Recently, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested that Congress should perhaps just let states go bankrupt rather than send them further financial assistance from the federal government. If states did go bankrupt, then the crucial services that they provide, from health to unemployment support, could suddenly be on the line. McConnell received a lot of criticism for his flippancy, including from New York’s Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose state is the hardest hit by the pandemic. This week, he poignantly pointed out how McConnell didn’t hesitate to support big business, but when it comes to supporting everyday Americans, the Republican leader faltered.
Cuomo posted on Twitter:
‘Let’s talk about priorities. Sen. McConnell cares about bailing out: -Airlines -Big corporations -Hotels -Restaurant chains -Public companies. State and local governments want $ to fund: -Police -Firefighters -Nurses -Food banks -Social services -Teachers’
Let's talk about priorities.
Sen. McConnell cares about bailing out:
-Airlines
-Big corporations
-Hotels
-Restaurant chains
-Public companiesState and local governments want $ to fund:
-Police
-Firefighters
-Nurses
-Food banks
-Social services
-Teachers— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 29, 2020
All the state interests are among those which McConnell was apparently ready and willing to jeopardize right in the middle of a pandemic when there are already plenty of other issues. He has faced criticism from figures on both sides of the aisle, including both Democrats and Republicans.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican and the leader of the National Governors Association, has called for a total of $500 billion in additional assistance for state governments. There’s been reporting, however, that Republicans have been concerned that sharing more money with state governments could incentivize them to keep their economies closed with social distancing measures meant to stem the spread of the virus. Thus, it appears as though the GOP, including Trump, has been essentially attempting to extort states into reopening their economies, although around the U.S., many groups of governors have formed intrastate pacts for coordinating their own reopening plans separate from whatever the president happens to launch into.
Check out Twitter’s response to Cuomo below:
