# Democratic items in stimulus bill that have little or nothing to do with coronavirus relief **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 24, 2020, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147 "2020-03-24T04:21:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/41 "2020-03-24T20:02:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That’s the problem with these kinds of discussions on the SDMB. Packing the bill with all kinds of liberal wish list items is just horse-trading when done by Democrats, but politicizing the crisis when done by the GOP. Because the SDMB would like to see limits on CEO pay whether COVID-19 is a thing or not - if they can get it thru now, great, if not, they can scream about how the GOP is playing politics with people’s LIVES!!! $400 billion for corporations is horrible, keeping the Kennedy art center open is a laudable commitment to fighting unemployment. TL;DR: !!!1!!!11!!!eleven!!! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/42 "2020-03-24T20:04:04Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You’re missing my point, which is that in the eyes of the SDMB these things are not equal. > > Pushing for all kinds of things that have little or nothing to do with fighting COVID-19 is perfectly fine. Except when the other side does it, and then it is playing politics with lives and horrible and so on. But when the Democrats do it, it’s OK, because they are good things and should be passed no matter if the coronavirus is spreading or not. Look, why don’t you start a thread with examples of this behavior you say is rampant here. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/43 "2020-03-24T20:42:28Z")
It’s true, the Dems are putting stuff into the relief bill, and so are the GOPers. And they are both wrong. We need to pass the damn thing. BUT the Dems are putting stuff in that will help us all, while the GOP is putting stuff in to help themselves. So I give the Dems a bit of a pass, but yeah, they need to concede some stuff to get this passed also. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/44 "2020-03-24T20:54:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > How does increased paperwork about diversity prevent the spread of coronavirus? > > Regards, > Shodan The distinct lack of links is telling here. If you actually provided a link to details(and I’ve just read three different right-wing articles trying in vain to find details), your case might turn out to be a house of cards. But as long as you leave it vague, there’s your chance to claim victory because we don’t all immediately proclaim your wisdom. tl;dr: cite? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/45 "2020-03-24T21:19:49Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Some of the items in the [Democratic House bill for coronavirus relief](https://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalDiscussion/comments/fnwni1/democrats_in_the_house_have_released_their_25/)are not related to the pandemic or economic stimulus at all. Examples of such include: > > And some other things besides. > > The practice of ballot harvesting has absolutely nothing to do with the coronavirus, ditto for anything about absentee balloting. This is an attempt to use the urgency of pandemic relief to pass legislation that might have had a hard time passing otherwise. If Democrats want to keep ballot harvesting alive, or forbid ID for absentee balloting, then propose it in a separate legislative session, but this is an attempt to pass riders on the back of the situation urgency of the moment. What’s the democratic concept in play here? Never let a crisis go to waste? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/46 "2020-03-24T21:42:04Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What’s the democratic concept in play here? Never let a crisis go to waste? Machiavelli can hardly be accused of being a democrat. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/47 "2020-03-24T23:05:41Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What’s the democratic concept in play here? Never let a crisis go to waste? Definitely! That’s why they put in a $500 billion slush fund for the president to spend as he and Mnuchin sees fit. Those Dems! Never letting a crisis go to waste. I’m apparently on the OP’s ignore list, so maybe someone else can ask him what (s)he thinks about whether the voting provisions are related to the pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/48 "2020-03-24T23:34:18Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But the parts about airlines limiting carbon emissions isn’t going to help the economy, if anything, it’ll hamper it. What I heard (I got the list from a video) was “carbon offsets”. Every time I’ve ever seen or heard that term used it meant, effectively, “taxes” - “Pollute as you will, but pay the government for the privilege”. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/49 "2020-03-25T00:14:30Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > The arts disproportionately suffer from quarantine conditions because the arts support themselves by people viewing them. > > They deserve a bail-out as much as the other industries. > > Do you disagree? No, I’m asking how said bailout “stops the spread of contagion”? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/50 "2020-03-25T00:51:05Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No, I’m asking how said bailout “stops the spread of contagion”? It means businesses and individuals will be less desperate and thus less likely to unwisely go back to work or otherwise stop social distancing, increasing the spread of the disease. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/51 "2020-03-25T00:55:39Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No, I’m asking how said bailout “stops the spread of contagion”? The bailout has two purposes. One is to support our medical system, in order to slow the contagion, and the other one is to prevent the economy from crashing, by supporting businesses hit badly by all the shelter orders (hotels, cruise companies, restaurants, arts, bars, etc., etc.). At some point, we’ll all be able to go back outside again, and we want those businesses to still exist when we do. So, not every part of the bailout is to slow the contagion. Did you think that’s the only problem here? Have you noticed the mass layoffs, collapsing stock market, massive spikes in unemployment claims? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/52 "2020-03-25T01:01:40Z")
I can see both sides, when nobody is looking politicians tend to cram all kinds of shit into bills like this. I don’t want to see corporations make out like bandits with this: stock buybacks, CEO raises, lack of accountability of where the money is going, but I also think money for the arts, post office, environmental regulations should also not be included. All those issues are important but this should be a streamlined bill that can take effect immediately, these other issues should be dealt with later so they can be argued on their merits and debated and fleshed out properly. People out of work need that money now. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/53 "2020-03-25T01:17:12Z")
We’re in a weird place where the significant negotiations right now aren’t happening between the House and Senate, but essentially between Senate Democrats and Trump. I’m almost unsure what Pelosi’s move is here–unless she’s trying to bring pressure to those negotiations, and/or give Trump a face-saving move, where he can say “I kept Democrats from passing a pork bill” when he passes the bill that Senate Dems really want. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/54 "2020-03-25T01:25:20Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It means businesses and individuals will be less desperate and thus less likely to unwisely go back to work or otherwise stop social distancing, increasing the spread of the disease. I’m 99.9% sure the Kennedy Center is closed for the duration. How are they going to back to work? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/55 "2020-03-25T02:10:36Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No, I’m asking how said bailout “stops the spread of contagion”? This is a non sequitur, and unless you can very clearly explain how it relates to the conversation, it’d be lovely if everyone would drop it. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/56 "2020-03-25T03:12:01Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I can see both sides, when nobody is looking politicians tend to cram all kinds of shit into bills like this. Everybody is looking. Everybody. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/57 "2020-03-25T03:39:56Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > This is a non sequitur, and unless you can very clearly explain how it relates to the conversation, it’d be lovely if everyone would drop it. No. See post #23, where the poster asked whether “facilitating vote-by-mail has no relationship to curtailing the spread of contagion”. Same question for funding an already closed performing arts center. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/58 "2020-03-25T10:23:42Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I’m 99.9% sure the Kennedy Center is closed for the duration. How are they going to back to work? If their employees are desperate, they may go back to work with other jobs, and thus spread the disease. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/59 "2020-03-25T11:16:42Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No. See post #23, where the poster asked whether “facilitating vote-by-mail has no relationship to curtailing the spread of contagion”. > > Same question for funding an already closed performing arts center. As I mentioned, not every item in the stimulus package is about slowing contagion. Some of it is about keeping the economy alive during the pandemic and some of it is having an economy when the pandemic is over. Do you only argue against positions you want to? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147/60 "2020-03-25T12:23:12Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No. See post #23, where the poster asked whether “facilitating vote-by-mail has no relationship to curtailing the spread of contagion”. > > Same question for funding an already closed performing arts center. Given that “curtailing the spread of the contagion” is only one aspect of “coronavirus relief,” yeah, it is a non sequitur, and it should get dropped as such, apology optional. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democratic-items-in-stimulus-bill-that-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-coronavirus-relief/850147.md?page=4)