"Back to Normal"
Illustration & Caption by Stephanie N. Hanson (local artist and community Member)
Monday, May 24th, 2021 --Governor Pete Ricketts announced an end to the $300 per week pandemic unemployment benefits that had been coming from the federal government to Nebraska. The benefits were set to expire in September 2021 but Ricketts opted out early, and benefits will now end in just a few weeks (June 19). His rationale is Nebraska is "returning to normal" and the benefits are a disincentive for some low-wage workers to return to work. For many, pre-pandemic "normal" was not good. "Normal" included: low wages, economic inequities, evictions, and hunger. The Governor's idea of "returning to normal" is those who have continuing to withhold from those without.
Image description: ink drawing of a man in suit with red tie standing behind a podium with three large bags of money at his feet. Words on the front of the podium read: NORMAL (underlined) with the following words underneath... LOW WAGES ECONOMIC INEQUITIES EVICTIONS HUNGER.