In a consumerist economy, you obviously want people to work. More work, more products, and more consumption. That's not sarcasm, it's just reality. It works pretty well, except the part where a lot of people die because they consume too much and over-exploiting natural resources.

But on the other hand, you don't want people to have nothing either. Consumerism is also based on a flow of consumption through the system. People without money don't consume. That's the economical rationale for unemployment benefits. For a lot of business owners it doesn't help that people might get some money next year when they find work, when you're going under right now.

There is also an ethical element, which in it most basic simplicity is that a rich society doesn't need to let people starve, so it shouldn't. This principle makes a lot of people angry.

Now of course, we could just stop these government efforts all-together and just hand the power over the employers. Wages or nothing. That would in practice lead to a lot of serfdom under another name for workers with skills that are easily replaceable (and raises the question of why you'd want a government to begin with). Our societies tried this in the 1800s (or as close that you can historically get), which made a lot of people rich and made historians agree that society progressed a lot, but it was a pretty shitty time to be a common worker.

Your inability to understand why your tax dollars are wasted on war or how the stimulus checks and extended UE help your family isn't and indication of my employment prospects. But if it were, I don't think you'd like the indicators.

Unemployment benefits save lives. I lost my job last May and it was through no fault of my own. And let me tell you finding a job that pays $45 k a year isn't like walking into Mc'Donalds. While I will eventually reenter the workforce, why not take advantage of a program that's in place for a reason.

I am also living in a hotel, and that hotel is not free, while filling out applications and playing poker to make ends meet and eventually get an apartment again. Which I was evicted from bc my landlord didn't want to get COVID.

I’m certain the rising prices has to do with the lack of work force . I paid 97$ for a box of chicken which was 40$ last year . That can’t all be inflation can it?
I’m in the food business and I would say everything has basically doubled
I’m so glad Biden has finally decided to let unemployment benefits expire

Blame the poors never fails

How are the poors gonna live when food prices double????

That's their problem. They shouldn't have raised the prices by rejecting shitlow paying jobs

Prices have been rising for the last ~4/5yrs. I've seen numerous things at the grocery store go thru 6-8 small price bumps thru that time.

As a tax lawyer, I have to say Biden’s proposal for 15% global minimum tax on corporate profits strikes me as a proposal that “gets it.”

Unless wages went up by almost 150% I don't think that's your root cause.

Do foodies ever math ?

My hunch is that inflation is caused by all the money the feds had to print to save wall st and that blaming the people who make your money for you is just good sport.

What a whiner

Who exactly is Joe Manchin fighting for?

He is basically saying if Republicans have a obstructionist agenda to solely slow and stop any Democratic bill in an attempt to minimize Dem wins to weaponize that lack of success against them in the next election calling them 'ineffective', then Manchin is saying 'I will support that unless Biden can convince them to stop that agenda'.

Chris Wallace really nails it .

I think it was the poster Original Position who I discussed prior the obstructionist play and role Manchin was playing and how pressure should be brought to bear on him by Biden and others in the party to try and force him to a more reasonable position. That was around the infrastructure bill.

I won't try to restate his position but I am more convinced on mine than ever and believe now that the Dem party needs to start treating Manchin as Enemy #1.

His position of 'you must change Republicans or I will hold with them' is totally unreasonable. But more so it is dangerous.

The Republicans at the State and Country levels are on a full court press to destroy the election checks and balances in a way that would allow them to steal any close election. If they do manage to steal power and flip the House and Senate you can bet the Fed's will then codify those efforts in Federal law, saying they are respecting the States and protecting election security.

This is a play to grab and seize power for the foreseeable future, that may live or die on the midterms and 2024 GE and Manchin is fully enabling the GOP to win on this.

POC and those who represent them and others who respect democracy should be now treating Manchin like he is Trump. Target him. Shame him. Protest him. Mass rallies in his State where these measures are popular but he is blocking them.

History has spoken to how the worst offender is not always the one taking action but those who remain silent or worse enable them and provide them cover.

It is people like Joe Manchin who are far more dangerous to the voting rights of POC and democracy then even the most extreme Trumpster is because he hides behind the veneer of moderation and is the one who can sell it to moderates getting the necessary power and he can provide cover and a shield to the worst elements.

And again, why? If not for his constituents, which this is not, then who is he acting on behalf of?

this clown whispering about whatever and saying the infrastructure bill must be passed "in tandem" or he won't sign in. then has to walk that back. jesus.

edit: and completely forgetting to comment on Florida disaster. Senile.

I am just thankful he has shown no where near the senility and slurring of words, etc that Trump did thru his term, so I'll take the improvement.

I do agree he should have never walked that comment back. There is nothing wrong or unusual with the Dem's using pressure tactics on all Dem's. And republicans caring about something like that is ludicrous in the extreme.

It is almost like the republicans are suggesting 'we thought our agreement for a single bipartisan bill meant your party would not push any separate legislation where you do not need our votes, within your own party!'

No, **** no. No party would agree to anything like that and should not.

Are you nuts Trump may have been evil but heck of lot more coherent than sleepy Joe

Sometimes I look close if I can spot the strings when Joe is at the podium.

Yeah maybe you make the GOP think that your not going to ram a bill through after the first one. Biden looked horrible walking back the comment

I applauded Trump and his derps last year for pushing super hard on the sleepy Joe thing to set the bar really low for Biden, so when the debate happened and Biden was fine and Trump was a raving lunatic that just helped Trumpderp money move from them to people like me. Thanks for that memory with you holding onto the lingering leftovers of one of the worst run campaigns ever. Keep looking for those strings!

All the best.

You would lose that bet 10 of 10 times if we went video post for video post where Trump's brain is melting and he is struggling for words or slurring. And that is excluding the moronic stuff he said that younger Trump was way to adept to say.

Those who liked Trump just ignored it all or saw it as a positive.

1) if we're going to twitter for "evidence" then yeesh.
2) Biden never talks.

So well spoken.

"we hold there truths to be self levident, all men and women created by the go you know you know the thing"

no winner here

"come on man"

id say this is more of the truth Cuepee You lying dog faced pony soldier