Political Dog 101

Politics, News, Comments & Other Good Stuff....

Are ya gonna get paid to stay home?…Open Thread for March 15, 2020

By

Depends…

If you work for a BIG company?

Probably…

The government?

Probably…

School…

Probably…

Small place?

Nope…

In Entertainment?

Nope….

Social distancing is gonna keep people healthy….

Social distancing IS gonna cost people and business money and jobs…

Me?

If you WANT to come to work and the boss closes down?

You SHOULD get paid….

Part time employees may get screwed since they have NO benefits…

Yea?….Some bosses do the ‘right thing’…Some do NOT…

As the novel coronavirus continues to march across the country, for many workers getting sick is only part of what worries them. What about getting paid if they are ill or have to be quarantined?

Congressional Democrats are pushing for legislation that would provide paid leave for those who are not being compensated while out of work because of sickness, quarantine or family needs resulting from the coronavirus outbreak. Republicans and members of the administration have said they also are open to negotiations on a proposal. A vote in the House on legislation was expected as soon as Thursday, leaving little time for Congress to reach an accord before members leave for a two-week break at the end of this week.

Currently, 10 states and the District of Columbia have laws that require some paid sick leave, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. In addition, nearly two dozen cities and counties have paid sick leave laws….

More…

Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I wonder what the Libertarian Party has to say about all this? When your party is all about individualism and no government intervention what is the solution to a pandemic?

    • Don’t matter really….

      Fauci is driving this….

      And our federal government seems lost to the extent that Fauci is doing the driving in press conferences and appearance’s…

      The big government bill just pasted the house but McConnell is hanging out all weekend from doing anything…

  3. David Clark, the former Milwaukee Sheriff–a ‘Democrat’ who is a huge Trump supporter and staple on FOX News-said today that social distancing and cancelling large events is just an attack on capitalism.

    He wants his right wing followers to demand these places open back up.

    • People ARE still gonna do things…

      But the shutdown IS continuing, at least in major cities…

      We’re probably gonna have a few weeks of this….

      Headache for politicians and business…

      But Fauci IS getting his way to a good extend …

            • Spend the early morning time waiting out in the cold on line…

              The local BJ’s Warehouse opened and we rushed to the water and paper good’s aisles..

              By the time we got our two of each and got on line?

              Most of the water was gone …

              We got toilet paper…

              Store employee’s had to get some people to put back more then two items each…

              We then went to Target which had had it’s opening rush over….

              No water…

              No paper products…

              We’re good for the week…

              Rumour going around about Trump calling out the National Guard to confine people to homes….

              People that HAVE to go to work get screwed….

              They will get of work and nothing would be left….

              Trucks come in at night and by 10:00 in the morning the stuff is gone…

                • We have unlimited tap water…

                  But we do NOT tend to drink it…

                  We drink bottle water….

                  • Well if you want to stand in line for it ?Thats up to you.

                    However, it’s not like it’s a necessity.

                    Have fun in line.

                    Me?I would learn to tolerate tap water,maybe with a filter.

              • I went in to the office yesterday. Was open but definitely fewer people there with schools closing. I bet my whole company will be working from home by the end of the week.

                I had taken a vacation day today to walk in our annual St. Patrick’s Day parade–which is of course cancelled.

                I went to the grocery store yesterday at a large suburban supermarket near my office for the first time in almost a week. Didn’t panic buy–I have a well stocked mom and pop grocery near me I plan to utilize for future purchases. It was mildly chaotic but I wouldn’t describe it as “panic”. Limits on eggs and milk you could purchase and of course TP was out, but I have plenty.

                • My lawyering has been limited to prosecuting misdemeanor cases for a local town in Municipal Court and doing some probate work on the side.

                  So, since I’m semi retired and approaching 70yoa,I self quarantined myself beginning Saturday.

                  Have adequate supplies of everything,especially some vanilla Brandy which I have become fond of over the past year.

                  • I scheduled this entire week off two months ago. This certainly isn’t what I expected, but I guess it’s safer to be mostly at home.

                    I am due to return next Monday when I would of course have a ton to catch up on, but that’s assuming the office will be open.

                    My (personal) concerns today are is it safe to go vote and is it safe to get a haircut.

  4. (Reuters) – Daniel Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who led the questioning of witnesses in the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump, said Sunday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

    Goldman, who worked under committee chairman Adam Schiff, said on Twitter that he was almost fully recovered after dealing with flu-like symptoms but that he was exasperated with the obstacles he faced in getting tested despite showing symptoms and testing negative for the flu.

    The lack of readily available testing for the coronavirus “underscores how shockingly unprepared this administration is to deal with this pandemic,” wrote Goldman, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York.

