* Republican US Sen. Tom Cotton on the Senate floor yesterday…
Go right through that door and ask Chuck Schumer what he’s demanding in secret behind closed doors. Oh, and don’t forget all of their cities, and all their states. Dick Durbin represents one of the most bankrupt states in America and the most bankrupt city, Chicago, in America behind those closed doors. They are demanding straight cash bailouts for states and cities that have been fiscally irresponsible for years.
And they come down here and accuse us of bailouts? We are willing to help those cities and states. They are overwhelmed by this pandemic. Yet we simply say they have to repay the money on the back end. That’s not what the Democrats are asking for behind those closed doors over there. They want straight cash payments.
Despite all this, everybody keeps saying they’re close to an agreement on a stimulus bill. We’ll see.
…Adding… Heh…
- efudd - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:08 am:
How much of every dollar sent to Washington does Illinois get back? How much does Arkansas?
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:09 am:
In my view nobody getting relief in this package should have to pay anything back. The purpose of this funding is to try and keep the economy from totally collapsing. You’re not fixing anything if you say “here is some money now but we want it back later.”
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:10 am:
“Yet we simply say they have to repay the money on the back end.”
That’s what he’s getting at behind all of these accusations. They’re looking for state’s to pay back any aid money and resources received by the federal government.
- Eire17 - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:13 am:
God rest his soul but can Jay Ackerman please move the previous question?
- Ok - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:14 am:
Requesting bailouts for government funds needing to pay doctors, hospitals, food, care for seniors, etc.
>
Requesting bailouts for companies that are cash-poor because they can’t fly or build planes anymore, or finance institutions that have borrowed too much
- Beth - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:15 am:
This is not the time to play the usual games
This stimulus package should be about and only about helping workers and others devastated by the Coronavirus situation
Quit mucking it up with a bunch of crap
So typical
- thunderspirit - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:15 am:
Cotton calling others out for partisanship is rich indeed.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:17 am:
I am deep into the 1400 page Dem house initiated stimulus bill. Folks. Take time to read it. OMG. Then come back to me and blame Trump for a wealth federal response
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:19 am:
Perfidy
perfidy
perfidy
Cotton is totally perfideous
It’s the Rauner play
I help your ____
If you will only ______
Cotton is only interested in helping the wealthy and privileged
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:21 am:
Oh puh-lease. Republicans are mainly responsible for making federal deficits skyrocket and debt continue to grow, but some being who they are, they’re going to engage in the usual hypocrisy.
Also, Republicans gave the wealthiest corporations and individuals huge tax cuts. After literally handing out tax dollars that mostly benefit the wealthiest, we ought to help state and local governments.
- SWIL_Voter - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:25 am:
This is his counter argument to being lambasted for wanting to give $500 billion no strings attached to the already rich while stiffing American families. Pretty weak.
Plenty of “fluff” to be cut from the House proposal, that’s the nature of negotiation, but the House bill leans pretty heavily toward helping people as opposed to the Senate bill which is heavily tilted toward helping huge corporations
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:26 am:
…for a bad federal response…
- Perrid - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:26 am:
I would not believe Tom Cotton if he told me the sky was blue. The schmuck has been pushing the idea that the coronavirus is a biological weapon from China. Please.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:28 am:
I think the state governments should get cash grants. Loans might still cause problems with state constitutions that require balanced budgets.
We need to avoid the appearance of special treatment. I suggest that the grants be given to each state. 50% of the grant could be given on a per capita basis. The other 50% could be divvied up based on how much the states residents pay in federal taxes if California pays 10% of the federal income and excise taxes, they would get 10% of the funds. I would exclude tariffs and corporate income taxes as they are not closely tied to locations. Tariffs are collected at the port of entry while the goods may go anywhere.
The 2008 financial crisis was worsened by states laying off people to balance budgets. We can avoid that. (I remember a number of $140 billion needed in 2008, this would be much more. )
- Former Candidate on the Ballot - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:36 am:
Blue Dog Dem - Thank you for reading. With respect, I am very interested in your analysis, as I do not understand your response - Is it truly Trump, Congress, Decades or days of mismanagement, etc? Not looking for a debate, just some trusted facts - Thank You!
- Glengarry - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:36 am:
Cotton is a partisan hack. Why didn’t he call out Burr on the Senate floor for insider trading?
- City Zen - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:44 am:
==How much of every dollar sent to Washington does Illinois get back? How much does Arkansas?==
How muck of every dollar sent to Springfield does Winnetka get back? How much does Harvey?
