheck to paycheck to just pay bills. I have to work side gigs on top my full time job to get by. Those side gigs don't exist right now. So my income is less. However, since I'm still working my full time job I don't quality for any unemployment and the stimulus is all I get. For many people living high cost of living areas, the side gig economy is crucial. It's how they get by.

I know the point you are trying to make. And it does make sense. But it's not always as simple as that.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I have to work side gigs on top my full time job to get by. Those side gigs don't exist right now. So my income is less.
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Fair enough, a reduction in overall income is still an issue. That just gets tough to quantify at an aggregate level the same way you can anchor to things like living expenses. I hear what you're saying -- just not sure that the "cost of living" argument alone is going persuade the proportional-stimulus naysayers.
 
Indymisanthrope said:
Interesting (short) thread, relevant to some of the discussions that were happening here a few weeks ago.

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Yes!

On a not totally unrelated note: I'm disappointed, but not surprised given the pseudo-dream/drama state everyone is living in, that the Richard Burr and Kelly Loeffler insider trading crimes aren't getting more play in the press. I hope that people circle-back to it before it gets completely lost with the pandemic.

Also:
Has everyone seen this Biden ad?

I don't really understand the strategy of trying to convince people that Trump sucks because Trump voters are going to be Trump voters. That being said, the ad is pretty-tight and appropriately damning
 
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jaycee said:
Yes!

On a not totally unrelated note: I'm disappointed, but not surprised given the pseudo-dream/drama state everyone is living in, that the Richard Burr and Kelly Loeffler insider trading crimes aren't getting more play in the press. I hope that people circle-back to it before it gets completely lost with the pandemic.

Also:
Has everyone seen this Biden ad?

I don't really understand the strategy of trying to convince people that Trump sucks because Trump voters are going to be Trump voters. That being said, the ad is pretty-tight and appropriately damning
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It may not sway those entrenched in the Trump Train, but it's absolutely spot on and it should be out there........politics aside, it shows him for what he is.
 
jaycee said:
Yes!
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I thought it was good insight, but I'm not sure how to take the comment that black academics' endorsements of progressivism were "way off base." I think they are views that are in some conflict, but this language seems to want to further drive a wedge between intellectualism and the more pragmatic concerns of everyday people. I see that as a gap that needs to be bridged somehow, not a reason to dismiss the cognoscenti altogether.
 
AnthonyI said:
It may not sway those entrenched in the Trump Train, but it's absolutely spot on and it should be out there........politics aside, it shows him for what he is.
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Yeah totally agree. My questioning is more about the Biden campaign strategy. If the strategy is to motivate those waffling it doesn't make much sense to me because how much of the populous is really waffling or going to flip? - not many - and if it's about motivating an enthusiastic electorate it feel like preaching to the choir... but maybe consistent reminders about how awful the Trump presidency, etc. are is necessary... certainly the polls seem to be going in Trump's favor recently despite the complete fumbling of the pandemic response.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
One of the things people have said is we need an index of cost of living by region, and take it into account when issuing aid like this. This currently does not exist and could be very helpful.

I heard one person give an explanation of why this will absolutely not happen anytime soon. Reason being is this index could be used to for employees being moved by their employers to different cities across the country the index could be used to show the employer the cost of living is higher where they are being forced to move to keep their job and be used to help them negotiate a raise. Currently in situations like this, employers do not want to give cost of living raises to employees they consolidate into different offices.
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The Government already does this when deciding how much to pay Federal Employees with Locality Pay.

Edit: Look up "General Schedule Locality Pay Tables"

Edit 2: They could easily say the base coverage for the bill is $X and apply their Locality factors based on your address. They don't want to.
 
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Indymisanthrope said:
I thought it was good insight, but I'm not sure how to take the comment that black academics' endorsements of progressivism were "way off base." I think they are views that are in some conflict, but this language seems to want to further drive a wedge between intellectualism and the more pragmatic concerns of everyday people. I see that as a gap that needs to be bridged somehow, not a reason to dismiss the cognoscenti altogether.
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Agree that the gap needs to be addressed, but also mostly agree with the sentiment that academics can be one step removed from the motivations and needs of those outside of the intellectual-sphere.

To me, the specific pragmatism lens being discussed is something that 'the progressive policies are the medicine we all need to take crowd' needs to rectify to build a coalition to truly address equity. Social well-being is a difficult concept for Americans to understand and trust in general, but especially if your country, including your allies, have continually put up barriers to limit your progress.
 

Hours after President Trump signed a stimulus bill that includes $25 million for the Kennedy Center, its president, Deborah Rutter, told the National Symphony Orchestra that paychecks would end this week.
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I suspect much will be the same across many businesses as well. There is no requirement in the bill that requires companies accepting relief from to actually keep employees on the payroll. Thankfully they did get no stock buybacks added in.
 
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