while offering 'aggressive, prudent' plan
https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/paul-pushes-different-approach-to-pandemic/article_3f93ccfc-7b2a-56d4-bc0e-821d02ee3446.html
In an ironic twist, Sen. Rand Paul tested positive for Covid-19 after warning that the nation is under-testing for the virus.
In a tweet today, the Kentucky Republican said he is "feeling fine and is in quarantine," adding that he is "asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution" due to "extensive travel and events." The message added that Paul was unaware of "any direct contact with any infected person."
Paul "expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time, adding, "Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact" with Paul, according to a second tweet.
On Friday Paul told the Bowling Green Daily News that the nation urgently needs to undertake more testing for the virus, saying that federal rules are causing the “under-testing” of potential virus carriers. Paul said he is pushing a measure to ease federal restrictions on testing, allowing for more facilities to run tests.
“We have to be faster on this,” he said.
Paul, a physician, told Wes Swietek, a Daily News reporter, that some of the current approaches to the virus outbreak might make the situation worse. He voted against the coronavirus relief package, he said, because it lacks an emergency expansion of federal jobless benefits, which he sees as an urgent need.
The aid package, dubbed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, makes Covid-19 testing free, requires employers with fewer than 500 employes to provide two weeks of paid sick leave and increases funding for unemployment, among other measures. Meanwhile, there is also talk in Washington of sending checks of $1,000 or more to most Americans to spur the flailing economy.
But Paul said “the best way to help people is unemployment expansion.” He said the people who have lost jobs because of the crisis “need immediate help," though "I don’t think people who are still working should get a check.”
Paul also objects to mandatory paid sick leave for small employers, saying many “will just let people go” rather than pay the sick leave. He said mandated paid sick leave “will make the problem only worse.”
Paul had called for the coronavirus aid package to be offset by other spending cuts.
“I believe debt is bad for the country. I’ve been consistent in saying that,” he said, adding that any spending increase is an opportunity to “take money from more wasteful programs.”
As for the health crisis, he said he is hopeful that the “extreme measures will dramatically slow it down,” referring to the widespread closures of businesses and government facilities.
He said an added benefit to the quarantining will be a reduction in flu cases.
President Trump in 2018 disbanded the Directorship for Global Health Security, an Obama administration program, and until recently has been downplaying the severity of the virus, saying as late as Feb. 25 that the 15 coronavirus cases at the time “is going to be down to close to zero.” Trump was informed by expert advice that changed overnight with publication of a British study that found that standard epidemiological approaches would be inadequate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now puts the number of U.S. cases at more than 15,000 with more than 200 deaths as of Friday afternoon.
“We did make some mistakes,” Paul said, but in a time of a “calamity,” he said he did not wish to “dwell on pointing fingers.”
In an op-ed for The Hill on Friday, Paul gave his "prescription" for "aggressive but prudent actions" in the face of the pandemic.
Paul argued that his "short-term proposals are not an overreaction or a misdirection," which he contrasted with the aid measure voted by Congress, where "the special interests are fighting to lard up the response with their pet projects, from tax breaks to pet social issues." Paul declared, "We simply have to avoid this temptation, and our economy cannot sustain $1-2 trillion in new spending in the next few months. We must look to be more precise with our actions."
His Covid-19 bill advocates a "payroll tax holiday" for both business owners and workers -- to begin immediately. This, Paul said, would be "a huge boost to everyone’s paycheck and to our overall economy." He added, "It would let people keep over $200 billion of their OWN money over the next two months."
Paul asserted, "I want to ensure businesses are not forced into bankruptcy or closure due to new mandates, while also seeking to guarantee that every person who needs assistance is able to receive it."
This end can be achieved by shifting the burden to government and "expanding the unemployment system to cover the most severely affected and offer immediate leave for those who need it," adding that the bill would widen eligibility to include self-employed Americans.
After Paul urged a 90-day postponement of the April 15 tax filing deadline, the White House announced that such a postponement would occur,
Another of Paul's ideas is to give companies a tax incentive for deferring installment payments during the health emergency. "From mortgages to car payments, from small business loans to large lines of credit for business operations, anything we can do to buy time is helpful here."
