On Friday, August 7, 2020, Congress failed to extend payroll protection payments for thousands of U.S. citizens who are at risk of losing their jobs through no fault of their own. Prior to our appointed Congressional leaders’ failure to lead, many of their employers were receiving weekly payments of $600 just to make ends meet for themselves and their families while weathering the storms wrought by the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.
Under the old plan, the $600 weekly payments equated to $2,400 per month, or $28,800 per year. Because there is so much noise out there, perpetuated by #TheOtherGuy and Republican legislators in both the House and Senate, most people failed to recognize that the $28,800 per year payment exceeds Federal poverty guidelines for a family of two ($16,910), a family of three ($21,300), and a family of four (25,750). So, when Republican legislators proposed $200 during their negotiations, all I could do was scratch my head. They actually wanted to lower the payment to $200 per week, or $800 per month, $9,600 per year. That would have been a pay decrease of $19,200.
But we all knew #TheOtherGuy was going to try and step forward to make us think he is making America great again. He reportedly signed an Executive Order stating that the weekly payroll protection payments should be set at $400. While this amount is an improvement on his own party’s opening salvo, it still only gives at-risk workers annual payments of $19,200, which exceeds the Federal poverty guidelines for a family of two (+ $2,290) but falls well short for a family of three (- $2,100) and a family of four (- $6,550).
But based on the news reports that I’ve seen and read, #TheOtherGuy’s Executive Orders are nothing burgers, resulting from the fact he has no control over how the nation spends its money. This control sits squarely in the hands of Congress. So, what he did is more of a distraction than a solution. Therefore, Congressional leaders need to return to the table to hash out a deal that at least lets at-risk workers know they care. But they won’t. Why? Because Republican legislators have shown from the outset of these negotiations that their loyalty is not with their constituents, it’s with #TheOtherGuy. To me, that’s a heart issue that the Republican Party refuses to acknowledge as a problem, and shows they lack the moral fortitude to address it.
But I acknowledge it. Why allow the wants and needs of one man to supersede the wants and needs of your constituents, which includes Republican, Democratic and Independent voters? We can only hope that more members of the Republican Party acknowledge their erroneous decisions to make a 180 degree turn and do what is right for all of the people. For it will be these moral and decent legislators that allow us to change the tone, enable us to become less selfish and more selfless.
Truth be told, we must applaud the efforts of our Congressional leaders from the Democratic Party. Their staunch support for the continuation of, and, in some instances, increase to, the $600 weekly payments is further evidence they have never stopped fighting for all U.S. citizens. Yes, we U.S. citizens have our differences of opinion, but the thing we have in common is our love for life, liberty and happiness.
Like many of you, I am tired of one man and one party trying to manipulate my thoughts around these common values. As long as they are promulgating hate rather than love, division rather unity, nothing they say or do will ever resonate with me. We have to get out of the business of stepping on our neighbors, or disparaging them even, to advance self interest. In short, we can’t allow one man and one party to become the thermostat that sets a room temperature designed to suppress the expression of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
In the months leading up to Election Day, November 3, 2020, the Republican Party has already shown it will cheat to win, with some of its members either directly or indirectly expressing an openness to accepting foreign assistance from the Russian Federation. And very few of them, if any, said anything when the leader of their party sent Federal troops to Portland, Oregon to trample the First Amendment Rights of peaceful protesters.
What is becoming increasingly apparent, though, is supporters of right-wing extremism are committing crimes under the guise of Black Lives Matter to undermine not just the Black Lives Matter Movement, but the Civil Rights Movement as well. By marching alongside Black Americans they don’t know, and have no empathy for, they give #TheOtherGuy the cover he needs to further criminalize Black bodies. He is also able to bamboozle Independent voters into believing excessive or deadly force is always warranted during encounters with Black Americans.
And this takes us back to where we started, Congress’s failure to extend payroll protection that allows a family of four to live above the Federal poverty level. When we cast our votes in the lead up to Election Day, we have to remember how the Republican Party mistreated U.S. citizens during a global pandemic. They didn’t think it was important enough to give U.S. workers a livable wage. They also displayed a tone deafness that prevented them from saying or doing anything that shows they believe #BlackLivesMatter too.
Those, my friends, are offenses that are not rooted in love, justice and peace.