While the phase 3 coronavirus response bill from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell includes too-little and probably too-late one-time, direct cash payments to people, that's really a distraction from its larger aim: more corporate tax breaks. Because of course that's what McConnell is going to prioritize.
Oh, and it also actually walks back some of the already-inadequate paid leave allowances in the bill passed earlier in the week, putting even more limits on who can use the leave. It lifts excise taxes for airlines and has a raft of as-of-yet unspecified cuts and adjustments for businesses. These are supposedly temporary changes to the tax code to reduce large corporations’ tax liability. Many of the changes override provisions in the 2017 Republican tax scam that were meant to raise revenue to offset corporate rate cuts.
Sign and send to your U.S. senators: No blank check bailouts for corporations. Put people first.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have called for executive compensation and stock buy-back restrictions to be included with any breaks that any of these companies get, while economists are reminding that many of the companies that could get a straight-up bailout—like American Airlines—have zero tax liability as it is.
Now every corporate lobbyist in D.C. is trying to get in on the giveaways. The restaurant association, which has frankly a better argument than most provided their bailout money goes to their employees, wants $325 billion. Boeing is asking for $60 billion. The casinos and airlines and travel industry all want in on some billions. Manufacturers want $1.4 billion. Even Adidas is getting in on it, "seeking support for a long-sought provision allowing people to use pretax money to pay for gym memberships and fitness equipment." Gym memberships that no one could use because gyms are closed for the duration! Airbnb, drone manufacturers, pig farmers (they shouldn't get a break unless Congress also reverses Trump's new rule allowing them to self-regulate), movers—everybody wants in on it.
Here's the Democrats’ job: making sure none of this happens until there is extended and full-salary replacement with unemployment benefits, with provisions for the self-employed and gig workers to also benefit. It can't happen until there is full, paid sick and family leave for every worker who doesn't already have it. It can't happen until there is a national moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions, student debt is canceled, and everyone—including undocumented people—can safely access health care.