    Goldman said New York City hospitals had declined to test his wife, even though she was showing similar symptoms, unless she was admitted to the hospital.

  6. Mitt Romney has proposed the government give every American one thousand dollars.

    • The Market is reacting very positively to this briefing. The Administration seems eager to adopt Senator Romney’s suggestion of sending checks to most Americans.

          • It’s”Socialism” pure and simple.

            So for “conservatives apparently a little “Socialism” is ok in an “emergency.”

            • Well yeah, sorta. But this is needed to give the private sector the ability to come back not to harm it at the expense of government control.

              The government should only act when people or the private sector cannot do something better. With the impact this crisis is having on private sector and business, steps need to be taken.

              Nothing afoul of conservatism at all. Hopefully, these situations are always as few and far between as possible.

              • Oh it’s totally “afoul.”

                Nice obfuscation.

                In other words ,as I said,a little “Socialism” is alright sometimes.

                You,Mitt,Trump?

                All “Socialists.”

                For all of us Democrats here?We will remember this when you return to your Socialist denouncing ways in the future.

                • “socialism” in a crisis only. We saw it during the Civil War, WWII, after 9/11, the financial meltdown in 2008.

                  Not ideal things to have to do, but in an emergency they need to be done. Conservatives have always accepted that.

                  The difference is the left wants it to be an everyday reality.

                  • Part of the reason this is going to hit so many Americans so hard is because of the economic inequality conservatives have championed for years with cuts to social services, safety nets, and government programs–coupled with tax cuts for the wealthy.

                    Maybe these “emergencies” wouldn’t be so bad and wouldn’t need the kind of massive socialist payments send out now if we changed our overall policies.

                    Of course to a trickle down once and future Republican any thought of that is a no go.

                    • Social services and government will mostly proceed as it has been. We have lots of questions we could ask and matters to debate over whether government truly helps or hurts people who most need help.

                      The issue here is that people who work in the private sector are facing short-term hardships that they did not cause and did not plan for.

                      Cutting payroll taxes would be a great thing to do and should be done, but something needs to be done quicker for those who need money faster.

                      (I assume anyone from either side who has called Romney a “scumbag” in recent months will do the right thing and send back their MittMoney uncashed)

                    • Why don’t the Republicans in Congress cancel the tax cuts they gave the wealthy in this “national emergency?”

                      Return the tax rate for all income over a million dollars to the rate that existed at Trumps election.

                    • Because the wealthy are going to be the ones most likely to re-open businesses or open new ones to create jobs once this is over.

                      There is no need though to give the very wealthy a check right now of course, which apparently Andrew Yang would have done even in normal times.

                    • Like Hunter Biden or Biden lashing out at a gun nut who lied about his record I’m not sure why anyone at this time would give half a shit about me calling Romney a “scumbag” on a blog that 6 people see and only CG remembers.

                    • Hunter Biden should take responsibility and pay his child support though of course.

                      He has definitely made enough money in his life to cover that crucial responsibility for his new child.

                    • Anyone who called coronavirus a “hoax” or “just the flu” on the radio, TV or Twitter should be denied any MittBucks too. That would include a huge chunk of people who voted for him in 2012. And would include Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, most o FOX News, etc.

                    • Yeah, the names mentioned would make too much money to qualify for “RomneyMoney.”

                      Remember, you can’t spell Romney without R Money.

                  • When people can work and when the private sector is allowed to thrive, there is no need for socialism.

                    We literally have a case here where the the government is preventing private business from being conducted (not that they are wrong in this case to do so), so they should be expected to make up for it in some capacity.

                    Obviously, this is an extremely unusual situation, When it’s over, free-market democratic capitalism will continue to work just fine.

                    And “big government” closed societies like China, and their secrecy and control of the people should realize the damage they did to their own people and around the world to cause the spread of this and should of course change to be closer to our way of freedom and transparency.

                    • Yes the “government” is preventing these businesses from being open to prevent a pandemic from killing many many more people.

                      So maybe the Ronald Reagan quote about the scariest words in the English language being “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” or right wingers echoing Grover Norquist wanting “government so small it can be drowned in a bathtub” won’t be winning election slogans this year. I’m sure Republicans will want us all to forget that they ever championed such thoughts.

                      That’s OK. Like Peppridge Farm–the internet remembers!

                    • Yes, in an emergency situation, the government might be doing the right thing (or overreacting in the desire to do the right thing.) That is far different than having big government involved on a day to day basis when things are proceeding as normal.

                      This is a public safety issue. Not any different than when President Reagan fired the illegally striking Air Traffic Controllers.

                    • “Proceeding as normal”–please see my comment on the other thread about the rural health care crisis we had BEFORE coronavirus.

