McConnell to states: drop dead

[Horatio Parker]

MM: Yeah, I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route. It saves some cities. And there’s no good reason for it not to be available. 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.

I’m surprised by this in an election year. Kinda leaves Trump twisting in the wind.

 

[James Brown]

It's because McConnell hates public sector unions:

So as far as McConnell is concerned, COVID-19 has an upside: by wrecking state finances, it will force them into bankruptcy. And that means Republicans can get their revenge on public sector unions, who are big supporters of Democrats. What’s not to like?

 

[rousseau]

I thought everything said by any politician of any political persuasion in the U.S. is completely irrelevant to your political process, and just ends up being filtered through everyone's preconceived biases? It sounds like I'm joking, but am I?

 

[SimpleDon]

It's because McConnell hates public sector unions:

So as far as McConnell is concerned, COVID-19 has an upside: by wrecking state finances, it will force them into bankruptcy. And that means Republicans can get their revenge on public sector unions, who are big supporters of Democrats. What’s not to like?

The same reason that they don't want to send money to postal service or to the local governments whose main expense is to teachers, who are unionized.

Do any of our conservative members here want to explain this?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I thought everything said by any politician of any political persuasion in the U.S. is completely irrelevant to your political process, and just ends up being filtered through everyone's preconceived biases? It sounds like I'm joking, but am I?

McConnell is saying the Federal Government shouldn't have to save the states from insolvency caused by the Economic Freeze. That is a pretty damning thing for him to say.

After all, blue states could just say, Fuck You, if you aren't helping out, why are we giving you any tax receipts? After all, Blue States have been providing welfare to the red states (Texas is an exception) for decades.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It's because McConnell hates public sector unions:

So as far as McConnell is concerned, COVID-19 has an upside: by wrecking state finances, it will force them into bankruptcy. And that means Republicans can get their revenge on public sector unions, who are big supporters of Democrats. What’s not to like?

The same reason that they don't want to send money to postal service or to the local governments whose main expense is to teachers, who are unionized.

Do any of our conservative members here want to explain this?

That'd require a position and it seems "conservatives" don't have much of a position other than "Free market good".

 

[SimpleDon]

I thought everything said by any politician of any political persuasion in the U.S. is completely irrelevant to your political process, and just ends up being filtered through everyone's preconceived biases? It sounds like I'm joking, but am I?

How do you explain the reluctance of your duly elected neoliberals to send money to the state and local governments and to the postal service when they lavished money on private corporations who are supposed to be left to the self-regulating free market? The free market is all right for profitable times but socialism is better for bad times?

 

[laughing dog]

Most states have balanced budget amendments. The idea of bankruptcy is a bit far fetched. If McConnell is serious, states like Kentucky will have to either drastically raise taxes or reduce spending in other categories which will likely mean prisons and education. And every legislature and governor can lay the onus on Mr. McConnell and his ilk.

 

[SimpleDon]

The same reason that they don't want to send money to postal service or to the local governments whose main expense is to teachers, who are unionized.

Do any of our conservative members here want to explain this?

That'd require a position and it seems "conservatives" don't have much of a position other than "Free market good".

And the government is bad, except when private, profit-making corporations have to be bailed out. When the corporations and the already rich need tax cuts or the military and industrial complex needs a war.

 

[SimpleDon]

I don't see any of the known neoliberals here. They must all be beating up Canada in the gendered pronoun thread. Such an obvious threat to North America at this time.

 

[lpetrich]

Andrew Cuomo Obliterates Mitch McConnell At Press Conference

Let me just go back to my self-proclaimed grip reaper Senator Mcconnell for another he represents the state of Kentucky, okay. When it comes to fairness, new York state puts much more money into the federal pot than it takes out. At the end of the year, we put into that federal pot $116 billion more than we take out.

His state, the state of Kentucky, takes out $148 billion more than they put in. So he’s a federal legislator. He is distributing the federal pot of money. New York puts in more money to the federal pot than it takes out. His state takes out more than it puts in. Senator Mcconnell, who’s getting bailed out here? It’s your state that is living on the money that we generate. Your state is getting bailed out. Not my state.

