Good morning everyone! I think this is such an interesting letter. When I heard that McCarthy had decided on a "voice" vote--which is always suspicious--I knew it was because he wanted to guarantee that there would be no reproducible record, because y'know, deniability is his watchword. The letter from over 100 Republican officials stati…
Good morning everyone! I think this is such an interesting letter. When I heard that McCarthy had decided on a "voice" vote--which is always suspicious--I knew it was because he wanted to guarantee that there would be no reproducible record, because y'know, deniability is his watchword. The letter from over 100 Republican officials stating that they were determined to form a third party should have scared the Kevster and Malignant Mitch but apparently they think they can corral all the money despite this break, and that all of their corporate sponsors--and the Koch and Walton families--will fall into line again.
The issue exercising me this morning is the trend--including Missouri's appalling governor, Mike Parson--for Ghastly Old Pols to cancel the supplemental unemployment payments for the most vulnerable people in their states--usually BIPOC and (I suspect they have forgotten this point in their desire to damage communities of color) the rural poor on the basis that, as the utterly ignorant freshman senator from Kansas, Roger Marshall, said this morning without any evidence whatsoever, enhanced unemployment benefits are encouraging people not to look for work. This rhetoric by the Repugnicans is statistically false, and could be countered as soon as these privileged white men and women parrot it. But the return of the Reagan propaganda about people on public assistance is apparently unassailable except on NPR, where few Ghastly Ones agree to be interviewed because the reporters instantly refute their baseless claims.
My mayor just spent two days in DC trying to lobby the Repugnicans he is forced to work with in order to impress upon them how the Biden infrastructure bill will bring jobs, jobs, jobs to western Missouri and eastern Kansas. They were perfectly happy to have their photo ops with a charismatic Black mayor but then immediately turned around and returned to their idiocies and lies. Meanwhile, Mayor Lucas was posting on Twitter and FB the following: If employers are having trouble hiring people because their unemployment benefits pay them more than the job, the employers need to raise the wages they are paying for the job. True 'dat.
“ If employers are having trouble hiring people because their unemployment benefits pay them more than the job, the employers need to raise the wages they are paying for the job. True 'dat.”.
Yes! And... if they can’t afford to pay their employees a living wage, they need to rethink their business model, reevaluate monetary distribution within the company, or examine their own moral compass. Or maybe all of the above.
And we need to bear in mind always that there are very few reputable economists who believe the lie that higher unemployment benefits are a major driver of the low return of workers. The lack of childcare, uncertainty about school re-openings, and fear of exposure to Covid in the workplace are all more salient factors. One stat that should drive this point home is the fact that recent job gains ALL went to men. Because in our misogynist society women are assumed to be responsible for childcare and schooling, and because they are grossly over-represented among those who work jobs that have not yet come back, they are re-entering the job market is much lower numbers. That has nothing to do with expanded unemployment benefits. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/about-275-000-women-left-workforce-january-critical-pandemic-trend-n1256942
Many hospitality and restaurant workers transitioned to working in other industries. Finding the pay and benefits superior, they aren’t returning to their old jobs in the service industry. Wages must go up and if that means higher prices, so be it.
Many restaurants pay a paltry wage, sometimes less than $5.00 and have their servers count on tips to bring them up to even the minimum wage. This is unconscionable. No wonder they left for other jobs.
Add to that the number of people who changed career fields in the face of what working in the immediate aftermath of pandemic quarantine might give them...
Men have gone back to work. Women are finding that much more difficult as there are both child care/home school issues to deal with. You are spot on that many of the jobs yet to come back are for women as well.
I know, right? I don't think they realize how patently absurd it is to think $1200 a month leaves someone in such a luxurious position that they don't have to work. $300 a week is $7.50 an hour if you're full time. If you can't compete with that, shame on you.
