When there’s a hurricane, tornado or other disaster, I don’t care about the politics of those affected, I want the federal government to provide help. I think most Americans feel the same way — though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does not.
State and local governments are facing severe budget constraints, layoffs and cuts in services. Public officials of both parties are begging for federal help, yet McConnell derided calls for assistance as a “blue state bailout.” In reality, many “red” states have been bailed out by the federal government for years.
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A June analysis by WalletHub concluded that McConnell’s own state of Kentucky ranked second among just the states most dependent on the federal government. New Mexico was first, while Mississippi was third. At 45th, Illinois ranked among the states least dependent on federal tax dollars.
A Rockefeller Institute of Government study found that Kentucky received $2.41 in federal benefits for every $1 it paid in federal taxes — more than any other state.
Red states also did well under the CARES Act, passed by Congress in March. Of the top 10 states receiving the most federal aid per resident, eight of them were red states, according to Forbes magazine, and two them were “purple” states — Iowa and Indiana.
McConnell and the “fiscal conservatives” in his party are suddenly paying lip service to the national debt, yet they haven’t always been so concerned. McConnell and other Republicans had no problem piling on debt when Presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush passed massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, or when Bush put the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on the government’s credit card.
When it comes down to it, McConnell and the Senate Republicans actually love creating debt and doling out funds — it just depends on whom it’s going to benefit.
— Mike Mosser, Chicago
Relief bill doesn’t cut it
What in the world is going on? I thought Congress was going to pass a bill that would provide aid to Americans and businesses. Instead, we get a 5,600-page monstrosity packed with all kinds of foreign aid. Apparently, Congress is more interested in appeasing lobbyists and other interest groups than in serving the American public’s needs, which is their job.
In this case, I agree with President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that we should increase the individual payments and scrap most or all of the foreign aid. What happened to “KISS,” or “Keep it simple, stupid”?
— Dan Schuchardt, Glen Ellyn
Setting them up to fail
How can we ask restaurants and small businesses to make sacrifices for the public good and not compensate them for those sacrifices? Life’s not fair, but putting them and their employees out of business goes beyond fairness.
— Richard Schultz, Crete
Heartfelt and magnificent
I’m a digital subscriber to the Chicago Tribune who reads every John Kass column. Most of the time he tries a little too hard to channel Mike Royko, but I keep reading him because sometimes he is magnificent.
His column in Sunday’s Tribune, “Yes mom, I’m here even though we are apart,” was one of his very best. It also made it pretty clear that magnificence is not rare in his family.
— Vic Presutti, Dayton, Ohio
Construction in perpetuity
While we see progress with the Jane Byrne Interchange, what about the three other forever construction jobs that have taken years and involved cost overruns? When will they be done and at what cost?
First, the bike path flyover at Navy Pier; second, the widening of the Kennedy involving the lane from the Tollway to Harlem Avenue. Last, the O’Hare International Airport people mover. They’re still busing people with no end in sight.
It’s time for the Tribune to have a little box score with how long, how late and how much extra it’s costing the taxpayers.
— Jerome C. Malon, Chicago
Decal idea: ‘I got vaccinated’
While noticing my “I voted” decal on my bulletin board, it occurred to me that a similar “I got vaccinated” decal might be a very useful part of encouraging others to get vaccinated.
I think it would have been helpful if the first recipients of the vaccine, medical personnel, would have been seen on TV wearing this decal. The earlier the emphasis on the message, the better
— Neil Gaffney, Chicago
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