Liberal lawmakers and activists ask why a partisan messaging bill excluded so many of their priorities and contained so many favors for the wealthy.
to have the federal government cover 100% of workers’ salaries up to $100,000 to keep them on company’s payroll and out of unemployment.
A House aide pointed to a backlog at the Legislative Counsel’s office, the federal lawyers who work with lawmakers to write bill text. The office prioritizes its work based on seniority, heeding foremost to leadership’s preference. Sean McElwee, a co-founder of the think tank Data for Progress, said he is especially excited about the $1 trillion in funding that the bill lays out for state and local governments. He noted that none of the more ambitious progressive priorities, like Medicare for All and free public college, are possible if state and local governments are forced to dramatically scale back their spending.
Included in the act is a provision to roll back a state and local tax deduction cap, giving a tax break to mostly wealthy individuals. The bill also would clear the way forthat lobby the federal government on behalf of multiple corporations to get access to small business loans even if their member companies are already eligible for bailout money.
“This new guidance puts profits over people,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers,about the proposal when it was first floated in April. “Frontline workers deserve better than this.”
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