Good summary from Eric Levitz of NY mag of all the extra stuff the ARP does that did not get as much press as the stimulus checks, which are ultimately only a small part of it.
An even more succinct summary from Brian Dees on Twitter.
-Largest increase in funding for Native American communities in history
-First reparations program for black farmers stuck in unjust land contracts
-Big bailout of states, cities, and schools so no layoffs like in 2009 (yay!)
-Bailout of multi company union pensions which will directly help blue collar workers in the Rust Belt
-Wifi and broadband to rural areas including Appalachia (not Wakanda but a big start)
-Aid to families and single mothers
-Cutting child poverty in half
-Eliminating child hunger and homelessness
-Increasing exchange subsidies so no one pays more than 8% of their income for health care (basically a two year public option)
-Maintaining rental assistance and unemployment aid
-Giving most Americans $1400
So while we lost $15/hr minimum wage (for now), we gained a lot of progressive economic help. Democrats should take full ownership over the successes this stimulus will cause and be prepared to rake swing state Republicans over the coals for their resistance to it.
Manchin’s opening on the filibuster is also a welcome sign rules for reconciliation will either be expanded or rules for filibusters will be tightened. So more BFDs can happen!
Kudos to MA AARP Director Mike Festa, my longtime friend and mentor.
Keep fighting, Mike! You inspire us everyday.
Kudos to MA AARP Director Mike Festa, my longtime friend and mentor.
Keep fighting, Mike. You inspire us everyday!
The minimum wage I think is largely a procedural loss, though the first try might not be as high as $15. I think Schumer should just schedule a vote for whatever amount he has the votes for on the merits. If nobody seeks recognition to speak when the vote is scheduled, then call the roll and let people stomp their feet about filibuster rules in full view of the CSPAN cameras if they insist.
I always thought fight for $15 was a starting point to arrive at a more generous and impactful federal minimum wage. So if that gets the Republicans, Sinema, and Manchin to $12/hr with indexing to inflation and a phase in to $15, I’m fine with that. I’m fine with calling Cotton’s bluff on e-verify or Hawley’s on a $15 wage for billion dollar companies. They need to be careful what they wish for when major Republican donors cannot hire undocumented workers and are forced to pay $15 an hour.
Current law bars public companies from deducting from their tax bills the cost of anything more than $1 million a year in compensation that goes to one of five employees – the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer or the three other highest-paid executives at the company.
ARP adds five more highly paid officials to the list. That means the compensation of up to ten executives at America’s largest companies can’t be written off.
Baby steps, but still, steps in the right direction,