Week after pandemic-defined week, millions of new unemployment claims are filed by the newly jobless. The numbers are so big it can be hard to wrap your mind around—so maybe breaking it down by state would be helpful in understanding what we’re facing.
Six states had more than a million workers either getting unemployment insurance or waiting to start receiving them, the Economic Policy Institute reports, based on last week’s report. Those states: California, New York, Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. But the crisis isn’t restricted to those states—22 more had at least 250,000 people receiving or waiting for regular unemployment insurance.
Additionally, there are 11 million people across the country receiving or waiting for the special pandemic unemployment assistance for people who wouldn’t previously have been eligible for regular unemployment. Three states—Michigan, Massachusetts, and California—have more than a million people on that list, while four more—Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and New Jersey—have more than 500,000.
Gee, you think maybe Republicans should respond to this crisis as it exists rather than trying to blame working people and force people back to jobs that aren’t safe yet? Rather than sending more money to companies that evade U.S. taxes? Rather than Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sending the Senate on recess with a House relief package waiting for a vote?
But no, the answer is always to make things worse for workers, no matter how bad they are.