These are their thoughts on giving people their own money back.
“A massive drafting error in the current version of the coronavirus relief legislation could have devastating consequences: Unless this bill is fixed, there is a strong incentive for employees to be laid off instead of going to work,” GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Tim Scott (S.C.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.)
Rick Scott, who is estimated to worth $255 million ― responded with a variation of Calvin Coolidge’s old line that “the business of America is business.”
“I want to make sure that our small businesses, all of our businesses, including our hospitals and nursing homes and everybody can make sure people want to come to work,” he said, adding that the new unemployment benefits are meant to supplement unemployment insurance already paid by the states.
Sasse jumped in and attempted to defend Scott, suggesting people were just jealous of his wealth.
“I get it. Everybody in the room ― everybody in the country ― wishes they had Rick Scott’s bank account,” he said.
Sasse then claimed the issue over the so-called “drafting error” was principled and not about rich politicians trying to keep lower-income Americans from getting funds to pay bills during a difficult time.
“If you go into any coffee shop in Nebraska ... and you say, ‘Do we as a people think what America wants to do is say, “Let’s have the federal government build a program that says we want to incentivize severing people’s work relationships?”’ Hell no!” he said.
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