Can Bernie in his new Chairmanship declare Covid an economic emergency

[PA_jen]

and use his power in the committee to get small business help and $15/hr min wage passed that seems to have got cut out of the covid package just passed?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. He's just a senator; he doesn't have that power by himself.

He can draft and get cosigners on proposed separate legislation to do that but it has to go through the legislative process.

[PA_jen]

2. I thought with the committee he now chairs they are able to get things passed with 51 votes.

[Demsrule86]

5. They may not have 51 votes and they are passing it in reconciliation

because the GOP will filibuster...I am not certain a minimum wage can go into this bill according to the rules.

[Celerity]

18. it cannot (Manchin said days ago the parliamentarian would not allow it) and Biden said he doubts it

as well.

I see almost no chance we will even get an up/down vote on 11 usd ph, let alone 15 usd. The Rethugs will filibuster any increase I fear (over half want NO minimum wage period).

[Demsrule86]

3. No he can't.

[still_one]

4. That isn't how it works

[PA_jen]

6. I remember Rachel or Lawrence explaining that the committee Bernie now chairs is

able to push things thru with 51 votes when an emergency was declare. the Freaking GOP used it for Trump's wall.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Committees don't have unilateral power.

[True Blue American]

15. What committee is

Bernie on?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Google is your friend.

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/about-bernie/committee-assignments/

[True Blue American]

29. I thought it was easier to ask you!:)

Sherrod is on the Banking Committee!

[Irish_Dem]

11. The way it works is falling short of helping the people during a very serious emergency.

The rules should not be used to block desperately needed assistance to the American people.

God forbid and atomic bomb is dropped on America.
The rules would stop all help, FEMA couldn't handle it.

[still_one]

19. If we had two more Senators we could have eliminated the filibuster, and this would not

have been an issue.

If an atomic bomb was dropped, we also would not have to worry about budget reconciliation, but I don't particularly care for that option

[Irish_Dem]

25. Global warming means more serious crises.

We need new rules to account for rapid response on the part of the government.

[Demsrule86]

31. And that is not possible. Let's elect more Democrats... we are fortunate to get this good a bill

with a 50 50 split.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. So we should ignore the rules like the GQPers do?

[Irish_Dem]

24. No of course not. We need some new rules that allow for a rapid response during

true emergencies.

An atomic bomb drops on us and the people don't have to wait two months for help.
Or a once in a 100 yr pandemic.

Edit to add: Global warming means more serious crises. And we have learned our governmental
rules are not adequate for a rapid and full response.

The rules are made for the people, not the other way around.

[Demsrule86]

26. We are getting a bill that will help Americans...we don't have a big majority...lets win more seats

in 2022...defy the odds.

[still_one]

27. +++

[Demsrule86]

32. Thank you still_one!

[still_one]

33. ............

[True Blue American]

7. The House passed the budget resolution today. 219. One Democrat voted against it.

All Republicans voted no.

[PA_jen]

10. Was Manchin the "Democrat" that voted against?

[still_one]

12. It was the House PA not the Senate

[PA_jen]

14. sorry getting votes confused.

[still_one]

22. I get confused too, so many things are going on

[True Blue American]

13. It was the House. All Democratic Senators voted yes, and Harris broke the tie at 5:30 this morning!:

[Demsrule86]

16. Joe Manchin is a senator from WVA...you don't know he is?

[PA_jen]

23. Look I am trying to get caught up. I know Both the house and Senate had been voting on things

SORRY I AM GETTING CONFUSED!!


I am pissed Americans seem to be getting Fucked over as usual! This package isn't going to be the jump start America needed and I am afraid of 2008 issues all over again.

[Demsrule86]

30. I really think your posts are are intentionally creating division...we are not getting fucked over.

We just passed a 1.9 trillion bill in the House and the Senate. We are getting a good bill that will help millions and with the pandemic and state costs as well. So please stop. Democrats are going to support Biden and Congressional Democrats this time. We learned our lesson during the Obama presidency...we take more seats in 22 and 24 then we can do more. I am sure Biden has good plans for what is possible right now too. We know this is the best bill possible. And consider the minimum wage would be implemented gradually per Sen. Sanders within six years. It wouldn't happen right away. I would have preferred Manchin's idea to give people $11.00 right now personally. We can always add to it later. Perhaps a bit of research would help you understand the process.

[PA_jen]

35. I AM NOT TRYING TO CREATE DIVISION I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND!!

Maybe I get too much news overload and I get confused easily BUT MY ThOUGHT IS THAT MAYBE I CAN GET HELP UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THIS BOARD!


I am also fucking tired of seeing the working poor like myself get screwed left and right by congressional members who seem to listen to corporate and wall street interests more than the average person. The person like me and my family and friends who are lucky to see 12 dollars an hour. Friends who still can dig out of the whole Housing crash. People who are right now spending hours in foodlines because PA didn't have enough money to make sure everyone laid off get unemployment. I was laid off 2 months in 2020 with PAs shut down. I never saw 1 fucking check from the state! I am still waiting. I was lucking enough to find a job where I can work from home now but I see too many of my neighbors who have no help like my family had from other family members BUT all of us are struggling.

I was so hopeful for that fucking $15.00 min wage and now that isn't going to happen. FUCK IT!! I am tired of working and praying I get from paycheck to paycheck! I'm tired of the promised hill becoming an ant mound.

I am tired of seeing friends lose cars homes and jobs not because they are lazy but they get fucking screwed!

I am tired of wall street and corporations get hand outs left and write but my friend had to lose her family business ( that has been in her family 4 generations) because of this pandemic. She couldn't 1 of those PPP loans but corporations milk the fucking system and got all that "small business help"
AND this was the reasoning for my original post:

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/12/bernie-sanders-big-budget-plans-458461

I don't want to settle for $11 an hour min wage. I don't want only 70% of this country to get the most needed help they need to survive this pandemic.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. Manchin is in the Senate.

[sheshe2]

8. No.

[JI7]

28. lol

[NurseJackie]

34. LOL

It's the Biden administration, not the Bernie lite administration.

[Gothmog]

36. No

[myohmy2]

37. why isn't...

...a lack of a $15 minimum wage an emergency?

...so gives us free money so we can survive until we get back to work for poverty wages?

...isn't the largest block of blue collar workers these days working in the food industry?

...and isn't the food industry the lowest paying industry in the country?

...this is what leads to bad things...

...unbelievable...