Rally urges Senate to pass relief aid
A group of Franklin County residents got behind their wheels to call for the U.S. Senate to come back from its August summer recess that began Thursday and pass additional COVID-19 financial relief legislation.
About 10 vehicles gathered Downtown outside the Ohio Statehouse on Thursday afternoon for a 45-minute caravan protest. The drivers beeped their horns as they circled the state capitol building, stressing the anxieties over evictions, school reopenings and job security felt by many as a result of the pandemic.
Many of the vehicles were adorned with signs calling on Congress to pass the HEROES Act, a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives months ago. The protesters said the bill would extend the $600 federal unemployment benefit, providing relief for working class citizens and businesses most affected by the pandemic and the economic recession which followed. The proposal has met with opposition from many Republicans who contend the additional benefit is too high and encourages people to stay home from work.
“Unless we actually take a serious look … this (pandemic) could go on for a year or two years. This is not ending,” protest co-organizer Michael Liebert said. “We need leadership on the federal level.”
Liebert, 53, of Columbus, and fellow organizer Amy Shuster, 45, of Clintonville, were joined by Morgan Harper, a former primary election opponent of Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-jefferson Township.
Harper said blue-collar workers are the people hurt most by the pandemic, especially young people who are doing service industry work or have been let go from their previous employment.
“Our federal government and leadership are showing us that they do not care about us,” Harper said. “And until they come back from vacation and do something about this to make sure people have money to survive this, that will be what they take into the ballot box.”
The rally was held in cars so participants could properly follow social distancing guidelines and feel comfortable and safe while protesting. It was a follow-up to a similar protest on foot last week outside the Statehouse that
Liebert helped organize.
All three said the recent executive actions taken by President Donald Trump did not do enough to address the pandemic, and questions have arisen over the legality of the measures since the legislative branch must approve any funding.
Among other things, Trump issued a memorandum extending unemployment relief, but reducing the total additional federal unemployment benefit provided from the $600 before the program expired to $400, and leaving $100 of that optional funding from states.
Like most states financially strapped by COVID-19 are expected to do, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine chose not to opt in and will leave the additional benefit at $300.
Liebert said the protests are planned weekly until action is taken, and he hopes more people will join in.
“I’m totally happy with 10 cars, but I definitely want more people to join in,” Liebert said. “We’ll just keep building and building.” gshillcock@dispatch.com @Shillcockgeorge