Amy McGrath: Vote for the positive change Kentucky desperately needs.
Over the last two weeks in Kentucky, we have had our two highest weekly coronavirus case counts yet. Meanwhile, nationwide, we are again seeing more than 60,000 cases a day on average. Economically, our true unemployment rate in Kentucky seems to be over 10 percent, while more than 25 percent of Americans can’t find work right now that pays a living wage. Compared to other wealthy countries, our inability to control this virus and help our citizens who are struggling is staggering.
When I pressed Sen. Mitch McConnell during our debate last week on why he had not taken action in months to help Kentuckians during this pandemic, he just laughed. As voters make their final choices, I will tell them what I told Sen. McConnell: we can rebuild Kentucky — stronger than before —and we must do so.
The first step to rebounding from this crisis is to get immediate aid to families, small businesses, and our state and local governments. Every day we wait is another lost job, another family at risk of eviction. We need to extend unemployment benefits, provide another direct stimulus payment, continue to help our small businesses, including with PPE protections, and provide renters assistance to get families through this crisis. To protect jobs here in Kentucky, we need to provide more PPP loans and pass the RESTAURANTS Act. Gov. Andy Beshear has also called for more state and local government aid, which we need to protect the jobs and pensions of our teachers, firefighters, and first responders.
Sen. McConnell has avoided doing any of this, instead convincing the White House it’s better not to negotiate at all. In the middle of a national crisis, his inaction is a dereliction of duty.
Sen. McConnell could find $500 billion for a slush fund for big corporations and $250 billion in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, but apparently there are no resources for Kentucky as families and small businesses continue to struggle.
After getting aid to families, the next step to rebuilding our state is protecting and expanding access to affordable health care. Approximately 1.8 million Kentuckians have pre-existing conditions. Roughly 500,000 Kentuckians have health care through the Medicaid expansion that the Affordable Care Act created. Sen. McConnell is actively trying to take away health care from all of these Kentuckians. If elected, I will protect people with pre-existing conditions, protect our rural hospitals, lower prescription drug prices (there are at least six bipartisan bills on Sen. McConnell’s desk that would do so), and fight for what I call an “Uncle Sam” health care option that ensures the more than 200,000 Kentuckians who still lack health care could get it.
Then we need to invest in us — in Kentucky. That means funding for infrastructure projects, like the $10 million needed for the water system in Martin County. That means passing the RECLAIM Act, which would create thousands of jobs and clean up our environment in Eastern and Western Kentucky. That means investing in universal broadband like we once did in electricity.
We can’t stop there. We need to revitalize our unions and raise the minimum wage so that families in Bowling Green don’t need to work 67 hours a week just to afford a one-bedroom apartment and so that people know that good work that pays well is available in every corner of the state.
And while we make work pay again, we must also address the racial inequities that have persisted in our country for too long. To do so, we must begin by closing the school funding gap, creating universal pre-K, and making home ownership more affordable for all Americans.
The last several months have shown us that we cannot just say that we want to go back to normal. The reality is that normal is what got us here.
The good news is that over the next few weeks, we have a chance to vote for the positive change our commonwealth desperately needs. Sen. McConnell is right about one thing: I’m a Marine, a mom, and he’s been there too long. This election is about the future of Kentucky, our democracy, and our country. Let’s work together to rebuild Kentucky stronger than before.
Our democracy’s future depends on getting rid of Sen. McConnell. It depends on your vote.
Amy McGrath is a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel running for U.S. Senate in Kentucky.