Column on COVID-19 relief was unfair to Mitch McConnell’s work
Linda Blackford, columnist for the Herald-Leader, is at it again. She must have attended the same “how to be rude” training, members of the House Judiciary Committee did as shown in their personal attacks against Attorney General Bill Barr in a display of rudeness and complete ignorance of the facts during a recent hearing on the hill. I wish to point out several issues she has admonished Conservatives on.
1. Blackford attacked Senator McConnell for his eulogy of Rep. John Lewis (calling it nauseating), during a very special and historic ceremony at the nation’s Capitol. Senator McConnell did not demean, slander or question Rep. Lewis’ politics, rather he praised Rep. Lewis for his Americanism and his stand for peaceful demonstrations.
2. In her recent column, she claims Senator McConnell is responsible for the 1 million unemployment claims in Kentucky. That’s a heavy load! Senator McConnell is not taking away unemployment, he is proposing to reduce the additional $600 unemployment payment that was attached to the last CARES Act, by the House, substantially increasing unemployment payments to the point that many who actually received their payments in Kentucky (not the thousands who are still waiting for a check), allowed them to collect more in unemployment benefits than they made working.
3. Blackford implies that unemployment will be “cut” from $600/week to $200/week. The actual unemployment rate will remain the same, but the additional add-on would be $200/week. Still giving an individual $200/week MORE than what their state (i.e., KY), has determined unemployment rates to be.
4. Ms. Blackford, do you honestly think that Senator McConnell has TOTAL CONTROL over Congress? We know you would like to make people think he has. But maybe you can explain how Speaker Nancy Pelosi can have such “powers” and insensitivity as to be able to call the sitting Attorney General a “blob,” on national t.v. and not be called out for this. This is nauseating, as you say. If McConnell had total control, this would not have happened.
5. The Dems had control over Congress and the White House but did nothing about raising the minimum wage. Why is it Sen. McConnell’s fault that it hasn’t been raised since 2009? I know you don’t have an answer except that Sen. McConnell has been in D.C. for 30+ years. Well, how long has Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler and don’t forget Biden been in Congress and the White House.? And then President Trump, three and one/half years!!! BUT, it’s all Trump’s and McConnell’s fault. Really? Stop and think about that…..
6. Blackford is always quick to point out there is no national response to the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m always intrigued by the “Monday morning quarterbacks.” It’s very easy to make remarks AFTER a decision is taken, but as usual no other offer of a solution is given.
Wait, Blackford did present a solution. Remove the 2017 tax cuts! What a solution. Take a tax cut that benefits mostly middle-to low-income families and with a projected cost of $1.9 trillion (Blackford’s figure), over ten years, and substitute it with a currently added $3-6 Trillion deficit, and add to that deficit another $1-3 Trillion. That makes a lot of sense. Another solution, make a nation-wide mask mandate and a plan to distribute PPE’s to states? I thought this was each Governor’s responsibility. With respect to distribution of PPE’s, Ventilators, masks, PPE’s, millions of them had to be made because the “pandemic supply” was never replaced under the Obama administration. Outfitting two hospital emergency Naval ships – that were really never used. In Lexington, awarding a contract to build an emergency hospital at UK – again that was not used and recently torn down. Any other suggestions?
So, yes, I’m reclaiming my time, and in this, I will be supporting and voting for Senator Mitch McConnell, and Congressman Andy Barr for reelection in November.
Barbara Ellerbrook is currently the National Membership Chair for the National Federation Republican Women.