April, 22 2020, 12:00am EDT
People's Action Opposes 'Pathetic' Economic Relief Deal Passed by the Senate
People's Action Director George Goehl today released the following statement opposing the economic relief bill passed by the Senate this evening:
WASHINGTON
People's Action Director George Goehl today released the following statement opposing the economic relief bill passed by the Senate this evening:
"What world are these people living in? This 'deal' is pathetic and totally inadequate in this crisis. Rent is due in a week for the millions of people who just lost their jobs and health coverage during a global pandemic. And we still don't have adequate funding for testing or protective equipment to keep people safe. Physical distancing saves lives, but a Senate this out of touch with real people will ruin them.
"Instead of playing small ball, Congress should immediately pass Rep. Omar's bill to cancel rent and mortgage payments for the duration of the crisis; Rep. Jayapal's bill to provide emergency health care coverage during the pandemic; and Reps. Jayapal's and Tlaib's bill to provide $2,000 cash assistance to every person, every month, for the duration of the crisis.
"The House must stand up to Republicans and reject this bill. We stand behind progressive champions in Congress who have expressed their opposition. The House must pass a People's Bailout with the funds to meet the actual needs of people in crisis. Democrats must seize this opportunity to show people on the front lines of this pandemic that they will stand with them."
People's Action released a set of principles for a true People's Bailout package, which are available here: https://peoplesaction.org/peoples-bailout/
People's Action builds the power of poor and working people, in rural, suburban, and urban areas to win change through issue campaigns and elections.
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The report—entitledHow Big Tech and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex—was authored by Roberto J. González, a professor of cultural anthropology at San José State University, for the Costs of War Project at Brown University's Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs.
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The report highlights the rise of a new class of billion-dollar military contractors, "a combination of gargantuan tech firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, and hundreds of smaller, pre-IPO startup companies supported by VC firms."
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About 4,000 Volkswagen workers in Tennessee are voting on whether to unionize with the United Auto Workers. Labor journalist @hamiltonnolan says it's the most important union vote in years and could be the "first domino" in a wider push to organize the auto industry in the South. pic.twitter.com/RWFnO5KznI
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) April 17, 2024
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