Compromise catastrophe

Dear editor:

The news that Congress went on break instead of negotiating a compromise on the coronavirus relief legislation that so many peoples’ lives depend on, and that will also give another incredible wallop to our already staggering economy, is just plain nuts!

It appeared that the Democrats offered large concessions and Republicans, led by Trump’s negotiators, stuck to their opening proposal. People punished for not taking jobs that do not exist. No help for state, city and local governments that will have to cut services like fire, ambulance, police, roads and everything else, and Republicans also stated they preferred those governments go bankrupt as a way of dealing with the pandemic’s economic damage.

Republicans’ latest justification being the additional cost added to the deficit. Never mind they can throw trillions in tax breaks for the wealthy or trillions more to businesses large and small, many who did not need or deserve money got it while many smaller businesses got nothing. Or the fact that deficits are the highest of all time without the coronavirus’ impacts. Add big banks made billions in fees for passing the money out. People who cannot pay their rent or put food on the table? Nothing for them! Deliberately causing a huge additional hit to the economy by not reaching a compromise? Idiocy, complete callousness or hoping for political points? Hard to tell, maybe all of the above.

Now, the “Orange One” wants to give a payroll tax break to people who did not lose their jobs while simultaneously striking a huge blow against the Social Security and Medicaid funds’ long term health. This despite the strong opposition of both Republican and Democratic congressional leadership to doing so. The Republicans have always been nicknamed “the party of the meanies”; in these dire times brought by the coronavirus they seem to be doubling down under Trump, becoming “the meanies on steroids.”

Meanwhile, the “Orange Wanna be King” continues to spew massive amounts of lies and misleading falsehoods hourly in an attempt to point responsibility for this catastrophe at anyone or anything besides his government and his leadership. I say, “Fire the liar!” No president in history has come even remotely close to the number of lies Donald Trump has uttered during his term in office. The responsibility for mishandling the coronavirus response rests solely upon his administration and he, himself. Sorry, Mr. President, but the buck stops at your desk.

For dividing the country, for stirring endless controversy and strife, for blaming anyone and anything but himself for the mess we are in, let’s make sure that he and those who have helped him create so much destruction are sent out the door of government forever in the next election. Steven Snellback Lonsdale