COVID-19 Outbreak (Update: More than 2.9M cases and 132,313 deaths in US) (11 Viewers)

[RazorOye]

Its almost like nationwide one size fits all solutions are not the best idea.

but also, "nationwide" and "one size fits all" aren't mutually inclusive

as an example, think about public education. You can give public education to everyone, nationwide, but also implement strategies and funding and policy to assist groups and areas with more/different needs

this happens all the time. And I think the necessary confluence of "nationwide" and "one size fits all" instantly eliminates a lot of potential solutions and even discussion

 

[RazorOye]

I was hoping for more help for students in debt - that was really disappointing. I think that's one demographic that they can really leverage and empower to bolster the economy when this thing is behind us.

 

[Saint_Ward]

I was hoping for more help for students in debt - that was really disappointing. I think that's one demographic that they can really leverage and empower to bolster the economy when this thing is behind us.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. My guess is that it's gone? Didn't make it in the final bill?

 

[Goatman Saint]

But, at the same time it is unfair, a flat amount in a way is. Many people at the 75,000 and up pay level/150,000 have additional assets, can negotiate with lenders, can get unemployment, Tap into 401, stuff like that. I look at my friend’s family. Both work in packing plants, farm work. Through busting their tails, they manage to slide by each month. However, this payment will literally save their family.

 

[Eeyore]

Our lawyer told us yesterday that a lot of people who think that they're going to qualify for the expanded unemployment benefits are going to be disappointed.

We'll take the place where I work as an example.

We have about 260 union employees, 100+ salaried employees and a handful of employees who can be argued to be "jointly employed."

We appear to fit nicely in between the floor of 50 employees and the ceiling of 500 employees.

However, we have facilities in Pennsylvania that put us well over 1000. We don't qualify.

 

[Goatman Saint]

I was hoping for more help for students in debt - that was really disappointing. I think that's one demographic that they can really leverage and empower to bolster the economy when this thing is behind us.

It may be what’s needed to kickstart the economy when this starts to wind down. That population is the only one with massive pent up ability to spend.

 

[RazorOye]

Yeah, I was wondering about that. My guess is that it's gone? Didn't make it in the final bill?

So, the push was for $10,000 forgiveness on all loans. Students would be responsible for the rest, but would be able to defer (without accruing interest) until they were able to start paying again.

The Republicans rejected any forgiveness, in any amount, outright.

The result was a period of 6-months for deferral and private collection agencies had to stop calling and seeking to collect payment from borrowers.

I was a bit underwhelmed when I saw that, but hey... that's what passes today

 

[Saint_Ward]

So, the push was for $10,000 forgiveness on all loans. Students would be responsible for the rest, but would be able to defer (without accruing interest) until they were able to start paying again.

The Republicans rejected any forgiveness, in any amount, outright.

The result was a period of 6-months for deferral and private collection agencies had to stop calling and seeking to collect payment from borrowers.

I was a bit underwhelmed when I saw that, but hey... that's what passes today

Hopefully they can bring some of that back. It's not full loan forgiveness. It's like a boost to help cover what they didn't cover before with their inadequate funding and controls on spending.

I know they'll argue about how it's not fair to those that did pay loans, but the payments to all americans isn't fair either, for those of us still working and/or drawing a pay check.

 

[RazorOye]

It may be what’s needed to kickstart the economy when this starts to wind down. That population is the only one with massive pent up ability to spend.

$10,000 is really not that much in terms of the lenders to forgive, but could be a massive improvement for the borrowers. It could infuse so much more into the economy with this group and have long term benefits. It seems like a no-brainer to me.

But it comes down to optics. It doesn't *actually* come down to the economy. It's all posturing and optics and PR.

 

[Saint_Ward]

A slight daily decrease. Let's hope this keeps up. (bottom right). Not our first, but two in a row would be wonderful, three in a row is better.

 

[RazorOye]

I know they'll argue about how it's not fair to those that did pay loans, but the payments to all americans isn't fair either, for those of us still working and/or drawing a pay check.

I don't want to turn this thread into that discussion - but I agree. I know that the 10k figure means a lot more to someone carrying 20k in debt vs 200k in debt. But it would be something - it would be, at the very least, symbolic. It wouldn't actually cost the country that much and it would provide real relief to people who need it.

Our political leaders have no problem bailing out banks and corporations in the name of Economic Health, but when it comes to these borrowers and lower-, middle-, and working-class folk, that same sentiment doesn't apply.

And if this thing continues to drag on, we are really, really going to hurt.

This was an opportunity to send a message, put our proverbial money where our mouth is.

And in a lot of ways that would have made sense, we didn't. Because it wouldn't play well to some people. But we are always having to draw lines - and sometimes they just need drawing. We make these sorts of decisions all the time, in a number of ways.

This is - to me - where the faulty logic of "one size fits all" should also be invoked and employed.

 

[RKNSaint]

I was hoping for more help for students in debt - that was really disappointing. I think that's one demographic that they can really leverage and empower to bolster the economy when this thing is behind us.

Yup. 100% agree. If overlooked that’s disappointing.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Wow, Florida has a lot of people under surveillance.

 

[Goatman Saint]

So, the push was for $10,000 forgiveness on all loans. Students would be responsible for the rest, but would be able to defer (without accruing interest) until they were able to start paying again.

The Republicans rejected any forgiveness, in any amount, outright.

The result was a period of 6-months for deferral and private collection agencies had to stop calling and seeking to collect payment from borrowers.

I was a bit underwhelmed when I saw that, but hey... that's what passes today

It’s a start. But once this passes, and it will, we will need to get the economy back up and going. Huge numbers of people have been laid off and won’t have immediate income. It’s going to take some time to build things back up. So, you have to look around and say, ok what can we do? In these bills that were passed there is well over the amount needed to wipe out most student debt, thereby allowing a huge potential consumer base to buy autos, cars, major appliances. Right now all that income is going to banks. Which I mean really at this point the government’s debt and such is just imaginary money anyway.

 

[SaintRob]

A slight daily decrease. Let's hope this keeps up. (bottom right). Not our first, but two in a row would be wonderful, three in a row is better.

I guess it depends on timing of the collection of data. This is the daily increase from Worldometers: