Category: Safety Net
Hospitals have left many COVID-19 patients who don’t speak English alone, confused and without proper care
One medical worker told us: “It takes 10 minutes of sitting on the phone to get an interpreter, and that’s valuable time when you’re inundated. So this utilitarian calculus kicks in. And the patients that are…
With bills due April 1, more than 400,000 demand Congress freeze all rent, mortgage, and utility payments
“Millions are wondering how they’ll pay their rent or mortgage by tomorrow. We need additional emergency action suspending rent, mortgage and utility payments for the duration of this crisis.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer More than…
Job guarantees, basic income can save us from COVID-19 depression
A universal basic income and a job guarantee are critical ways to help us weather the economic storm of the coronavirus pandemic. (Shutterstock) by D.T. Cochrane, York University, Canada COVID-19 is both a public health crisis…
GOP Senate Trio threatens to delay stimulus bill because unemployment benefits amid pandemic are too generous
“Senate Republicans are just so inhumane they can’t imagine policymakers intentionally providing working people with enough money to temporarily live on in the event they’re laid off.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer This is a developing…
Virus exposes gig economy for predatory business model it promoted
By Wade Rathke New Orleans A lot of Silicon Valley are self-isolating in what should be shame as their app-based, platform capitalism, or whatever they wanted to call it, is exposed as little more than…
Flagstaff Family Food Center updates request for help
The national and local response to COVID-19 is rapidly changing and the Flagstaff Family Food Center is being responsive to these changes. Here is our most recent update: To comply with CDC guidelines of avoiding gathering…
America’s poorest children won’t get nutritious meals with school cafeterias closed due to the coronavirus
Thurston Domina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Schools aren’t only places where kids learn. They are also places where kids eat. Thanks to the National School Lunch Program, 30 million U.S. children – some…
New polling shows widespread US public support for paid sick leave, Medicare for all to fight coronavirus
“Humane policies are popular policies.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer CommonDreams Strong majorities of U.S. voters across the political spectrum support an array of progressive policy proposals that would provide immediate relief to those affected by the…
Judge blocks Trump effort to strip food assistance from 700,000 people
Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. stressed the importance of such programs in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. by Andrea Germanos, staff writer A federal judge on Friday cited…
Paid sick leave loopholes: ‘There’s a giant hole in Pelosi’s coronavirus bill’
“The bill guarantees sick leave only to about 20 percent of workers.” by Common Dreams staff Early Saturday morning the US House of Representatives voted 363-40 to pass a coronavirus relief package, days after the World…
Coronavirus could hit homeless hard, and that could hit everyone hard
Michael Cousineau, University of Southern California As the number of cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, continues to grow, the nation is on edge. Doctors and scientists do not know what percentage of…
Trump moves to take Food Stamps from over a million people
“Really it’s a cruel rule, taking food out of the mouths of hungry individuals.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer, CommonDreams The Trump administration announced this week that it has no plans to scrap—or, at the very…
House Democrats propose sending checks of up to $6,000 to help ease workers’ pain during coronavirus pandemic
“As more folks are staying in and taking necessary steps to avoid spread of the coronavirus, more Americans will struggle to cover basic needs like rent, groceries, and medicines.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer As President…
Jeff Bezos, Whole Foods wants workers to pay for colleagues’ sick leave during coronavirus pandemic
“Absolute bullshit. With the amount Jeff Bezos makes in one day, he could shut stores down and pay employees to stay safe.” by Jon Queally, staff writer When progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders say “now…
Emergency Medical Responders have lacked guidance and are stretched for supplies and personnel to combat coronavirus
Key direction from the CDC on how to protect emergency responders came after the first American case and the exposure of at least one firefighter. It’s yet another example of a fragmented and halting response at…
Some towns still haven’t halted utility shut-offs for unpaid water bills during coronavirus, even as federal lawmakers demand it
While some municipalities with only a few cases of the coronavirus have stopped disconnecting water service for residents with overdue bills, a few utility companies at the coronavirus epicenter in Washington have made no such promises….