- SWIL_Voter - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:44 am:
They’re going to try to force us back to work way too soon, try to concentrate the ramifications in Blue states so they can blame the governors, and push for “consequences” against China.
- Annonin - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:47 am:
We hope Durbin is doing that. GOPies pushing $$$ for movie theaters. States and cities got higher medicaid rates (which nothing for cities) from the 07-08 Cheney-Bush Depression. Thank goodness the Ds remember who got F* then.
Maybe we could hear a word from IL EmptySuit team in Congress…Rodney…Rodney?
- McGuppin - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:54 am:
Thanks for fighting for Illinois, Senator Durbin. Our needs are no less real than Arkansas or any other state.
- Chicago Bars - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:57 am:
Arkansas gets $1.61 back on every Federal tax dollar paid. Illinois is roughly $1 for $1.
Imagine the Arkansas balance of payments if Walmart wasn’t based there.
https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/fiscal-analysis/balance-of-payments-portal/
- Lake Effect - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:58 am:
what efudd wrote
- Chicago Bars - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 12:01 pm:
The Simon Institute dug into county by county balance of payments for Illinois back in 2018 btw. https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article217665185.html
- the Patriot - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 12:27 pm:
February 25th this blog was debating the Governor defending his policy to ignore federal law and the constitution to snub President Trump’s immigaration policy. In short since the day he took office Pritzker has been clear that he don’t need no Trump and will do anything he can to obstruct his administration.
Sunday within hours Pritzker is crying about Trump not helping while Durbin is blitherating about blocking the aid package without articulating a single thing that was missing to help IL residents.
Most 9 year olds have figure out simple rules of life that had eluded our brilliant IL leaders.
JB is a one man band and his only instrument is taxes. Well you can’t tax your way out of this JB.
- Unionman - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 12:39 pm:
As Mayor Emanual said: Never let a good crisis go to waste
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 12:41 pm:
the Patriot:
This is a national emegency. Your whataboutism is totally off the wall in this situation. But you keep up your hyper-partisan blustering. I’ve said from the beginning that this crisis is going to bring out the true character of people. I haven’t been disappointed. I’m seeing more and more of a lack of character in many, which is just sad. Don’t be one of those people.
- Angry Republican - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:00 pm:
What happened to all the support for progressive taxes? A progressive tax rate is premised on the wealthy paying more in taxes, and last time I checked the state of IL is a lot wealthier than AR
- Annonin - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:08 pm:
Speaking yokels here insights from the gnerally anti-LGBT Hobby Lobby owner…”ven the most laggard casino owner who didn’t close for Coronavirus until he was forced to is far less selfish than Hobby Lobby owner David Green, who says God told his wife to keep the stores open and make employees “tighten their belts.” What an ass. We can’t think of one casino owner remotely as greedy as Green.”
hat tip to the Las Vegas Adviser”
- Arock - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:08 pm:
“hyper-partisan blustering”, isn’t this what most of you on this site do day in and day out?
Senator Cotton is just pointing out the hypocrisy of the Democrats crying hypocrisy when they do the same thing. The American people are all paying the bill on this one and Illinois and Chicago should not be rewarded for their past mismanagement of their budget by not having a rainy day fund in place by not having to pay back what their rainy day fund should have been. Isn’t that the way the Democrats feel about corporations during this crisis?
- JIbba - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:15 pm:
“They are demanding straight cash bailouts for states and cities…”
Sounds good to me. Add workers and families to that and get it signed. Anything given to corporations needs strings and repayment (or ownership stake). Perhaps they can raise money by issuing more stock to replace what they have repurchased over the last few years.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:27 pm:
==should not be rewarded==
Yeah, because that’s what you want to do during a national crisis. Make sure you’re getting back at people. Again, people’s real character is really coming out during this time.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 1:28 pm:
===Isn’t that the way the Democrats feel about corporations during this crisis? ===
Actually, no. The Dem bill has plenty of that corporate stuff in it.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 2:03 pm:
- City Zen - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 11:44 am:
Simple, move everyone from Harvey to Winnetka. I’m sure they’ll be welcoming.
- Sure thing - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 2:04 pm:
If they can add language to limit executive pay, they can add language to exclude one penny going to local pensions.
- JIbba - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
“ow muck of every dollar sent to Springfield does Winnetka get back? How much does Harvey?”
