MOSCOW MITCH: IGNORING AMERICAN WANTS AND NEEDS - HIDING HOUSE-PASSED BILLS IN HIS DESK AND UNDER THE SENATE RUG

MCCONNELL AND TRUMP - SUBVERTING CONGRESSIONAL ACTION

American citizens from the four corners of the nation call for changes in federal law.  They write, call, visit, march, demonstrate, voice, and persuade their House Members and their Senators to pass a new law, amend a proposal under debate, vote for/against a proposed bill or take a position on a change in regulatory rules. They ask their elected representatives to sponsor, co-sponsor or vote for their wants and needs or to take a position that reflects their voice. After all, these elected folks should REPRESENT THOSE WHO ELECTED THEM.  Isn't that what the American Democracy expects? The reason that we have elections in the first place?  The sensible periodic elections to "check" those that we sent to DC to represent us?  Of course, you agree... and the answer to these questions is that the electeds should be... and must be... our voice in the halls of government.  So, are they???? And, are those chosen to "lead" in their respective Chambers of power exercising their ability to reflect the needs and voice of those who's agenda they serve?  Let's take a look.....

Moscow Mitch McConnell has represented the people of Kentucky for decades. Poll after poll and study after study reflect their wants and needs.  National statistics - state by state - reveal the strengths or shortcomings of each state and suggest where they need attention and what issues are essential for an agenda that would benefit them. Need health care?  New Roads and rail in infrastructure?  Job growth and incentives because of high unemployment?  Educational investments to uplift the skills of those who call their state home?  Stacks and stacks of studies shared throughout the Halls of Congress, the desks of federal Cabinet Secretaries, the State Capitol occupants and the general public have been published. A quick peek will reveal the contours of the needs of each state and suggest steps or actions that should be taken to address these needs. So,  all of us - constituents of the electeds and resident voters of our towns, cities, and states - should expect that our "leaders" care about and KNOW what we want and need.  The Electeds SHOULD ACT to implement changes that will lead their constituents - us - to the "promised land" of advancement, opportunity and well-being. Are they so doing?????

     

HOUSE BILLS TRASHED

The House of Representatives has acted.  The House passed hundreds of bills in the last year - many with bi-partisan support.  The legislation covers medical care, prescription cost control and reduction, infrastructure projects, military contracts, job expansion, and much, much more. Each one, as required by the US Constitution, is passed onto the other House - in this case, the Senate - for consideration, modification, amendment, and a vote - up or down - in each case.  Bills originating from a House of Congress that has 435 members, numerous committees, and extended debate before a vote can certainly be far more efficiently considered in the Senate with simply 100 members - less than 1/4 of the House Member population.  But, rather than refer each House-passed bill to a Senate Committee for a hearing, consideration/modification if required, and a vote up or down to send to the Senate floor for a debate and vote of the full Senate, the Republican Senate leader, Moscow Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has locked more than 400 House adopted Bills in his desk... and has swept many other House-adopted Resolutions under his "rug."  

  

McConnell with Trump hair on end.

Who does Mitch McConnell represent?  What are their wants and needs?  What do the studies reveal? What are his interests? What feedback does he get from his constituents? Concerns?  Interests? These are questions that are difficult to answer if they depend on the calls and letters that McConnell receives from his constituents in Kentucky.  For me, a resident of the upstate New York countryside, in a town with a population of just 1800, I can't tell you.  But, Mitch should be able to do so. Does he?  Is he aware? I Assume so... after all, he has represented Kentucky in the Beltway for some 35 years to date. But, if he has been isolated in DC all this time and has had little Kentucky experience in decades, perhaps he is a "Leader" in the Beltway "swamp" in DC and not an advocate of his home state of Kentucky. Does he serve Kentuckians? Or, is he serving something or someone else?  Lets take a look at his record of responding to the needs of Kentucky through a number of studies that address the standing of Kentucky as compared to all of the American States and see how much attention he focuses on those that he represents and the record of achievement that he has accumulated over his three+ decades of service.

THE MC CONNELL 35 YEAR RECORD OF SERVICE.  FOR WHO?

