John,
Last fall, the Working Families Party and many allies launched the People's Charter, our policy roadmap out of the crises we're living through, towards a nation that cares for all of us.
Last week, we were encouraged to see several of the People's Charter priorities reflected in the initial COVID recovery package outlined by Joe Biden. It's a huge credit to all of the activists like you who have been fighting for them for years.
In a moment, we'll outline some of what's in the president's plan — and some of the other pieces we still need to fight for. But first, we have to ask: Will you affirm your support for a People's Charter that calls for jobs and care for all of us?
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Biden's proposed recovery package calls for a $15 minimum wage. When fast food workers walked off the job in 2012, many said $15 was an impossible dream. When we win on $15 nationwide, it will lift up tens of millions.
Biden's plan also calls for emergency paid family leave, hazard pay for essential workers, vital aid for states and cities to avert drastic budget cuts, money for parents, and support for small businesses and mental health.
The plan also funds a 100,000 worker strong public health jobs corps to put people to work doing the jobs that will help end the pandemic. That's big.
But there are also places where we need to go bigger:
First, the plan provides an extra $1,400 cash relief to bring the last round of payments up to $2,000. That will help keep many families afloat. But with a pandemic that's still raging, it's not enough. We need recurring survival payments.
Second, Biden's package extends expanded unemployment until September — but only an extra $400, not $600 as earlier in the pandemic. The plan should also include auto-stabilizers, as Oregon Senator Ron Wyden proposed, to keep the benefits going as long as the crisis.
Further, during a pandemic, we ought to enroll everyone who lost health insurance in Medicare. And relief for renters isn't sufficient to prevent a housing crisis — we should cancel rent.
COVID is still ravaging our communities, and we needed relief yesterday. We will need more after this is passed. Democrats in Congress should not waste any time, nor shrink this package by a single dollar, in pursuit of votes from the party of Trump, billionaires, and insurrectionists.
People's lives cannot and should not be compromised away in a time of crisis. We need jobs and care NOW.
If you agree, affirm your support for a Peoples Charter today so we can show the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress that the momentum is there for a transformative agenda that puts working families first.
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In 2020, we organized and turned out to the polls like our lives depended on it — because they did. In 2021, we will turn our power at the polls into policy for the people.
In solidarity,
Team WFP
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