For The People?

Who do the Republicans stand with or for? Jennifer Rubin asks her readers to consider the following:

Although hundreds of thousands of state and local employees — including hospital workers, police, firefighters, first responders, teachers, librarians and more — face pay cuts and layoffs, [Mitch] McConnell has rebuffed calls for federal help. During her weekly news conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she wants “almost $1 trillion.” It does not sound as though McConnell cares about these people, though he is game to absolve business owners (who have already gotten hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts) from liability if returning employees or customers get infected on their premises. Those are people McConnell seems to care a great deal about.

Although Georgia does not meet the standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reopening its economy, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Republican Gov. Brian Kemp “will lift a statewide shelter-in-place order for most of Georgia’s 10.6 million residents starting Friday as he continues to roll back coronavirus restrictions, though he urges Georgians to stay at home when possible to contain the pandemic.” Kemp has extended the stay-at-home order for the elderly, which makes little sense if non-elderly people go out and carry the virus home to them.

Kemp’s order is not popular where virus cases are concentrated. “Like his previous orders, Kemp’s statewide mandate restricts Georgia cities and counties from imposing more severe restrictions. That’s infuriated some mayors and county commissioners who have urged residents to disregard his directives.” Georgia has the 10th-highest number of cases in the country, and more than 80 percent of those hospitalized because of covid-19 are African American. If you are a Georgian, especially an African American, it does not sound as though Kemp cares about you.

Although President Trump issued an executive order requiring meat plants to remain open and for the government to provide protective equipment, there is no evidence the plants have or can maintain social distancing. In fact, USA Today reports that “rather than increase safety and oversight, the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed it in the midst of the pandemic. Just this month, the agency allowed 15 poultry plants to exceed federal limits on how many birds workers can process in a minute.” These plants and the towns in which they are located have become hot spots around the country (with 2,200 cases of infected workers at 48 plants, by one count). If you work in the plant or live with or near someone who does, it does not sound as though Trump cares about your health and survival. To make matters worse, Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa (R) announced: “If you’re an employer and you offer to bring your employee back to work and they decide not to, that’s a voluntary quit. Therefore, they would not be eligible for the unemployment money.”

Republicans seem to be going out of their way to show their disdain for the well-being of ordinary Americans. It is hard to disagree with New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) who this week said, “They want to fund corporate America. That’s who puts money in their pockets. And I say let’s fund working Americans. That’s the choice.” And voters will make their choice in November, as well.

 McConnell wants to give legal immunity to businesses. You can't put lipstick on this pig:

Republicans seem to be going out of their way to show their disdain for the well-being of ordinary Americans. It is hard to disagree with New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) who this week said, “They want to fund corporate America. That’s who puts money in their pockets. And I say let’s fund working Americans. That’s the choice.” And voters will make their choice in November, as well.

Obviously, the Republicans are convinced that ordinary people will swallow hard and side with them.

Image: Forbes