Wednesday on MSNBC’s “All In,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) was leaving behind local government essential workers like firefighters, first responders in the most recent coronavirus stimulus package.
Tlaib said, “You know, our community in Detroit in Wayne County right now local communities are literally having firefighters, first responders, their local folks doing the testing at clinics getting sick with COVID, sometimes 60% of the force is getting COVID right now, and they’re all going to be left behind with no aid, no support. So this fell short in providing support for local communities that are too important to fail. You know, you see them talking about too big to fail, local governments, local municipalities and communities will save our lives and zero focus on the ground trying to help, not only with testing and tracing but making sure that people are protected and that they have people to turn to for help. These are the ones that are going to administer a lot of things we pass on the federal level, and we cannot leave them behind.”
She continued, “I think it was one-third of people could not pay their rent. This past month and rent is due again in a week. Imagine the impact that’s happening, and I’m really alarmed at the fact that McConnell says hey, we’ll pass this and leave for a month. Leaving people behind who are literally losing their lives every single day.”
She added, “You have McConnell, who is a millionaire disconnected to understand why people live check by check. That’s the reality. Some are called essential workers, but these are the same ones asking McConnell for $15 minimum wage. On the front lines, these are communities that continue to be neglected. It was not just Detroit. I was talking to Wayne County, where a firefighter was coughing over the phone, telling us, can you do something to make sure we have better health care? Can you make sure we can pay our next due amount for pensions? That’s what is happening because they’re having to divert so much resources towards combatting COVID in the local communities they will go bankrupt and be left behind. I think they are too critical and too important to fail right now.”
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