Justin Amash was a Republican until he actually read the Mueller report, and decided that presidents are not supposed to be able to commit crimes by the dozen. He thought Trump should step down or be impeached. Thus it was that was promptly exited out of today’s Republikan party, where dissent will not be tolerated.

But Amash was more than “just” a Republican, he is a self-described libertarian, think Rand Paul more than Mitch McConnell. And yet it was Amash, freed from the bonds of party servitude (either party), who has come up with the most elegant and functional solution yet, the biggest of big government:

I’ve got a better idea for Phase 4: Repeal the convoluted, counterproductive, corporatist scheme that just became law and replace it with monthly cash relief to the people for the duration of this crisis.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 31, 2020

So long as all financial loans could be put on hold for 120 days, it might well work. Financial institutions could be backed by the federal government (as they are anyway in many contexts, including when they shot their wad in 2008). This would mean putting airline payments to Boeing on hold, same as Exxon’s payments to Halliburton, etc. etc. down the line.

serious question: how would monthly cash help the million of businesses that, by law, don't have customers?

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 31, 2020

So long as people themselves had the personal income to pay rent, groceries, utilities, etc. this would work, for now.

Demand is down regardless of the approach. The biggest expense for most businesses is labor. Moreover, businesses that are labor intensive are most impacted by the virus. The biggest help we can provide is to ensure their employees get through this period with the least harm.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 31, 2020

“Most businesses” probably doesn’t include equipment-intensive industries like airlines, and such. But damn it, there’s a way to work that shit out down the line. Right now, we’re going to have rioting in the streets in a month when people are two months behind their rent and credit card bills, and the unemployment forms are not even processed.

Let’s be clear that the Phase 3 law gives most businesses little more than a loan to pay employees for about 10 weeks. With that comes all sorts of bureaucracy and restrictions. With demand down, businesses will have to let people go, and then they won’t get loan forgiveness.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 31, 2020

And

By taking labor costs off their hands during the crisis, we can help businesses keep more people employed. With monthly cash relief coming to employees, businesses can reduce wages without causing workers harm. They also can temporarily furlough rather than fire excess employees.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 31, 2020

Here is what I know, it makes absolutely no sense to give one trillion dollars to corporate America, while people riot in the streets. It doesn’t help small businesses if their windows are busted and looted. Moreover, if the small business owner has basic income, they will get by anyway, even while furloughing themselves.

As I said, business loans for equipment, futures orders, all kinds of complicated shit will definitely arise. But loans on equipment will not cause your local Walmart to be looted, while an increasing number of near-homeless people will. 

The wealthy one-percent in this company have lulled themselves to a fat and happy sleep, so comfortable in their success in leaving everyone else behind. There are two ways that the 99% can catch-up, real fast, one is through looting the homes and businesses of the wealthy and putting safety at risk, and the other is for the 1% to do their duty and tax the shit out of themselves for a bit.

That tax is the price you pay, the price you pay for being rich, free, and alive, all at the same time. This nation’s 1% has managed to push that price down the road for far too long.

Justin Amash – of all people – figured it out sooner than most of the “go it alone” types. Going it alone doesn’t help when there’s a crowd coming, and it’s angry, hungry and lawless.

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Peace, y’all

Jason

[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom