“What’s their incentive to back down? If Democrats thought they’d be blamed squarely for the deadlock, I think they’d give in or they’d go to the table for something smaller,” Sarah Binder, a professor of political science at George Washington University and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, said. “If you do something smaller, Republicans can say, ‘We’re done.’ And I think Democrats don’t want to be in that position.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is overseeing program funding, had approved 13 states to offer the extra unemployment benefits as of around noon ET on Friday.
Those states are: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.
Dr. Chhoda analyzes a letter from the Department of Labor, which states that states may meet the $100 per claimant per week state match with the regular payments they make for state unemployment insurance benefits.
The letter acknowledges that if states go this route, “eligible claimants will only receive a LWA payment of $300 in addition to their weekly benefit amount.”
Dr. Chhoda analyzes a new report on the “New GOP ‘Skinny’ COVID Relief Bill, Which Doesn’t Include More Stimulus Checks, Cuts Extra Unemployment Pay In Half” and why it’s likely to be dead on arrival.
The proposal, dubbed the “skinny” plan, comes as Democrats, Republicans and the White House have reached an impasse in negotiations, while the Senate remains in recess.
LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT DATA PROVES CONGRESS IS KEY TO SECOND STIMULUS & UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT EXTENSIONS
The number of Americans filing for unemployment insurance unexpectedly rose last week, a sign of the job market’s fragility five months after the coronavirus pandemic began to devastate the economy.
The economy remains challenging for many American workers, with the unemployment rate at 10.2 percent and sectors like leisure and hospitality experiencing huge losses in employment.
STATES FEMA HAS APPROVED AT THE CURRENT TIME
Arizona: FEMA approved Arizona’s application on August 15, 2020. Arizona started sending out $300 weekly payments to eligible claimants on August 17th.
Colorado: FEMA Approved Colorado’s application on August 16, 2020. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), said today in a press release dated August 19, 2020, CDLE announced that benefits would begin to go out in “mid to late September.”
THE HIDDEN LINK BETWEEN THE STIMULUS CHECK, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT GRIDLOCK & THE PRESIDENCY, CONGRESS
In this video, Dr. Chhoda explores the underlying reasons behind the current gridlock, and analyzes history in an attempt to understand how we got to where we are today. We explore:
Dr. Chhoda provides an update about the current state of the President’s executive orders, specifically the payroll tax cut, and an interesting tweet from the President today.
Many people across the country are still avoiding malls, restaurants and other businesses. The shift in behavior points to a reshaping of American commerce, fueling questions about the strength and speed of the economic recovery as the pandemic continues to spread.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told Fox News Wednesday that he opposes Congress passing more stimulus funding because “if you give people money and you make it less painful to be in a recession,” governors “will not have an incentive” to reopen the economy.
Dr. Chhoda explores the link between the economy on one side, and airline flight patterns, a recent indictment, and the President’s tax returns on the other side.
STIMULUS & UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT EXTENSION UPDATE | WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TO PELOSI ‘HALF-WAY’ COMMENT
Dr. Chhoda provides the latest updates about back-peddling from the USPS and a brand new stimulus negotiation update including the White House Senior Comms Advisor’s response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
USPS to Suspend Changes Until After Election – Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says agency won’t remove equipment or cut hours amid congressional scrutiny ahead of an expected surge in mail-in voting.
