wnylib
wnylib's JournalCuomo rips Moscow Mitch a new one
in this morning's press briefing.
Reporter asked Cuomo about Moscow Mitch's recommendation that states file bankruptcy instead of Congress allocating federal assistance money to them. Moscow Mitch proposed saving the national economy instead of "bailing out blue states."
Cuomo said such petty-minded partisanship was appalling in a national and international emergency. Cuomo said he does not operste that way or even think that way as NY governor. "I am governor of all the people in NY, whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents." He said he expected a representaive of a federal body (Congress) to have the entire nation's interest at heart, not just one political party.
Cuomo explained that the states hit hardest by the coronavirus are predominantly Democratic, e.g. NY, CA, IL, MI. So, he said, the Moscow Mitch suggestion that they file bankruptcy and that Congress should refuse them aid is the same as saying that it is ok for people in those states to die because they are Democrats. What kind of person even thinks that way? We are all in this together. Republicans are dying, too. Viruses don't have political preferences.
Then Cuomo pointed out some hard reality facts and called the Moscow Mitch suggestion "just plain dumb" and one of the dumbest ideas he has heard regarding the crisis.
"Imagine what would happen to the national economy if NY filed bankruptcy. Now add Illinois, Michigan, and California and you'll see the entire US economy sink, everywhere."
Then Cuomo gave specific figures (did not write them down) showing that NY revenues sent to DC amount to far more than NY receives in return. The numbers he quoted were in the billions. But Kentucky is not a "donor state" on the national scene because it receives billions more than it contributes nationally. Therefore, NY keeps KY functioning. If NY files bankruptcy because Congress refuses emergency aid, then KY will sink, too, because KY needs NY to stay in business.
So Moscow Mitch shoots himself and his own state in the foot when he promotes abandoning states in trouble and telling them to file bankruptcy instead of assisting them in an emergency.
Governor Cuomo right now, as
I type, is calling out Trump's claims of what a great job he (Trump) has done. Also responding to Trump's claim that Cuomo does not show enough gratitude for what Trump has done. Cuomo says, "Thanks for what? Doing your job?"
Trump claimed that the Navy hospital ship and the creation of the Javits Center hospital in NYC were not necessary, not used, and therefore wasteful. Cuomo said the requests for those were based on FEDERAL projections from the CDC and the WH coronavirus task force. Cuomop said, "Read your own report, Mr. President. I thought that relying on your word was ok. I won't make that mistake in the future."
Cuomo said that he thanked Trump for the Navy hospital ship and the Javits hospital. He said he has been generous with his gratitude where it was warranted, but will not give it where it is not due.
Cuomo said Trump should fire the people on his task force for making bad projections instead of complaining about the governors. Cuomo also criticized Congress for allocating more money to some states that had almost no coronavirus problems than in states that had serious outbreaks in order to look good in press releases to their constituents.
On corporate bailouts, Cuomo agreed that the economy needs a boost, but people's lives come first. How can you run a company if the people are too sick to go to work?
His sharpest criticism was for Trump refusing to help the states with the necessary testing materials and infection tracing in order to reopen state economies. He said that Trump's response to requests for federal help in obtaining materials from abroad was that it was too complicated and difficult so he did not want to get involved. Cuomo said of course it's difficult, but do your job, Mr. president. That's why the federal government needs to get involved in the international negotiations necessary to get materials.
Regarding Trump's earlier claim that he had total power over the states and then backtracking, Cuomo said that Trump "did a graceful 180 and people let him get away with that." He was referring to Trump saying that he would LET the governors decide when to open. Cuomo said he did not need Trump to tell him what the states can do. "I already knew that because other people told me - James Madison, Benjamin Franklin. Mr. Trump should stop watching TV and read the Constitution in order to know the law. The colonies, which became the states, created the federal government, not the other way around."
Cuomo's comments were magnificent and bitingly accurate. I did not get all of them verbatim here, but as close as possible while he spoke faster than I can type.
He said they should not be engaging in personal attacks at this time, but should be working together. However, he said that federal refusal to act on behalf of the states and the American peopl is too important not to correct Trump's projection of false information. The American people should know what's going on with Trump's refusal to protect them.
I expect a hurricane force of tweets directed at Cuomo now. Trump does not get it that the more he shrugs off responsibility and blames others, the worse he looks to everyone. He's such a self-centered ignoramous. How could anyone have believed his lies about putting Anerica first when putting himself first has been his lifelong habit and established pattern?
Happy Easter!
Some churches broadcast online from an empty church (except for the clergy). Some have transmitters that allow people to meet in the parking lot, safe inside their cars, tuned in to a specific frequency on their car radios.
I will be going to a parking lot service this morning.
How will you spend Easter this year?
Social distancing -- What do you miss most?
Besides the obvious loss of in-person contact with children, grandchildren, and co-workers, what conveniences, social settings and things we took for granted do you miss? Simple daily things and bigger things and events?
I miss getting together with friends for lunch, special interest classes at the library or community college, the sound of kids outdoors playing.
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