                      Will people want to go back to that “normal”?

                      That may be what this election is about when people decide between the Trump Republicans and Democrats this fall.

                    • Might be overreacting. Time will tell. As I have said, better to overreact than underact.

                      I honestly do not think though that two weeks ago, any of us ever thought we would be seeing what is going in America right now.

                    • Allowing people more choice and freedom in regards to health care would be a good thing to do. So, I guess that might be different than “normal” if you want to look at it through that perspective.

                    • Money that people make on their own or save and invest on their own is not “government money.”

                      With the ways our economy and society have changed, we should make changes in our policies in regards to health care and retirement savings to match the current times.

                    • There’s a big travel ban going which of course is effecting domestic airlines, if nothing else.

                      After 9/11, the planes were only grounded for a few days I believe. Still, people stopped traveling at large numbers for a long time after.

                  • No
                    The “Left” as you define it (Which includes all of us here) and most the entire Democratic Party dont advocate a purely Socialist economy.

                    Instead we support a mixed economy.

                    There are somethings free enterprise does better .but there is also a place for governmental action in the economy,I, e, “Socialism.”

                    Glad to see you agree with us.

                    And Im sure we will all remember this.

                    • I support democratic capitalism. There’s nothing inconsistent with that and supporting short-term remedial measures when the government stands in the way of capitalism during a time of emergency.

                    • Another thing that’s needed.

                      These “businesses” wanting a government bail out.

                      They should be prohibited from giving corporate “bonuses “ for the next five years.

                    • “Free market” healthcare has led to rural hospitals closing or consolidating. Which means counties of 10,000 15,000 people (many elderly) are left with one hospital–maybe 75 total beds and a capacity of a dozen in their ICU (if they are lucky).

                      Biden talked about expanding rural health care coverage before the coronavirus by expanding the ACA and Medicare expansion.

                      For Republicans? Well all their comments on letting the “free market” decide healthcare will be there for the world to see.

                    • We have different definitions of “socialism.”

                      Using yours, we could say that all public schools are “socialist” and of course many libertarians purists would agree,

                      Mainstream conservatives have no problem with that nor assistance to those who truly require it.

                    • Let them work out the details of bailout later.

                      We will probably need to do it for the airline industry. I think it would be a mistake for the cruise ship industry.

                    • Republicans have talked about expanding community and rural health centers for generations.

                      I know. I have followed politics closely for a while.

                    • You don’t call giving every adult in the country a thousand dollars out of the treasury “Socialism?”

                      That’s funny .

                    • That was when we bailed out the financial industry for things that were done that were largely their own fault (but still needeed to do so to avoid a catrostrophe.) Bonuses were certainly unwarranted then.

                    • “Work out the details later”

                      Nope, corporate panhandlers need to have their feet held to the fire right now while they’re over a barrel.

                    • It should certainly be means tested. The very wealthy should not be getting those checks (or totally free health care or totally free college) like many on the left want.

                      It is designed to help those in the short-term who cannot work in the short-term because of actions of the government. It’s not really any different than unemployment insurance in theory.

                    • No one is prohibiting the planes from flying?

                      There is simply no “market” for it now.

                      You believe in the “market” right?

                    • Corporations did not cause the Coronavirus. Corporations will go a long way in developing testing and the vaccine, etc.

                    • We may very well wind up grounding the planes. Rigth now, people are being told not to travel. That is effecting the industry and causing all sorts of people to be furloughed or to lose income, etc.

                    • No one is prohibited from getting on an airplane.

                      Pure speculation on your part.

                    • How exactly have Republicans planned to expand rural hospitals and healthcare clinics. The “market”?

                    • Yeah go ahead and fly and give the airlines their money. The big bad gubment isn’t stopping you.

                    • allocating more money to them instead of horrible unaffordable ideas like “Medicare for All.” This was all talked about frequently during Presidential campaigns and Presidential debates, at least in the pre-Trump era. You can check it out for yourself.

                      There are of course also other things that need to be improved on to match current times such a tele-health capacity, etc.

                    • I don’t fly but what about the flight attendants or baggage handlers, etc, who are losing their livelihood in the short-term thru no fault of their own?

      • The longer he keeps talking and the longer this briefing goes on, the Dow Jones gains are getting smaller.

        • True THAT on the Trump talking…

          His supporter may still follow him but the market has no use for the guy….

  8. Meanwhile, North Korea says they’ve defeated coronavirus.

    Trump needs to call his buddy and find it how to do it here!

        • Nate Silver
          @NateSilver538
          The Democratic primary isn’t competitive. Gonna be spending my time getting a head start on our general election model, and maybe experiment with a reported column on coronavirus.

