In the House rules package, there are specific exemptions to PAYGO for Covid measures and also climate mitigation!
(there's also statutory paygo, but that tends to only be important if the OMB director pays attention to it.
There used to be a rule that the House would have to keep the staff of a former speaker on the payroll. (!!) That's gone.
The rules re-emphasize the ability for committees and subcommittees to issue subpoenas, a kind of nose-thumbing at the outgoing Trump administration.
The motion to recommit language is I believe designed to prevent partisan motions from being offered. This tool has become a way for the minority party to force difficult or embarrassing votes on the majority.
The provision forcing members to pay for their own discrimination settlements has been continued.
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Really the only potential issue with Substack is that through network effects it will muscle out other platforms for independent, self-sustaining online writing, then raise the prices it takes from writers who have nowhere else to turn.
There's nothing actually special about what Substack does except the caliber of the people using it. Lots of other newsletter companies, lots of ways to collect money on the Internet.
Of course Substack is subsidizing the transition of people to their stable.
It seems equivalent to how Spotify is trying to corner podcasting. It's worth watching. (also would be funny if the high-profile Substackers, given to oppose Big Tech platforms, find themselves on one) prospect.org/power/spotify-…
Based on my understanding of how the bill works, even if it's signed, say, Sunday, there will be permanent consequences for those on PEUC. It's complicated... (1/?)
PEUC is an extended benefit program for people who have run out of standard unemployment benefits. States also have extended benefit programs of various lengths.
If you're unemployed and you run out of standard benefits, as long as PEUC exists you would go to that for 13 weeks. Then after that you'd go to your state extended benefit program.
Spend a few moments of Christmas Eve with @TheProspect and learn about labor and the working class! Here's the lineup:
Our @HaroldMeyerson talks to insiders about Biden's pick for Labor Secretary, which is coming down to a battle over what the working class actually looks like in the 21st century: prospect.org/cabinet-watch/…
Then, here's Peter Dreier with the history of Julie Su, one of the three finalists for Labor Secretary, who has a history that parallels another famous woman who ran the department, Frances Perkins: prospect.org/cabinet-watch/…
If you want to talk about a red line in COVID talks it should have always been this. Authorize every dollar necessary to change "early fall" to "spring"
Congress spent two days parceling out language on Fed programs that won't see the light of dawn, 3,000 people a day are dying and the bill on offer won't get us 1, 2, 3 months closer to herd immunity?
Furthermore, last I heard it only extends the unemployment programs for 10 weeks when the incoming surgeon general is saying no mass vaccine takeup until fall.
Congress is making the EXACT same mistake of not extending funding for the duration of the crisis.
Unbelievable that Democrats would let this hold up a deal. The Fed facilities have almost exclusively fattened the wallets of the investor class, and the central bank has tools to undertake muni lending anyway. (which it won't as it's ideologically opposed)
The "Main Street Lending Program" Dems are trying to save is mostly an oil and gas lending program. bailoutwatch.org/analysis/mslp-…
The Fed officials in charge of state/local lending are completely conflicted with the muni bond industry, and the result is that it's made two (2) loans. prospect.org/coronavirus/un…