Gov. Phil Murphy isn’t satisfied with President Donald Trump’s bid to unilaterally stimulate the country’s economy through executive action.
“Folks, let’s be clear about something: States are going broke and millions of Americans are unemployed, yet the solution calls for states to create a new program we can’t afford to begin with and don’t know how to administer because of this uncertainty,” Murphy said at Monday’s virus briefing.
Executive orders Trump issued Saturday called for $400 weekly supplemental unemployment payments that would be partially funded by states, a payroll tax holiday through next April and asked government agencies to explore options to prevent evictions.
The $400 unemployment payments would replace $600 payments cleared by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that sunset at the end of July.
The orders have faced widespread criticism from Democrats and a smaller number of Republicans who say the orders are impractical, unhelpful or outright unconstitutional.
Experts have responded in a similar manner, warning the orders would do little, if anything, to stimulate the economy.
“A payroll tax holiday will not save workers anything in the long run, as they will still be on the hook for taxes owed come next April 15th,” Murphy said. “In addition, a payroll tax holiday diverts billions of dollars we need for Social Security and Medicare. The former is the lifeline for millions of American seniors, and the latter is the sole means of healthcare for many others who are wary of becoming COVID-19’s next victims.”
Trump penned the orders after negotiations for the next wave of stimulus reached an impasse over a renewal of the supplemental unemployment payments.
Democrats want them extended. Republicans don’t.
“The time for political games ended months ago. COVID-19 hasn’t cared a wit about which side of the partisan divide it has taken its victims from, and now [Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell] needs to stop trying to play to a partisan audience as well,” Murphy said. “Please just get this done.”