He added, "I want to offer a tax credit of up to 3 percent of their corporate tax rate for lenders who postpone payment requirements for 60 days."
In a tweet today, the Kentucky Republican said he is "feeling fine and is in quarantine," adding that he is "asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution" due to "extensive travel and events." The message added that Paul was unaware of "any direct contact with any infected person."
Paul "expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time, adding, "Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact" with Paul, according to a second tweet.
On Friday Paul told the Bowling Green Daily News that the nation urgently needs to undertake more testing for the virus, saying that federal rules are causing the “under-testing” of potential virus carriers. Paul said he is pushing a measure to ease federal restrictions on testing, allowing for more facilities to run tests.
“We have to be faster on this,” he said.
Paul, a physician, told Wes Swietek, a Daily News reporter, that some of the current approaches to the virus outbreak might make the situation worse. He voted against the coronavirus relief package, he said, because it lacks an emergency expansion of federal jobless benefits, which he sees as an urgent need.
The aid package, dubbed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, makes Covid-19 testing free, requires employers with fewer than 500 employes to provide two weeks of paid sick leave and increases funding for unemployment, among other measures. Meanwhile, there is also talk in Washington of sending checks of $1,000 or more to most Americans to spur the flailing economy.
But Paul said “the best way to help people is unemployment expansion.” He said the people who have lost jobs because of the crisis “need immediate help," though "I don’t think people who are still working should get a check.”
Paul also objects to mandatory paid sick leave for small employers, saying many “will just let people go” rather than pay the sick leave. He said mandated paid sick leave “will make the problem only worse.”
Paul had called for the coronavirus aid package to be offset by other spending cuts.
“I believe debt is bad for the country. I’ve been consistent in saying that,” he said, adding that any spending increase is an opportunity to “take money from more wasteful programs.”
As for the health crisis, he said he is hopeful that the “extreme measures will dramatically slow it down,” referring to the widespread closures of businesses and government facilities.
He said an added benefit to the quarantining will be a reduction in flu cases.
President Trump in 2018 disbanded the Directorship for Global Health Security, an Obama administration program, and until recently has been downplaying the severity of the virus, saying as late as Feb. 25 that the 15 coronavirus cases at the time “is going to be down to close to zero.” Trump was informed by expert advice that changed overnight with publication of a British study that found that standard epidemiological approaches would be inadequate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now puts the number of U.S. cases at more than 15,000 with more than 200 deaths as of Friday afternoon.
“We did make some mistakes,” Paul said, but in a time of a “calamity,” he said he did not wish to “dwell on pointing fingers.”
In an op-ed for The Hill on Friday, Paul gave his "prescription" for "aggressive but prudent actions" in the face of the pandemic.
Paul argued that his "short-term proposals are not an overreaction or a misdirection," which he contrasted with the aid measure voted by Congress, where "the special interests are fighting to lard up the response with their pet projects, from tax breaks to pet social issues." Paul declared, "We simply have to avoid this temptation, and our economy cannot sustain $1-2 trillion in new spending in the next few months. We must look to be more precise with our actions."
His Covid-19 bill advocates a "payroll tax holiday" for both business owners and workers -- to begin immediately. This, Paul said, would be "a huge boost to everyone’s paycheck and to our overall economy." He added, "It would let people keep over $200 billion of their OWN money over the next two months."
Paul asserted, "I want to ensure businesses are not forced into bankruptcy or closure due to new mandates, while also seeking to guarantee that every person who needs assistance is able to receive it."
This end can be achieved by shifting the burden to government and "expanding the unemployment system to cover the most severely affected and offer immediate leave for those who need it," adding that the bill would widen eligibility to include self-employed Americans.
After Paul urged a 90-day postponement of the April 15 tax filing deadline, the White House announced that such a postponement would occur,
Another of Paul's ideas is to give companies a tax incentive for deferring installment payments during the health emergency. "From mortgages to car payments, from small business loans to large lines of credit for business operations, anything we can do to buy time is helpful here."
He added, "I want to offer a tax credit of up to 3 percent of their corporate tax rate for lenders who postpone payment requirements for 60 days."
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