You can only play that game so far. Shortly, you get to whether an individual gets his or her tax dollars back, and at that point you might as well not tax at all. Everyone for themselves.
- Sure thing - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 2:36 pm:
Let’s just call it the Fair Tax.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 3:44 pm:
==You can only play that game so far.==
Wholeheartedly agree. But it seems some folks are only willing to play the game at the national level.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 3:51 pm:
=== The American people are all paying the bill on this one and Illinois and Chicago should not be rewarded for their past mismanagement of their budget by not having a rainy day fund in place by not having to pay back what their rainy day fund should have been.===
1. Illinoisans ARE Americans.
2. The whole point of the bailout is to help people through this difficult time where people can’t work and businesses are closed. How is it relevant if the state they live in has a large rainy day fund or not? Keep your eye on the prize, helping people wherever they live and encourage them to take proactive healthy precautions.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 3:56 pm:
=== Sunday within hours Pritzker is crying about Trump not helping===
So what? The President wanted the big job. The country is in crisis. He works for the United States. He should walk away and give the job to Pence if he doesn’t want to do his job.
- Sure thing - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 3:57 pm:
Because when it’s everyone’s problem, it’s no ones problem. You can’t say whenever there’s a crisis you get a bailout. Then every state will recklessly spend like Illinois and wait for the next crisis to ask for a bailout. States need to be fiscally responsible just like individuals.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 3:58 pm:
===wait for the next crisis===
Yes, because this happens EVERY YEAR.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:01 pm:
===States need to be fiscally responsible just like individuals===
Hope you don’t lose your job, bub.
- njt - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:02 pm:
===Because when it’s everyone’s problem, it’s no ones problem. You can’t say whenever there’s a crisis you get a bailout. Then every state will recklessly spend like Illinois and wait for the next crisis to ask for a bailout. States need to be fiscally responsible just like individuals.===
Or just like corporations? Like banks and airlines? The inability of some folks on here to see the need for demand side stimulus is incredible.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
===to see the need for demand side stimulus===
Prolly went to Hoover U.
- Sure thing - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:10 pm:
That seems disingenuous to my point. There are things related to the crisis and things that aren’t. They shouldn’t be co-mingled. States can hum along over promising for decades like Illinois has and wait for a crisis to purposely confuse the two. Everyone knows why certain states were in trouble before this happened. It’s not a surprise.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:12 pm:
===wait for a crisis to purposely confuse the two===
Yes, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing. Right.
- njt - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:24 pm:
===There are things related to the crisis and things that aren’t.===
Sure thing at 2:36 pm:
===Let’s just call it the Fair Tax.===
You must be a parody account with this little self awareness.
- 17% Solution - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:40 pm:
The dollar is very strong right now. We can print money. It’s not like a little weakening of the dollar will harm us. Other countries are paying people 80% of their wages to keep a deep depression from happening. Why can’t we do the same? Why make a bunch of moral judgements against people based on where they live? Aren’t we all in this together?
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 4:45 pm:
==Everyone knows why certain states were in trouble before this happened.==
How is that even relevant right now?
- Springfield Watcher - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 6:29 pm:
Durbin a joke can’t wait until November to get rid of some of the other jokes.
- justacitizen - Tuesday, Mar 24, 20 @ 8:47 pm:
==Everyone knows why certain states were in trouble before this happened.==
How is that even relevant right now?
Because IL can’t afford to extend state income tax filing until July 15 like the feds have done because of its past fiscal irresponsibility (not blaming on Pritzker). This essentially requires IL taxpayers to file and pay IL taxes by April 15 even though they don’t have to file and pay their federal taxes until July 15. So tax services, accounting firms are meeting with clients during the stay at home period to help IL pay some of its bill backlog. Some might argue that this is socially irresponsible of Pritzker.
- All This - Wednesday, Mar 25, 20 @ 6:41 am:
==Durbin a joke can’t wait until November to get rid of some of the other jokes.==
Why? You want Illinois to be in even MORE debt?
- 17% Solution - Wednesday, Mar 25, 20 @ 7:32 am:
== Because IL can’t afford to extend state income tax filing until July 15 like the feds have done because of its past fiscal irresponsibility==
It’s not relevant to the federal bailout. Or to Cotton wanting the states receiving bailout money to have to pay the money back and Durbin wanting states not to have to pay the money back.
== Some might argue that this is socially irresponsible of Pritzker.==
Some might be wrong since it is the general assembly that makes this decision.