 

[Horatio Parker]

It's because McConnell hates public sector unions:

So as far as McConnell is concerned, COVID-19 has an upside: by wrecking state finances, it will force them into bankruptcy. And that means Republicans can get their revenge on public sector unions, who are big supporters of Democrats. What’s not to like?

Yeah, it's classic GOP, but isn't the timing off? A national emergency in a none too certain election year. Seems wiser to open the taps. If Trump loses, the Dems can reverse it all.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It's because McConnell hates public sector unions:

So as far as McConnell is concerned, COVID-19 has an upside: by wrecking state finances, it will force them into bankruptcy. And that means Republicans can get their revenge on public sector unions, who are big supporters of Democrats. What’s not to like?

Yeah, it's classic GOP, but isn't the timing off? A national emergency in a none too certain election year. Seems wiser to open the taps. If Trump loses, the Dems can reverse it all.

Yeah, the fear should be if Trump loses, it could (it fucking should!!!) be by a lot. The oil industry right now is taking it in all available locations. Add a not so friendly Hispanic turnout and Texas all of a sudden could happen. There are a lot of bad things happening at the same time... and with the closure of some processing plants, America's favorite pastime, meat, could become a delicacy.

Now, the GOP could use their repeated failures as reasons not to vote for Democrats, it has worked in the past, but this is a maelstrom of big things that could hurt the GOP a good deal... it should crush them.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

It's about busting the retirement savings of the public sector unions.

 

[Trausti]

It's about busting the retirement savings of the public sector unions.

The State of Oregon shells out $$$ of public money for lavish retirements. Why should such waste and mismanagement get a bailout?

https://gov.oregonlive.com/pers/

 

[Trausti]

And of course there's Illinois.

The 1%: Illinois’ pension millionaires

More than 129,000 Illinois public retirees will collect estimated payouts of more than $1 million each over the course of their retirements, according to new analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute.

At the same time, it’s crucial that Illinoisans understand these retirement benefits and call for reform. They have resulted in cuts to core services and constant calls for tax hikes across the state for more than two decades. They’re also pushing the pension funds toward insolvency.

Public service isn't about public service. It's about me and mine. Hey, feds, they deserve a bailout!

 

[Toni]

The same reason that they don't want to send money to postal service or to the local governments whose main expense is to teachers, who are unionized.

Do any of our conservative members here want to explain this?

That'd require a position and it seems "conservatives" don't have much of a position other than "Free market good".

I thought their position was on their knees before Trump.

 

[Toni]

And of course there's Illinois.

The 1%: Illinois’ pension millionaires

More than 129,000 Illinois public retirees will collect estimated payouts of more than $1 million each over the course of their retirements, according to new analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute.

At the same time, it’s crucial that Illinoisans understand these retirement benefits and call for reform. They have resulted in cuts to core services and constant calls for tax hikes across the state for more than two decades. They’re also pushing the pension funds toward insolvency.

Public service isn't about public service. It's about me and mine. Hey, feds, they deserve a bailout!

So, assuming that a retiree lives for 20 years after retirement, that would be a grand total of what? $50K/year? That's not nothing but it sure ain't rich. Especially after the Republicans gut Social Security.

You know, I really don't get why people are so up in arms about someone working their whole lives for a company, socking away money into a retirement plan (because a pension plan does that FOR you--it's deferred compensation, a promise, as you will, of payment to make up for lower wages now) and then: enjoying their money. Social Security was never intended to be a full support after retirement--but it was there to provide a safety net.

I mean, don't younger people WANT older people to retire? Free up all of those good jobs so they can quit their barista jobs (if those still exist post pandemic)? Seriously: young folk ought to applaud sufficient retirement savings and social security and pensions that tempt the boomers to hang it up and let the kids take over and run the show.

 

[Arctish]

It's about busting the retirement savings of the public sector unions.

The State of Oregon shells out $$$ of public money for lavish retirements. Why should such waste and mismanagement get a bailout?

Do you like being f**ked over by government? Do you think other people should like it? Because that's what you're suggesting here.

 

[laughing dog]

It's about busting the retirement savings of the public sector unions.

The State of Oregon shells out $$$ of public money for lavish retirements. Why should such waste and mismanagement get a bailout?

Your conclusion does not follow directly from your premise. But look at you - engaging in class warfare.