Mitch McConnell's warped priorities (opinion) [View all]
GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made his priorities clear during the last several months of the Covid-19 crisis: Rush to confirm conservative judges, but take his sweet time when it comes to helping the millions of unemployed Americans about to lose federal unemployment benefits. And given how closely President Donald Trump and McConnell work together, this appears to be Trump's agenda as well.
The federal government's $600 weekly unemployment payment --- a lifeline for more than 20 million Americans that was created as part of the massive aid package passed in March -- is slated to end July 31. In response to these benefits ending, McConnell calmly stated on Friday, "Hopefully in the next two to three weeks we'll be able to come together and pass something that we can send over to the House and down to the President for signature."
"Hopefully," McConnell and his GOP colleagues who control the Senate can come up with something in a few weeks?! When you're a multi-millionaire like McConnell—in fact he's one of the wealthiest members of the US Senate -- waiting a few weeks with little to no income is no big deal. But back in the real world, a 2019 study by the Federal Reserve found that 40% of American adults couldn't cover a $400 emergency with cash or savings. That's hardly likely to have improved in a time of pandemic and mass unemployment.
Of course, when it came to confirming federal judges, McConnell had no problem rushing them through in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. Indeed, between February through late June, McConnell ushered through the confirmation of 13 judges to the federal bench, bringing the total to 200 judges confirmed during the Trump presidency. But when it comes to helping Americans, McConnell "hopes" a bill can be cobbled together in the next few weeks!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mitch-mcconnell-s-warped-priorities-opinion/ar-BB17dEie?li=BBnbfcQ&ocid=DELLDHP
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