In addition to a drive-thru line, there was a walk up line for food distribution at South Gate High School in Southgate on Wednesday, November 25, 2020. (Photo: Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)
Sanders Slams McConnell for Pushing '3-Martini Lunch' Deduction and Zero Relief for 26 Million Hungry Americans
"The Republicans l-o-v-e corporate socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest. Ain't gonna happen."
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for pushing a coronavirus relief measure that contains a 100% tax deduction for business meals--a gift to corporate executives--but nothing for the tens of millions of people across the U.S. who are struggling to afford food for themselves and their families.
"Mitch McConnell's 'new' Covid relief bill gives CEOs a 100% tax deduction for a 3-martini lunch, but ZERO to the 26 million who don't have enough food to eat," the Vermont senator tweeted. "Yes. The Republicans l-o-v-e corporate socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest. Ain't gonna happen."
On Tuesday, as Common Dreams reported, the Kentucky Republican began circulating a purportedly "targeted" coronavirus stimulus proposal that would grant corporations sweeping immunity from coronavirus related lawsuits without providing a federal boost to unemployment benefits, another round of direct payments, or any aid to state and local governments.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe"
--Sen. Ron Wyden
The plan also omits nutrition assistance amid a worsening nationwide hunger crisis; according to Census Bureau data, 26 million U.S. adults reported in late October and early November that they did not have enough food to eat.
McConnell's proposal was immediately dismissed as a non-starter by many Democratic lawmakers, who characterized the plan as woefully inadequate to address the twin public health and economic crises ravaging the nation.
"This is an insult to the millions of workers and businesses that are losing their livelihoods because of this crisis," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. "This proposal doesn't come close to giving Americans the help they desperately need to stay afloat."
With a possible government shutdown just over a week away and time running out to secure a coronavirus relief agreement before the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday threw their support behind a new bipartisan, bicameral compromise proposal as the "basis" for negotiations.
Unlike McConnell's plan, the bipartisan proposal would provide a $300-per-week federal boost to unemployment insurance, a key lifeline that 12 million Americans are set to lose on December 26 without congressional action. The bipartisan group of lawmakers also called for a liability shield for corporations that would reportedly be more limited than the one McConnell is pushing, though specific language has not yet been made public.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday was among those raising concerns about the bipartisan compromise package, specifically citing the corporate liability protections as a key sticking point.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe," Warren tweeted Wednesday. "We can't let businesses escape accountability for putting people's lives at risk."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for pushing a coronavirus relief measure that contains a 100% tax deduction for business meals--a gift to corporate executives--but nothing for the tens of millions of people across the U.S. who are struggling to afford food for themselves and their families.
"Mitch McConnell's 'new' Covid relief bill gives CEOs a 100% tax deduction for a 3-martini lunch, but ZERO to the 26 million who don't have enough food to eat," the Vermont senator tweeted. "Yes. The Republicans l-o-v-e corporate socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest. Ain't gonna happen."
On Tuesday, as Common Dreams reported, the Kentucky Republican began circulating a purportedly "targeted" coronavirus stimulus proposal that would grant corporations sweeping immunity from coronavirus related lawsuits without providing a federal boost to unemployment benefits, another round of direct payments, or any aid to state and local governments.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe"
--Sen. Ron Wyden
The plan also omits nutrition assistance amid a worsening nationwide hunger crisis; according to Census Bureau data, 26 million U.S. adults reported in late October and early November that they did not have enough food to eat.
McConnell's proposal was immediately dismissed as a non-starter by many Democratic lawmakers, who characterized the plan as woefully inadequate to address the twin public health and economic crises ravaging the nation.
"This is an insult to the millions of workers and businesses that are losing their livelihoods because of this crisis," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. "This proposal doesn't come close to giving Americans the help they desperately need to stay afloat."
With a possible government shutdown just over a week away and time running out to secure a coronavirus relief agreement before the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday threw their support behind a new bipartisan, bicameral compromise proposal as the "basis" for negotiations.
Unlike McConnell's plan, the bipartisan proposal would provide a $300-per-week federal boost to unemployment insurance, a key lifeline that 12 million Americans are set to lose on December 26 without congressional action. The bipartisan group of lawmakers also called for a liability shield for corporations that would reportedly be more limited than the one McConnell is pushing, though specific language has not yet been made public.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday was among those raising concerns about the bipartisan compromise package, specifically citing the corporate liability protections as a key sticking point.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe," Warren tweeted Wednesday. "We can't let businesses escape accountability for putting people's lives at risk."
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for pushing a coronavirus relief measure that contains a 100% tax deduction for business meals--a gift to corporate executives--but nothing for the tens of millions of people across the U.S. who are struggling to afford food for themselves and their families.
"Mitch McConnell's 'new' Covid relief bill gives CEOs a 100% tax deduction for a 3-martini lunch, but ZERO to the 26 million who don't have enough food to eat," the Vermont senator tweeted. "Yes. The Republicans l-o-v-e corporate socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest. Ain't gonna happen."
On Tuesday, as Common Dreams reported, the Kentucky Republican began circulating a purportedly "targeted" coronavirus stimulus proposal that would grant corporations sweeping immunity from coronavirus related lawsuits without providing a federal boost to unemployment benefits, another round of direct payments, or any aid to state and local governments.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe"
--Sen. Ron Wyden
The plan also omits nutrition assistance amid a worsening nationwide hunger crisis; according to Census Bureau data, 26 million U.S. adults reported in late October and early November that they did not have enough food to eat.
McConnell's proposal was immediately dismissed as a non-starter by many Democratic lawmakers, who characterized the plan as woefully inadequate to address the twin public health and economic crises ravaging the nation.
"This is an insult to the millions of workers and businesses that are losing their livelihoods because of this crisis," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. "This proposal doesn't come close to giving Americans the help they desperately need to stay afloat."
With a possible government shutdown just over a week away and time running out to secure a coronavirus relief agreement before the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday threw their support behind a new bipartisan, bicameral compromise proposal as the "basis" for negotiations.
Unlike McConnell's plan, the bipartisan proposal would provide a $300-per-week federal boost to unemployment insurance, a key lifeline that 12 million Americans are set to lose on December 26 without congressional action. The bipartisan group of lawmakers also called for a liability shield for corporations that would reportedly be more limited than the one McConnell is pushing, though specific language has not yet been made public.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday was among those raising concerns about the bipartisan compromise package, specifically citing the corporate liability protections as a key sticking point.
"Let's be clear about what Covid-19 'liability protections' would mean: letting corporations off the hook if they decide they care more about making a quick buck than keeping workers safe," Warren tweeted Wednesday. "We can't let businesses escape accountability for putting people's lives at risk."