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-   -   How Is Covid-19 Impacting Life in Your City? (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=242036)

uaarkson Mar 16, 2020 3:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith (Post 8863636)
^
Won’t happen here in the land of the free most likely.

Not even close. "Durrr how ya gonna pay for it?"

If I was still living in a major coastal city I would be pretty concerned about the potential for societal breakdown. This is America, so expect looting and riots at the very least.

Obadno Mar 16, 2020 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith (Post 8863636)
^
Won’t happen here in the land of the free most likely.

Yes we have a very different legal system, giant sweeping social welfare programs cannot be created and enacted unilaterally by the government.

In this moment it might seem a bit obtuse and slow but its designed to be that way, to prevent abuse and panic induced changes to the nation.

Northern Light Mar 16, 2020 3:41 PM

The province of Ontario, Canada announcing this morning:

New law to provide for job-protected leave for every worker due to illness, self-isolation/quarantine or to provide emergency childcare due to school closure.

No doctor's note requirement allowed.

Law to be retroactive to January 25.

Handro Mar 16, 2020 3:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Light (Post 8863593)
As things continue to unfold here in North America. 2 Scandinavian governments have unveiled their worker support plans.

Denmark:

- Full pay for those laid off for 20 days
- Self-Employed to get 80% of their 3-year average income for the period.
- Money for those caring for COVID patients

Sweden:

- Laid off workers to get 90% of their income
- Gov't will pay 50% of that, Employer other 50%
- Gov't will pick up the full cost of sick pay from business

Important to judge our own governments offerings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Light (Post 8863671)
The province of Ontario, Canada announcing this morning:

New law to provide for job-protected leave for every worker due to illness, self-isolation/quarantine or to provide emergency childcare due to school closure.

No doctor's note requirement allowed.

Law to be retroactive to January 25.

This is horrifying to many Americans. Next stop, the gulags!

BG918 Mar 16, 2020 3:52 PM

The only way to minimize the impact in the U.S. is for the government to step in and order a national quarantine enforced by the National Guard. ALL businesses shut down, cease all transport including airports and mass transit and any non essential travel made illegal. Real leadership would do what it takes, unfortunately we don’t have that.

hauntedheadnc Mar 16, 2020 3:57 PM

My city confirmed its first case today. A tourist from New York, not surprisingly. They tested positive here, then went on to another county further west, where they are now in self-isolation.

dc_denizen Mar 16, 2020 4:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handro (Post 8863679)
This is horrifying to many Americans. Next stop, the gulags!

good news comrades! The House has passed an aid bill including paid leave!

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...si-aid-testing

Quote:

Emergency paid sick days: The bill would give workers 14 days of paid sick leave to be available immediately during the coronavirus (many employers are asking employees to work from home for that amount of time). It ensures sick leave to those impacted by quarantine orders, or those who must stay home to care for their children. The bill reimburses small businesses (those with 50 or fewer employees) for the cost of the 14 additional days of leave.

Emergency paid leave: The bill would create a new federal emergency paid leave program for those unable to work because they have Covid-19, are quarantined, are caring for someone with the disease, or are caring for a child due to coronavirus-related school closings. Eligible workers would receive benefits for a month (the program goes up to three months), and the benefit amount would be two-thirds of the individual’s average monthly earnings. Those receiving pay or unemployment compensation directly through their employers aren’t eligible. There is some precedent for this: Congress expanded unemployment benefits for up to 99 weeks for Americans left unemployed by the 2008 financial crisis.

Expanded unemployment insurance: The bill would direct $2 billion to state unemployment insurance programs and waive measures like work search requirements or waiting weeks to those either diagnosed with Covid-19, or those who have lost their jobs due to the spread of the virus.

Expanding food security: The bill would direct $1 billion to expanding access to programs like SNAP, WIC and the emergency food assistance program throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Progressive economists have long believed that expanding existing safety net programs is a highly effective way of stimulating the economy because the low-income people who benefit from them are highly likely to immediately spend any extra money they get — helping stabilize economy-wide demand. The 2009 stimulus bill featured many provisions along these lines.

Pedestrian Mar 16, 2020 4:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan (Post 8863551)
LOL! under 50?????? :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

my parents are both 73. they are not "avid cyclists" like me, but they both stay relatively active.

they can both ride a bike 10 miles with no problem at all. i did that with them last summer.

will bike commuting be a suitable transit replacement for every single last living soul on the planet? of course not, but there are literally millions of able-bodied transit commuters out there who could switch to a bicycle during these dark days to avoid crowded transit trains and buses if WFH isn't an option.

and every able-bodied transit rider that makes the switch to a bike makes the trains/buses that much less crowded, and hence safer, for those riders who have absolutely no other option to get around.

I think they are fortunate and unusual.

