Article from For Liberty by Norm Leahy.
A sign of how broken the U.S. labor market is owing to government-mandated lockdowns: Senators are debating competing schemes intended to make earning a paycheck more enticing than collecting unemployment.
Democrats have two plans: one that proposes to extend the $600 per week federal add-on to state unemployment checks through the end of the year, and another pushing a $1,000 federal subsidy to keep people on payrolls:
Senate Democrats, who are rallying behind a plan led by Sens. Mark Warner (D., Va.), Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) and Doug Jones (D., Ala.). The Democratic plan relies on a wage subsidy—the employee tax credit—to keep people on payrolls. It would cover 100% of wages and benefits, up to $90,000. Some Democrats say they might be open to ending the $600 in extra jobless benefits if Republicans rallied behind a wage subsidy.
Some Republican Senators are proposing a temporary, weekly bonus payment to get workers off the unemployment rolls, and back on the job.
A payment that would come in addition to their wages:
[Ohio Sen. Rob] says his proposal is good for employees “because they can go back to work, go back to their health care and go back to their retirement savings, and yet get a nice, nice bonus for doing so.” The proposal also saves taxpayers money and “saves small businesses from going out of business because they can get workers.”
Saving taxpayers money by spending more borrowed money to fix a problem government interference in the labor market? That’s not so much a plan as it is a recipe for disaster.
I think it’s funny how politicians in Congress talk about spending money as if there is an endless pot to draw from to buy voters. Where does that money come from? Taxpayers. So, ultimately, this is not a free give away, but it is a loan against the future. The country was already in substantial debt, so this will only add to that debt. When will it end? How will it end? Will it require America to borrow more from China? If so, then we will be owned by China. We need to have a plan to get people back to work, but have the money actually work towards helping to create and save jobs, not just pay people money. Otherwise, we will never get out of this mess. Also, no money to illegal aliens, and no more importing workers from other countries. It’s time to put American citizens first.
Ginger it is an endles pot of money. Have you ever seen the government pay down the national debt?
One hundred percent in agreement with Ginger
I love how both plans entail screwing over those who’ve been working all this time. Either we’ll pay for an extra $600 a month for the rest of the year, plus $1000 under the Dems, or $450 a week under the Republicans, AND we don’t get anything for working this entire time.
Thankyou for being the one who is pulling the cart while te rest are in the back burning these cities down. Who will pay that bill? Thanks for your tax dollars.
Cut bonuses for unemployed and add bonuses to newly employed since April 1, 2020 for next 3 months.
I can give them all the best path to follow in order to get Americans back to work.
Here is my plan: Government, get the hell out of the way !!!!
Democrat’s trying to buy votes.