Guys, under the president's unemployment plan, nobody gets the $300 in federal aid unless their state agrees to come up with $100. He's trying to shoehorn this through disaster aid programs and the relevant law requires a 25% state match. No match, no federal aid.
Which makes this report from @NPR especially timely:
Here's the relevant part of the president's memorandum. To get the money, states must 1) request it; 2) match 25%; and 3) administer the program.
And all that leaves aside the very interesting question of whether giving people $400 complies with the Stafford Act.
And all that leaves aside the very interesting question of whether giving people $400 complies with the Stafford Act.
The order on evictions and assistance to homeowners is also less than it appears. It doesn't stop evictions, foreclosures, or provide any assistance to anyone. It just instructs two cabinet secretaries to figure out whether they have any legal authority to do those things.
It's not clear that the administration has the legal authority to stop evictions or foreclosures on its own. If it was clear that it did - or even if it was arguable - you'd have expected to see the president issue a memo ordering them to do it, not think about it.