          • Some Misc….

            Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Republican senators Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic could drive up US unemployment to 20%, a Republican Senate source told CNN….

            …

            Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would move at “warp speed” to pass coronavirus legislation on Tuesday, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) put a damper on those plans, two leadership sources told NBC News.

            “Senators were on Tuesday heading towards a vote on the package — which includes provisions for free coronavirus testing, secures paid emergency leave, enhances unemployment insurance, strengthens food security initiatives, and increases federal Medicaid funding to states — but had to slam the brakes on because of an amendment Paul proposed.”

            …

            The United States and Canada are preparing to issue a joint statement in the next 24-48 hours to suspend non-essential travel between the two countries, CNN reports.

            Politicalwire…

            …

            West Virginia on Tuesday reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, becoming the last of the 50 states to announce that the disease has spread within its borders. ..

            …

            Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday rejected the prospect of the chamber voting remotely in the event of a prolonged recess over the coronavirus.

            “We’ll not be doing that. There are a number of different ways to avoid getting too many people together,” McConnell told reporters….

            The Hill…

      • If they are ?

        I ,for one ,would be extremely disappointed in them.

        This is a major disaster.Look I take a back seat to no one in my detestation of Trump ,but I’m not going to be intellectually dishonest and blame him for the stock market tanking.

        It’s tanking because of the pandemic.

        Sure,his response,in my view, has been totally inadequate and his denial for weeks(along with most of the “conservative “ media and the Republican Party) is reprehensible.

        However, even if it had been picture perfect ,this would have still happened.The market is reacting to the health emergency not Trump per se.

        I will continue to denounce Trump for his actions but the market collapse?

        No “told ya so” is called for.

      • Things Republicans cannot run on in 2020
        1. Demmycrats are all socialists!
        2. Sure Trump is a loudmouth narcissist but what about your 401K?

      • Is there really a reason to believe the stock market would be higher right now with a different President? There are plenty of things to fault Trump on, but the virus would have still come regardless of who was President.

        • Of course it would have tumbled no matter what.

          But every time Trump speaks it takes another dive. He’s calling it the “Chinese virus” again today.

          Biden was 20 times more Presidential in his address last night from his home in Delaware.

          • That’s on the margins though when there is short-term reaction, but it would tumble in the short-term regardless of who is President if we want people to actually tell us about worst-case scenarios, etc, as it happening.

            Calling it the “Chinese Virus” is not the solution, but we have the freedom in America and in most places to ignore Trump saying that if he want, while China has a very closed, censored society, and they are telling their people the U.S. military caused this virus. To me, that’s something bigger to be upset at and I would expect any President to not let such a slur go unanswered.

              • One is worse than the other.

                It did come from China. He should also make it clear that viruses are not people and Chinese-Americans are of course Americans and are in this battle along with everyone else.

                • I see now that Kellyanne Conway decided to be funny and call it the “Kung-Flu.”

                  When criticized, she fired back, “I’m married to an Asian!”

                  Ok then, Kellyanne. Let’s bring out your husband to give us his views on….. everything!

                  • She may not have been the one to use the term but downplayed its use.

                    The fact that she would hide behind her husband though is the most hilarious news of the week.

                • Trump using degrading discripitions is pure Trump and just adds to uneasiness from the top….

                  He IS INEPT….

              • I think it’s all baked in the cake and what he is saying is not effecting the stock market much anymore. Everything he says is taken with a gain of salt. Of course, that is not a good trait for a President.

                Those who dislike Trump will continue to dislike him of course. Those who like him will still like him. The fact that he has gotten more serious and sober about this over the past few days will mean his supporters will follow suit.

                • This thread has a problem now with comments appearing. That usually happens when james goes in and alters a comment.

                  • I cannot read the whole comment but Scott seems to be asking me if I watched what Biden said last night.

                    No, I didn’t really catch much. I just note that the production value looked horrible and he had an awkward moment at the end where his wife snuck up on him for a kiss he wasn’t expecting. I said the grainy video made it look like a hostage video.

                    If Biden made a point about Asian-Americans being in this with all of us, that’s great. Overall, he is likely to get very little coverage for a while, and that might work to his benefit.

                    • Production value? Gee I’m sorry he didn’t get Scorsese in for you during this pandemic. I was listening to what he actually said about how we need to handle this problem as a country.

                      Maybe Mitt Romney’s horse or whatever you will write in this November can give a better address–in your imagination.

                      The rest of us are living in the real world.

  10. Stock Market trading halted again…..

    This IS getting BAD……

    They need to stop letting Trump do pressers

    Every time he does?

    The market nosedives….

Discover more from Political Dog 101

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading