From the frustration and disappointment over the first COVID-19 relief package which favored the rich and offered crumbs to some and nothing to others, The People’s Bailout was born.
Their first major action was May Day, hosting a live stream of workers and labor activists around the country calling for safety and hazard pay for essential workers, rent and mortgage cancellations for those out of work, and boycotts on big companies that aren’t supporting their workers.
While that works continues, their focus is now on improving relief bills from the federal government.
They have five, clear demands.
1. Make health the top priority with no exceptions.
2. Provide economic relief directly to the people.
3. Rescue workers and communities, not corporate executives.
4. Make a down payment on a regenerative economy, while preventing future crisis and
5. Protect our democratic process while protecting each other.
This campaign is sponsored by thirteen progressive action organizations, including the Working Families Party, Sunrise Movement, Indivisible and the Indigenous Environmental Network, and it is co-signed by literally hundreds more.
The pressure is working and some progress has already been made.
On their website, the campaign says: “Everyday people fought for and won significant relief measures from Congress in the last relief package. But millions of us are in continued need of urgent relief. As Congress develops further recovery packages to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must make sure that they prioritize the health and wellbeing of all people, not corporations and the wealthy.”
Go to ThePeoplesBailout.org to easily write and call your members of congress demanding they take effective, inclusive, equitable and preventative legislative action. You can also download their social toolkit and share your personal story. Use the hashtag peoples bailout to join in on social media.
So, if making sure your tax dollars are being used to help all those who need it during this crisis, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about The People’s Bailout via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.
TAKE ACTION!
Write & Call Your Members of Congress & MORE at ThePeoplesBailout.org
Follow @_PeoplesBailout on Twitter
Spread the word with #PeoplesBailout on social media
EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE
The Bailout is Working - For the Rich (ProPublica)
Retail workers at Amazon and Whole Foods coordinate sick-out to protest Covid-19 conditions (The Guardian)
For immigrants without legal status, federal coronavirus relief is out of reach (Vox)
Essential workers still lack basic safety protections on the job (Vox)
Millions Of Americans Have Lost Health Insurance As Unemployment Soars (NPR)
Vote safely by mail in November? Not so fast, say Republicans (The Guardian)
Republicans plan to spend at least $20 million to combat voting rights lawsuits in 2020 (Vox)
Want To Jump-Start The Economy? Include A Green New Deal In The Stimulus Package (Forbes)
Elizabeth Warren and Ro Khanna Unveil Essential Workers Bill of Rights (Warren.senate.gov)
Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Ed Markey to introduce a Senate bill to give Americans $2,000 a month until the coronavirus crisis ends (Business Insider)
Posted May 21, 2020; Researched and written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman
Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1350: Reach For The Good Ideas That Are Just Laying Around (Disaster Capitalism)