McConnell Delivers Gut Punch to His Home State, Dems Say

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Mitch McConnell had a clear message on Wednesday to state and local governments anxiously waiting on Washington for more relief aid to cope with the coronavirus: Don’t look at me.

“I mean, we all represent states. We all have governors regardless of party who would love to have free money,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”

McConnell (R-KY) may be the Senate Majority Leader, a powerful lawmaker tasked with shaping legislation with national concerns in mind. But, as he noted to Hewitt, McConnell does indeed represent a state—and his comments echoed loud and clear there.

“It was kind of like a punch in the stomach to read,” Joni Jenkins, the Democratic minority leader in Kentucky’s state House of Representatives, told The Daily Beast. She explained that Kentucky, like nearly every state and local government in the country, is staring down an unprecedented fiscal squeeze. With normal business and commerce ground to a halt, sales tax revenue is drying up; skyrocketing unemployment rates mean that state income tax revenues will crater, too.

The Kentucky legislature, which just recessed for the year last week, passed a one-year austerity budget in response to the coronavirus’ economic damage. The functions of government are getting hard-hit: the University of Kentucky, for example, announced this week it faces a $70 million budget shortfall and is furloughing employees.

https://news.yahoo.com/mcconnell-delivers-gut-punch-home-185041098.html

[Victor_c3]

1. Boy, I remember how well austerity budgets worked during the bush recession to turn things around

I’m hoping I don’t need to point out the sarcasm in my headline.

If tax rates would have been kept higher during good years, we’d have the money to pay for the stimulus we need now.

Instead, it was important to give huge tax cuts to billionaires and corporations, the same group that recklessly run things into the ground and create the financial crisis we face now. Sure, the virus caused the economy to topple, but it wouldn’t have toppled so bad if corporations didn’t spends years ladening themselves with huge amounts of debt and buying back stock.

I’m getting off topic here, but let the irresponsible corporations fail. All of the stimulus money should go to people making less than the median income and to small businesses. Money should trickle up to the top, not the other way around.

[rickyhall]

7. They worked so well in Europe, too.

Austerity put Hitler in power.

[KS Toronado]

12. Trickle up always works better than trickle down.......

The way big business is grabbing much of the stimulus money for themselves leaving average people broke, when stores open up for business and nobody has extra money to spend, big business will lay off more workers because nobody is buying their stuff. This could lead to a depression if Congress doesn't get smart.

[Lonestarblue]

13. Republicans are deliberately economically deficient--and evil to boot.

After all, it’s easy to say that a rising tide lifts all yachts, oops, that should be boats. They well know that tax cuts for the rich do not stimulate the economy nor result in serious job creation. What I have never understood is why, with forty years of evidence that this policy only impoverishes working people, voters do not see through these lies.

It’s clear that if you reduce taxes on poor and middle class workers so that they have another $500 to spend, they will spend most of it on necessities, thus stimulating the economy. If you give a billionaire another million dollars through tax cuts, that person already has everything he or she needs and is unlikely to spend it, so that money does nothing for the economy. Not a difficult concept. Why don’t people get it?

[Newest Reality]

2. Gee, Mr. Turtle,

There is that good old Republican, trademark projection again. It only goes so far, though, especially if you overdo it.

What you call it? Oh, welfare. It is now obvious to the nation that your state is what you would call a welfare state. It takes far more out of the federal pot than it puts in. So, we tax payers help your state out every single year, (along with other states like that) so that you can do your dirty work and reap what parasites can reap, rather than working on your own issues there by building up and enriching your constituents, (oh, wait, those aren't your REAL constituents, I forgot) rather than lying to them and deflecting and blaming others.

Now, what can you do to find a way of dignity for your state? Oh, maybe your job in representing your people rather than special, vested interests that you seem to be having an affair with, or is that an orgy? Maybe some work? You might want to retract that Grim Reaper statement, as well, because it is really cutting it close now and is no longer a mere metaphor about bills being passed.

Did you buy yourself a Cadillac, too?

[Ms. Toad]

3. His logic is flawed.

“I mean, we all represent states. We all have governors regardless of party who would love to have free money,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”

Most states are constitutionally prohibited from "doing that" (i.e. borrowing from future generations), whereas the Federal Government is not.

[asiliveandbreathe]

4. What about the future generation...the kids, the kids..from article..my emphasis..

"My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”

For me, that argument is like old paint, all dried up..try again..moscow mitch..

Add Kentucky passed a one year austerity budget..okay..seems to me, covid19 beat them to the punch..I do have empathy for the citizens of Kentucky..you get who you vote for..Kentucky needs to vote for change..

DITCH MITCH..vote Amy Mcgrath...

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Well well,Moscow Mitch

is crying in his beer once again. Golly gee whiz,what happened to those hundreds of millions that was suppose to build that Aluminum Plant in Eastern Kentucky and employ all those out of work Coal Diggers?

Moscow Mitch is the King of Back Stabbers.

[IronLionZion]

6. We need tax cuts for the job creators

and start 2 more wars. That's worked out super well so far.

[KentuckyWoman]

8. Translation:

China cut us off so we went begging to Vlad for more money. He told us to go sit on a porcupine.
Not a chance the billionaires will hack anything up from all their record profits since taxes were slashed in the 80's . So all ya'll are screwn.

[BootinUp]

9. Austerity 2020

[Hortensis]

10. "Free money?" Every dollar in the federal budget comes from

the residents of states and is meant to benefit them, whether indirectly or directly.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. McConnell thinks it is his money.

[Hortensis]

15. Yes. His and his cabal's. Their plans for it are about them.

Last edited Sat Apr 25, 2020, 07:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Our house Democrats literally had to keep them from stealing money from aid packages to people in trouble, most of it anyway. They were mostly stymied for fear of not giving cover to the media hiding their misdeeds but required some diverted to the wealthy to allow passage.

Like bandits who control a pass holding up caravans, pay or turn back. Or..., depending on the balance of power.

[snort]

11. Mitch McConnell, terribly concerned about future generations.

Because of course he is.