How’s this for a terrifying storyline? California’s far-left authorities colludes with the Biden administration to bail out putting Hollywood actors — all on the American taxpayer’s dime.
However this isn’t fiction. It’s occurring proper now.
Congress must name “Minimize!” on this horror present.
Right here’s the backstory. California’s ultra-liberal leaders are on the verge of giving unemployment funds to putting Hollywood actors and writers.
Each homes of the legislature handed a invoice to that impact this week.
It solely wants Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
However there’s a plot twist. The actors and writers aren’t unemployed. They nonetheless have jobs.
They’re simply selecting picket traces over paychecks.
Unemployment funds are designed for the precise unemployed, not union members who would slightly yell than work.
It is a blatant abuse of the protection web for the sake of well-connected liberal friends.
One other plot twist: California’s unemployment-insurance belief fund is already broke.
It turned bancrupt in the course of the pandemic, and it’s been taking out low-interest loans from the federal authorities ever since.
The loans are designed to present states time to cross reforms and refill their belief funds. However California refuses to try this.
The Golden State owes Washington, DC, $18 billion — but as an alternative of paying it again like each different state has completed, California is intentionally deepening the fiscal gap.
As soon as once more, the plot thickens. The federal authorities is meant to carry states accountable and cease them from pulling stunts like this.
The secretary of labor has to personally approve a state’s request for extra federal loans.
California’s demand for infinite federal cash deserves rejection on apparent grounds.
But the Biden administration’s appearing secretary, Julie Su, is siding with California and sticking it to taxpayers.
Possibly it’s as a result of the villains of this story know one another.
Su labored in Newsom’s administration. Not solely did she supervise the state’s unemployment program — she oversaw $32 billion in fraudulent funds in the course of the pandemic.
She confirmed little interest in defending taxpayers then. She reveals zero curiosity now.
(It’s one cause the Senate nonetheless hasn’t confirmed her as secretary, months after President Joe Biden nominated her.)
Each American taxpayer is on the hook.
No matter whether or not California bails out putting Hollywood actors, we’re nonetheless sending billions of {dollars} to pay for the state’s personal silly selections.
California may simply clear up its mess and put a refund in its unemployment belief fund.
However the state’s liberal leaders would slightly milk taxpayers in fiscally accountable states.
The ache is even worse in California itself.
When states don’t pay again their unemployment loans, the federal authorities ratchets up taxes on job creators, in an try and power states to get severe about compensation.
These increased payroll taxes are already being carried out, and in the event that they aren’t stopped, much more companies will depart the Golden State.
California’s leaders have an obligation to avoid wasting small companies from this burden.
As a substitute, their greatest concern is bailing out Hollywood with different folks’s cash.
Is there a hero on this scary story?
Not in California’s far-left authorities, nor within the bailout-happy Biden administration.
However there could possibly be in Congress, the place Republicans ought to be sick of watching this farce.
Congress is in the course of spending negotiations for 2024.
Republicans ought to rally round a easy reform: no extra federal loans for broke states that maintain increasing unemployment funds.
Below this commonsense coverage, California could be minimize off from extra federal loans the second it offers unemployment funds to putting Hollywood employees.
States that don’t pay down their money owed don’t deserve one other cent from taxpayers.
The time to behave is now. California and the Biden administration are going to maintain this horror present going so long as they will, bailing out their associates in Hollywood at everybody else’s expense.
The earlier Congress yells “Minimize!” the higher.
Brian Sikma is a senior fellow for unemployment insurance coverage and workforce points on the Basis for Authorities Accountability.