Obadno Mar 16, 2020 4:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918 (Post 8863694)
The only way to minimize the impact in the U.S. is for the government to step in and order a national quarantine enforced by the National Guard. ALL businesses shut down, cease all transport including airports and mass transit and any non essential travel made illegal. Real leadership would do what it takes, unfortunately we don’t have that.

Thats not really possible. There are not enough men including all civil servants, police, and military to enforce such a thing nationwide.

The best thing to do is keep encouraging local and voluntary quarantines and isolation.

Much more effective and less tyrannical

Also what you are suggesting is largely illegal in the US. Just because its "an emergency" does not give the feds unlimited power.

Acajack Mar 16, 2020 4:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 8863706)
I think they are fortunate and unusual.

If we're talking about people in their 70s, sure.

But for people over 50?

About half the people who bike to work at my office are 50 or older.

Including yours truly - though only barely so.

Pedestrian Mar 16, 2020 4:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Light (Post 8863593)
As things continue to unfold here in North America. 2 Scandinavian governments have unveiled their worker support plans.

Denmark:

- Full pay for those laid off for 20 days
- Self-Employed to get 80% of their 3-year average income for the period.
- Money for those caring for COVID patients

Sweden:

- Laid off workers to get 90% of their income
- Gov't will pay 50% of that, Employer other 50%
- Gov't will pick up the full cost of sick pay from business

Important to judge our own governments offerings.

To me the notion that closed small businesses like bars and restaurants and even many larger ones like smaller hotel chains are going to have that 50% employer contribution seems to me absurd. Many of these businesses were hanging on by their fingernails already due to things like mandatory $15/hour minimum wages (didn’t Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia do away with minimum wages?). So a law like this here would be a death sentence for much of the economy and dead employers won’t be paying anything.

Via Chicago Mar 16, 2020 4:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith (Post 8863636)
^
Won’t happen here in the land of the free most likely.

Romney proposed giving every US adult $1K immediately

yeah that outta do it

sopas ej Mar 16, 2020 4:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obadno (Post 8863709)
Just because its "an emergency" does not give the feds unlimited power.

It's pretty serious, though. They might start looking at this like it's a war.

During WWII, two Pasadena, CA hotels were taken over by the federal government and turned into military hospitals.

Obadno Mar 16, 2020 4:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 8863722)
It's pretty serious, though. They might start looking at this like it's a war.

During WWII, two Pasadena, CA hotels were taken over by the federal government and turned into military hospitals.

There were lots of abuses in WW2 I dont think we need to really go into the finer details of internment.

Handro Mar 16, 2020 4:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 8863722)
It's pretty serious, though. They might start looking at this like it's a war.

During WWII, two Pasadena, CA hotels were taken over by the federal government and turned into military hospitals.

I think you're on to something: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article241216061.html

hauntedheadnc Mar 16, 2020 4:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 8863722)
It's pretty serious, though. They might start looking at this like it's a war.

During WWII, two Pasadena, CA hotels were taken over by the federal government and turned into military hospitals.

Here too, where they were used as prisons and hospitals. The Grove Park Inn housed imprisoned Axis diplomats, while the Kenilworth Inn was used as a hospital. The government also took over other facilities here too, including the Grove Arcade, a shopping mall that was turned into a government office building, and Biltmore House, which was used for art storage for the National Gallery.

Our local crisis response plan involves comandeering hotels again if need be, and using them to provide the homeless and others with places to self-quarantine.

BG918 Mar 16, 2020 4:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obadno (Post 8863709)
Thats not really possible. There are not enough men including all civil servants, police, and military to enforce such a thing nationwide.

The best thing to do is keep encouraging local and voluntary quarantines and isolation.

Much more effective and less tyrannical

Also what you are suggesting is largely illegal in the US. Just because its "an emergency" does not give the feds unlimited power.

Challenging times call for challenging measures. Doubt it happens just saying that is what *should* happen.

hauntedheadnc Mar 16, 2020 4:45 PM

County government here is currently asking all bars and restaurants to limit their service to takeout only. In the release they stated if need be, they will reevaluate the situation in the near future and won't just be asking. At least three, including two heavy hitters, have already closed their dining rooms. When you consider this, consider that the local government has a plan to comandeer hotels, that the breweries and music clubs have closed to the public and that even Biltmore House has closed the house to tours...

We haven't seen a situation like this since World War II.

montréaliste Mar 16, 2020 5:03 PM

I walked to city hall in my small town and noticed the poster that read all services were closed last friday til march 27th. I wanted to inquire about a garage I want to rebuild. Small contractors will all be affected by this in a big way.
There should be mechanisms in place within the macro-economic circles to effect a plug-out and plug-in for events such as these.

maru2501 Mar 16, 2020 5:10 PM

New Jersey curfew now


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