Biden calls for massive COVID-19 stimulus to start making big, structural change

[applegrove]

Biden calls for massive COVID-19 stimulus to start making big, structural change

Apr 27, 2020 9:19am by Joan McCarter, Daily Kos Staff

https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1940713

"SNIP......

Former Vice President Joe Biden called for a much bigger and greener stimulus bill out of the Democratic House for the next round. That includes layering more and stricter oversight on the Trump administration and making business more accountable for the money they're getting. In an interview with Politico, he also said this is the opportunity for big investments in infrastructure and the green economy.

.....

Biden saved some of his harshest criticisms for an unlikely target, given his past history clashing with the likes of Sen. Elizabeth Warren on the banking industry. He "unloaded," Politico says, on Wall Street and big business, saying "this is the second time we've bailed their asses out." Banks like Wells Fargo, he said, "only alive because of the American taxpayer." That too is very true. He seems livid at the diversion of Paycheck Protection Program small business loans in the CARES Act from small business to big, publicly traded and well-financed businesses. He laid that at the feet of the banks. "We knew from the beginning that the big banks don’t like lending to small businesses," Biden said. "I'm telling you, though, if Main Street businesses don't get help, they're gone."

He says he wants to come out the other side of this crisis with Americans recognizing that workers like grocery clerks "and all the other folks out there saving our rear ends and risking their lives for eight bucks an hour," and that those are the people we're investing in. "I think there's going to be a willingness to fix some of the institutional inequities that have existed for a long time," Biden said. "Milton Friedman isn't running the show anymore."

He says he's "in constant conversation" with Democratic leadership. Let's hope they're taking these words from him and using them. His backing on going big, on trying to save Main Street, on using this to invest in long-term green-new-deal styled initiatives is important. A united Democratic front, with Biden banging the drum to back up Democratic efforts means House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have more room to go very, very big.

.....SNIP"

[brush]

1. Go, Joe. We're behind you.

[RB TexLa]

2. And we'll pay for this one. Unlike everything we have done so far.

[Hekate]

3. Go Joe! This cheers me up tremendously. nt

[niyad]

4. KNR

[mvd]

5. Good going

I definitely want to see more oversight, money for small businesses alone, hospitals, and the states.

Along with this, $2000 per month per person for the foreseeable future, a national moratoriam on foreclosures, debt relief and rent relief, paid sick leave, hazard pay, and an unemployment compensation extension would also be helpful additions. Even if we can’t get everything, I agree with the progressive mantra of starting big.

[DFW]

6. Biden knows from experience

The only reason Obama's stimulus wasn't wildly successful, and almost immediately, is because Congress only gave half of what he wanted (and saw he needed) to get the country back on track. It took almost four times as long as it should have because of that.

Joe Biden was in on all of that--from the Senate watching Cheneybush wreck things, on to the Vice-Presidency-where he was in on the damage control from day one. He has literally been there and literally done that. It's unfortunate that it needs to be done again, but no one need ask if Biden is on unfamiliar territory here. He most definitely is not.

[KPN]

7. As someone who has always liked and supported Sanders, I really like this ... and I love the

frank aggressiveness in Joe's words. Kudos! Hoping for more of this to follow.

[cstanleytech]

8. The only way we will see pay improvements for most americans that

are harder for bastards like the Republicans to fuck with is by linking it to the companies taxes as well as to the military budget.
In other words make it so companies with more than 50 employees pay a huge as tax however the more workers that they have that earn 400% or more over the federal poverty level (which is not made up or controlled by the House, Senate or the President but rather by a committee within the IRS and the House, Senate and President are expressly forbidden by law from interfering in it or influencing it in any way) then the lower their taxes.
Then also make it so the more citizens that earn below 400% of the federal poverty the lower the budget for the military.
That way if the Republicans try to go after this then it will hurt the military and that scares the shit out of them more often than not.

[pattyloutwo]

9. "Big, structural change"

A phrase from Warren’s campaign. Awesome 👏

[tclambert]

10. I like him throwing contempt at Milton Friedman.

Friedman, through his economics, hurt this country more than just about anyone I can think of.

[DeminPennswoods]

11. This makes me happy

Biden has a chance to move America on a great leap forward. Sounds like he's warming up to the challenge.

[crickets]

12. Go, Joe! For all those people wanting Joe to act and be involved - here you go. nt

[brer cat]

13. K&R