DL Open Thread: Weds., March 25, 2020
We Have A Deal. At first glance, it looks like the Rethugs had no choice but to cave on the $500 billion slush fund and more protection for workers:
After complaints from Democrats, a $500 billion fund — $425 billion for the Federal Reserve to leverage for loans in order to help broad groups of distressed companies and $75 billion for industry-specific loans — will now have far stricter oversight, in the form of an inspector general and a 5-person panel appointed by Congress, lawmakers said. Companies that accept money must also agree to halt any stock buybacks for the length of the government assistance, plus an additional year.
Democrats also secured a provision that will block Trump family businesses — or those of other senior government officials — from receiving loan money under the programs, Mr. Schumer said in a letter to Democrats.
Everything Falls Apart, Ctd. Trump inaction has pitted states against each other, and against the Federal government. How Trump delay has created a ventilator crisis. The latest carnage?: 55,225 cases and 802 deaths in the US. 3.4 million new unemployment claims last week? Wonder if the Feds will withhold these numbers from the public.
Falwell U Reopens Despite Outrage From Lynchburg Residents. Only my fear of schadenfreude prevents me from saying what I’m thinking right now.
How Trump’s Department Of Injustice Killed Prosecution Of Walmart Over Opioids. Rethugs gonna Rethug. Betcha that even the Walton family benefits from the bailout.
Is Trump Screwing New York Because The Leaders Are Mean To Him? That’s a rhetorical question. Of course he is. His ongoing unfitness for office is there for everybody to see. Which reminds me, he’s never too busy to trash Mitt Romney.
Trump’s Coronavirus ‘Briefings’ Are 2020 Campaign Rallies. I’ve been saying this for awhile now. Stop showing them.
Why Delaware’s Liquor Stores Are Allowed To Remain Open. Something about alcoholics suffering withdrawal. I’m not making that up. Are tobacco stores permitted to remain open for the same reason? Or don’t they have a Trone family to toss around big checks. Why aren’t book stores permitted to stay open? Some would argue that reading is a healthier habit than drinking. There’s a lot of arbitrariness in the decisions of who must close and who must stay open.
What do you want to talk about?
Alcohol withdrawal ain’t no joke. And serious cases often require ICU management with mechanical ventilation for 24 to 48 hours.
Point taken. Tell me then why tobacco shops and bookstores are also closed. What threat to public health do they represent that liquor stores don’t?
You can get cigarettes/tobacco at the supermarket in Delaware, but you can’t get beer or wine there, let alone liquor.
Maybe this is the argument needed to get the General Assembly — assuming it meets again — to consider rectifying that.
Tobacco and book withdrawal doesn’t elicit the Same intensity of response.
Knew they would not close the liquor stores, far too many addicts out there. It would have created a thriving black market overnight. As for Walmart and opioids this is the start, just wait until the small army of McConnell judges gets going, all decisions will be “pro business”, even if it’s anti human and kills people. It’s not like they care.
The cannabis dispensaries are open too, not that I would go there or anything
Looks like Boeing got their own special bailout in the relief package:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/25/boeing-bailout-coronavirus/
No price to be paid for placing passengers and crew at risk by lying about the unsafe nature of the new planes.
The closing of bookstores but allowing florists to be open confuses me. Plus why not have libraries do the same curbside service as restaurants do?
How much is the bailout bill a disgusting ripoff of taxpayers to reward irresponsible corporations? David Dayen explains how much:
https://prospect.org/coronavirus/unsanitized-bailouts-tradition-unlike-any-other/
Well, the bill’s being held up–but not to address those ripoffs.
No, 4 Rethugs, led by Lindsay Graham, object to unemployment provisions that they claim, incorrectly, could incentivize people to quit their jobs:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/world/coronavirus-news-live.html#link-265b2623
Still afraid of Ronny Reagan’s welfare queen getting something for free. It’s pure racism.