Coronavirus
I can’t get over the fact that all you boomers were talking shit about Venezuelans not having toilet paper.
— M. (@Maksoortiya) March 15, 2020
Nancy Pelosi has responded to the New York Times editorial criticizing[1] her sick leave bill:
I don’t support U.S. taxpayer money subsidizing corporations to provide benefits to workers that they should already be providing. House Democrats will continue to prioritize strong emergency leave policies as we fight to put #FamiliesFirst. https://t.co/GIoCJAKE1M
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 15, 2020
Large employers and corporations must step up to the plate and offer paid sick leave and paid family & medical leave to their workers. Both now as we fight the #coronavirus and in the years to come. #COVIDー19
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 15, 2020
So imagine passing a bill requiring not large or small companies to offer sick leave, but just some companies in between to maybe 20 percent of full time employees.[2] And then saying it’s because you don’t want to subsidize corporations?
But House Democrats also failed to act in the public interest. Paying sick workers to stay at home is both good policy and good politics. Why not pass a bill that required all employers to provide paid sick leave and then force Republicans to explain their objections to the public?[3]
The legislation includes 14 paid sick days for employees, as well as three months of paid emergency leave throughout the coronavirus crisis. Employers will be reimbursed for some of these costs through tax credits. At GOP insistence, the emergency leave provision will expire in a year. And Republicans were able to insert language exempting smaller businesses from the requirements.[4]
We aren’t talking about part-time workers, many of whom would work full time if they could get it, many of whom are working multiple jobs to make up for the lack of full time work at a living wage. We aren’t even talking about so-called “independent contractors”—gig workers—here.
The reality here is that this bill is nothing. Meanwhile, let’s talk about “social distancing.”
This is the scene at O’Hare airport. The traveler who took the photo said it’s a 6-hour wait for bags then on to customs for 2-4 more of waiting in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Police are handing out water and disinfectant wipes. @fly2ohare #ord #coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/UTx9E0nj1s
— Brooke Geiger McDonald (@BrookeGMcDonald) March 15, 2020
Or, um, maybe not.
- [1]New York Times, “There’s a Giant Hole in Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill,” March 14, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/opinion/coronavirus-pelosi-sick-leave.html↩
- [2]New York Times, “There’s a Giant Hole in Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill,” March 14, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/opinion/coronavirus-pelosi-sick-leave.html↩
- [3]New York Times, “There’s a Giant Hole in Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill,” March 14, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/opinion/coronavirus-pelosi-sick-leave.html↩
- [4]Sarah Ferris et al., “House passes sweeping coronavirus response package,” Politico, March 14, 2020, https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/13/congress-coronavirus-stimulus-package-deal-friday-128140↩