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Stimulus Package Stalls After Threat from Bernie Sanders

They were so close…

Then a drafting error exposed a fatal flaw in the structure of the Phase 3 coronavirus stimulus package that could result in massive overpayments of benefits.

Rather than make a simple fix, however, Bernie Sanders is now threatening to derail the legislation if Republicans try to take out the error.

Making People Whole

The main idea regarding stimulus benefits is to make people whole regarding their usual salary.

However, the way the legislation currently reads, people could be receiving far more than their usual salary, more or less promoting companies laying people off or individuals choosing not to go back to work.

For instance, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) noted that the way the legislation reads now, someone in South Carolina currently making $20 an hour would receive $800 a week on full salary.

Under this legislation, that same person would receive $326 in unemployment benefits and an additional $600 from the stimulus benefits, for a total of $926 in salary.

Senator Scott stated, “A massive drafting error in the current version of the coronavirus relief legislation could have devastating consequences: Unless this bill is fixed, there is a strong incentive for employees to be laid off instead of going to work. This isn’t an abstract, philosophical point — it’s an immediate, real-world problem.

“This legislation would not stop at 100 percent of your income, this legislation would allow you in unemployment to make more than you do in employment.

“We know that that is a drafting error and we are simply providing an amendment to fix that so you do not make more in unemployment than you do when you’re working.”

Senator Lindsey Graham also sent out a tweet addressing the drafting problem…

Now, as you can see in Graham’s tweet, Sanders wants to leave it as is and if not, he is threatening to hold the legislation hostage over the money targeted for large companies that also need help due to the coronavirus shutdown.

If this legislation goes through as is, you are going to see unemployment rise significantly more than it has to because there simply is no incentive for people to go back to work if they can make more than they were on unemployment.

We would also be racking up unnecessary debt in the process, something this country surely does not need more of right now.

Just fix the error, pass the legislation, and let’s get people their paychecks.

Why does every little thing have to be a pissing contest and why are we allowing these so-called representatives of the people to use We the People as bargaining chips?

You told us to shut it down, we did, and now the left is doing everything possible to ruin our lives.

Source: Fox News

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