Stuck In The Middle

A high school classmate posted this on Facebook: Hey, I like both the anti-Trump and the pro-Trump people. Is there anyone else who doesn't hate either side?

I think I understand where she is going with her comment but I'm going to break down my answer because living in the United States assumes a level of fairness which is too often forgotten, ignored, or getting lost in the tangle of equivalence, metaphors and similies. 

Miami Dade County where I live has  determined that a "Living Wage" is $15.83 per hour or $633.00 for a 40 hour week or about $33,000 per year or sightly over 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines

I've worked in the public sector for most of my personal and professional life and have tried to keep politics out of doing my job by explaining what services are available, when and if they would be available, how they would be provided, if there were eligibility criteria, and what documents were required to determine eligibility. 

The Florida UI System was designed to make applying for Unemployment unappealing at best to keep the UI rate down for political purposes or because one might believe receiving UI is a character flaw leading to a moral hazard and qualifying for SNAP.  A maximum of $275.00 per week in UI for 12 weeks hardly pays the rent.  Self employed folks, contract workers and gig workers are still ineligible for Florida UI and had to make a second application to qualify for the federal benefits.

The one time payment of $1,200 and the $600.00 federal UI payments may seem overly generous, but all UI payments are taxable.  In Florida's case it has been difficult to apply and receive any UI assistance in a timely manner.  Many Florida families work and live paycheck to paycheck and have minimal savings which were chewed into while waiting for any UI payments to be received.

The best social program is a good job.  Most families need two or more incomes to pay the rent, groceries, car payments and health insurance...  The federal UI is scheduled to expire in July and 12 weeks of Florida UI will expire at the end of June.  The Florida Governor realized it was impossible to enforce job search requirements after requiring nonessential businesses to close.  I am also sure that there will be interesting issues when people are recalled for less than full time employment, job related safety issues or not taking a job for which they are qualified for with a similar rate of pay.

For some who qualify for both UI programs there are an odd mismatches between what you are paid for going to work and the Federal Minimum Wage and the "stacked" UI payments in Florida.  $875.00 is probably more than what you were or are making on your job if and when the UI system in Florida gets straightened out.  It probably will be adjusted in manners which will be seen as punitive on one side and a needed correction by others.  And so it goes.

In the longer term current public health issues need to be solved because most people will be reluctant to fly, travel, vacation, cruise, go to restaurants, shop, or do anything outside of the bubble that is being created individually or institutionally.  And meanwhile there will continue to be gross examples of large crowds, individuals ignoring the best known practices regarding public health keeping ventilators in demand and scaring others who would like to avoid being intubated.

Going from what was considered "full employment" to record "unemployment", and the potential for permanent job loss is an awful lot to understand, plan for and execute a successful reopening and eventual economic recovery which will not happen overnight.

Last night watching "Grant" on the History Channel it was clear that not all "Generals" are good leaders, successful, or should have been promoted to the rank of General in the first place.