Dear John:
The billionaires and their allies in the White House and the Senate are in total denial about the suffering of working class people during this crisis.
The White House just said that we’re in a “self-sustaining recovery,” when just last week another 1.4 million people filed first-time unemployment claims. After they let the emergency pandemic unemployment insurance benefit expire, they want to renew it–after cutting the payments by two-thirds.
They also let the eviction moratorium expire, so now tens of millions are at risk of losing their homes.
These politicians are either totally out of touch with the situation for working class families or they just don’t care. I’m not sure which would be worse.
Here’s what I am sure about: We need a People’s Bailout. A real relief package equal to the moment would include:
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Emergency health care during the pandemic
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Cancelling rent and evictions
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Emergency money for the people
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Extension of pandemic unemployment insurance
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Cancellation of student debt
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Green jobs for a just recovery
This crisis is so severe that it can’t be solved by nibbling around the edges. We need deep, transformative change to get our country back on its feet, and the small-ball ideas being batted around by the Senate Republicans are totally inadequate.
Each of us needs to get in touch with our senators today and tell them we need them to act now to pass a real bailout for the people, not corporations and billionaires.
In solidarity,
Sondra Youdelman
People’s Action