On review of the statistics comparing Kentucky's rank in performance in a variety of categories to other US States, McConnell's performance over 35 years isn't looking so good.  Kentucky ranks extremely LOW in job opportunity, education and higher education (skill development and advancement), healthcare in both availability and quality.  With a bad economy, the state of Kentucky also faced fiscal instability with shortfalls in  revenue that prevents the State from taking actions or making investments that address these needs.  And, that leads us to the McConnell door.  If the State can't do it because it runs on very thin fiscal ice, then the Federal Government is the only solution or partner that can help Kentucky recover. So, why is Mitch not behaving as "Kentucky Mitch?" Why is he "Moscow Mitch?" If not responsive to Kentucky's needs as the highest ranking elected official in the Federal Government and as the "Leader" of the US Senate, then who is his "constituency???  Would Kentucky and its citizens benefit from the 400+ House-passed bills stuffed in his desk and under the rug?  Of course they would benefit.  So, why is Kentuckian McConnell preventing a Senate debate and vote on these measures? The answer lies in his own comments as to why he as Senate "Leader" has constructed a permanent "blockade" to House measures, regardless of the benefits that Kentuckians would receive along with all other American citizens - healthcare access, reducing prescription costs, much needed infrastructure projects and jobs, individual rights and protections, educational investments and advancements, and much more.  Instead, McConnell posted and pressured for adoption a repeal of the ACA medical insurance coverage law, regardless of the fact that more than 100,000 Kentuckians would lose access to Obamacare and be cast adrift in dealing with illness in their family.  

SENATE LEADER PROPOSES CUTS

And, he supported a tax cut for the most wealthy Americans and the most profitable Corporations - a 50% reduction in taxes for them... and next to nothing for us.  Instead, McConnell announced the presence of a new deficit record of nearly $1 TRILLION IN 2019 - a new national record!  His effort and vote created an ocean of red ink and a deficit accumulation.  McConnell announced the need to control costs driven by the deficit created and, instead of restoring the revenue rug that was pulled out by the tax cut, he outlined an alternative deficit solution. The McConnell alternative? Reduce Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security!  How does this help Americans?  How does it help his constituents in Kentucky?  You will have to call McConnell.....

  

MC CONNELL, BARR, AND GRAHAM SERVE TRUMP 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, when questioned why he would not refer the House-passed legislation to the Senate Committees for review and final committee vote and then a Senate floor vote - up or down - has a simple answer. McConnell's answer reveals just who McConnell represents in exercising his substantial power as "Leader" of the US Senate. His comments were simple and clear. He announced in a press conference that he would not "post" any legislation that "President Trump would not sign."  The explanation was, "why waste the Senate's time?" Incidentally, King Trump appointed McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation for the United States in early 2017. With a BA from Mount Holyoke and an MBA from Dartmouth College and Harvard, she has had little education or experience in Transportation and continues to sit in the Secretary Chair. So, it seems, evidently, that Moscow Mitch sees his one-and-only constituent as King Trump! And, as Senate "Leader", McConnell takes his "orders" and agenda from one source,  his Majesty, King Trump.  He is the Psycho King's singular "Lord Baron" and takes direction from just one source - the American Dictator - and not from his constituents in Kentucky. Go back to the Kentucky chart and you can see the quality of his performance having represented Kentucky in the US Senate for 35 years. Does he work for them? Or, like his hero - King Trump - does he operate on self-interest alone? You can figure it out for yourself.  Hopefully, the voters of Kentucky can do the same.  

This year - 2020 - in addition to his "boss", Psycho King Trump, McConnell is on the Kentucky ballot standing for re-election to his seat in the Senate.  What do you think the Kentucky voters should do?  Or, will they actually elect someone who will take pride in representing their wants, their needs, and their interests and not his/her own or King Trump?  Vote for McConnell... again??? Or, for another Kentuckian who will stand up for them. Should they see that McConnell stands for his own interests and for the Trump agenda ALONE. It's time.  Tick-Tock Mitch....  See you in November, 2020.....