As I fellow Missourian, I too sympathize—it’s the “you can’t make this stuff up” craziness in Jefferson City that wakes me up in the middle of the night 😱
Also a bit hard to re-hire dead workers. The hospitality and restaurant industries I believe had and continue to have some of the highest mortality rate for COVID-19
Good morning everyone! I think this is such an interesting letter. When I heard that McCarthy had decided on a "voice" vote--which is always suspicious--I knew it was because he wanted to guarantee that there would be no reproducible record, because y'know, deniability is his watchword. The letter from over 100 Republican officials stating that they were determined to form a third party should have scared the Kevster and Malignant Mitch but apparently they think they can corral all the money despite this break, and that all of their corporate sponsors--and the Koch and Walton families--will fall into line again.
The issue exercising me this morning is the trend--including Missouri's appalling governor, Mike Parson--for Ghastly Old Pols to cancel the supplemental unemployment payments for the most vulnerable people in their states--usually BIPOC and (I suspect they have forgotten this point in their desire to damage communities of color) the rural poor on the basis that, as the utterly ignorant freshman senator from Kansas, Roger Marshall, said this morning without any evidence whatsoever, enhanced unemployment benefits are encouraging people not to look for work. This rhetoric by the Repugnicans is statistically false, and could be countered as soon as these privileged white men and women parrot it. But the return of the Reagan propaganda about people on public assistance is apparently unassailable except on NPR, where few Ghastly Ones agree to be interviewed because the reporters instantly refute their baseless claims.
My mayor just spent two days in DC trying to lobby the Repugnicans he is forced to work with in order to impress upon them how the Biden infrastructure bill will bring jobs, jobs, jobs to western Missouri and eastern Kansas. They were perfectly happy to have their photo ops with a charismatic Black mayor but then immediately turned around and returned to their idiocies and lies. Meanwhile, Mayor Lucas was posting on Twitter and FB the following: If employers are having trouble hiring people because their unemployment benefits pay them more than the job, the employers need to raise the wages they are paying for the job. True 'dat.
“ If employers are having trouble hiring people because their unemployment benefits pay them more than the job, the employers need to raise the wages they are paying for the job. True 'dat.”.
Yes! And... if they can’t afford to pay their employees a living wage, they need to rethink their business model, reevaluate monetary distribution within the company, or examine their own moral compass. Or maybe all of the above.
And we need to bear in mind always that there are very few reputable economists who believe the lie that higher unemployment benefits are a major driver of the low return of workers. The lack of childcare, uncertainty about school re-openings, and fear of exposure to Covid in the workplace are all more salient factors. One stat that should drive this point home is the fact that recent job gains ALL went to men. Because in our misogynist society women are assumed to be responsible for childcare and schooling, and because they are grossly over-represented among those who work jobs that have not yet come back, they are re-entering the job market is much lower numbers. That has nothing to do with expanded unemployment benefits. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/about-275-000-women-left-workforce-january-critical-pandemic-trend-n1256942
Many hospitality and restaurant workers transitioned to working in other industries. Finding the pay and benefits superior, they aren’t returning to their old jobs in the service industry. Wages must go up and if that means higher prices, so be it.
Many restaurants pay a paltry wage, sometimes less than $5.00 and have their servers count on tips to bring them up to even the minimum wage. This is unconscionable. No wonder they left for other jobs.
Much of Europe has done away with tipping. We would do well to imitate them.
And too many restaurants steal tip money earned by staff, not the owner or manager. Unconscionable.
Add to that the number of people who changed career fields in the face of what working in the immediate aftermath of pandemic quarantine might give them...
Men have gone back to work. Women are finding that much more difficult as there are both child care/home school issues to deal with. You are spot on that many of the jobs yet to come back are for women as well.
Who said “If your business model depends on paying your employees a low wage (less than $15/hour, you don’t have a viable business model.”
I know, right? I don't think they realize how patently absurd it is to think $1200 a month leaves someone in such a luxurious position that they don't have to work. $300 a week is $7.50 an hour if you're full time. If you can't compete with that, shame on you.
Good question, Jean. I dunno . . . a capitalist?
As I fellow Missourian, I too sympathize—it’s the “you can’t make this stuff up” craziness in Jefferson City that wakes me up in the middle of the night 😱
Also a bit hard to re-hire dead workers. The hospitality and restaurant industries I believe had and continue to have some of the highest mortality rate for COVID-19