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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMitch McConnell wants to let corporations kill you without consequence
Hey, DU friends, here's today's rant...
Probably the most under-reported story of the year has been how Mitch McConnell is holding Americans hostage in exchange for letting big corporations kill Americans without any consequence.
Mitch took you and me hostage back in May, when the House of Representatives passed the HEROES act that would have funded state and local governments and provided unemployed workers with an ongoing weekly payment.
Mitch refused to even allow the Senate to discuss the HEROES Act until or unless the legislation also legalized corporations killing their workers and customers. To this day, he refuses to let it even be discussed in the Senate.
Weve seen companies fire people for refusing to take their lives in their hands, executives organize betting pools on which employees are going to die first, and companies lying openly to their workers and customers about the dangers of COVID-19.
Mitch McConnell wants to protect them all. Even worse, his immunity can extend well beyond COVID and sets up a process that could put corporations above the law permanently, across every community in America, in ways that state and local governments can never defy.
While Republicans have fought against raising the minimum wage or letting workers unionize for over 100 years, what McConnell is doing now is giving corporations the ultimate right: the right to kill their employees and customers with impunity.
And McConnells holding your local police and fire departments, public schools and state healthcare programs hostage in exchange for his corporate immunity.
This is beyond immoral. This is ghastly, and should have been at the top of every news story in America for the past six months. But many of the corporations that are looking forward to complete supremacy over their workers include the giant corporations that own our media.
America has suffered for over 40 years under Reaganisms neoliberal mantra, picked up from Milton Friedman, that when corporations focus exclusively on profit an invisible hand will guide them to do whats best for people and communities. Its a lie.
This is an assault on workers rights, but, even greater, its a corporate assault on human rights. McConnell is saying that a corporations right to kill its workers and customers is more important than the lives of human beings.
As unemployment benefits are running out, evictions loom, small businesses are dying left and right, millions of families have been thrown into crisis and more than 10 million Americans have lost their health insurance, McConnell continues to hold us all hostage.
Its time to fight back. If corporate media continues to refuse to discuss McConnells blackmail, we must individually speak up among friends and communities, and also let our lawmakers know what we think. Its time to raise some hell.
Hugin
(33,164 posts)Liability wavers were a bad idea when they were granted to the gun manufacturers and it is an even worse idea now. It's irresponsible and deadly legislation.
dalton99a
(81,516 posts)Cruel, insidious, destructive, shameless, ruthless
It is a shame that the media rarely gives him the exposure he deserves
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Thats exactly what the Republicans wantno liability for employers, no matter how reckless they are about exposing their employees to COVID.
-Laelth
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)starvation of millions of Americans...and death by cold as well in the northern states. We simply must continue UI...and the GOP as usual doesn't care about Americans...no skin in the game. If we lose Georgia, we will get no unemployment help... we simply can't wait. If we win, we can fix whatever shortcoming that are in this bill ...it is a temporary liability protection. My union son works for autos...there is no protection now...none. We must send help to the Americans who face starvation. I live in Cleveland and the situation is dire. Nice to hear from you again. I enjoy you show.
LizBeth
(9,952 posts)last night until early in the morning I wondered if even when/if they pass the UI extension if I will already be kicked off. This is not simply theoretical for so many of us. Thank you for constantly having our back.
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)LizBeth
(9,952 posts)We get 13 weeks OR to Dec 26. I use up the 13 weeks next week. I am wondering if I skip a week if that will keep my file open, or if it kicks me off. Because I am going to be kicked off after I file next week, I think.....
I have never used this before. So ya .... and no.
LizBeth
(9,952 posts)theaocp
(4,241 posts)Thus, they will get it. Remove the donations.
LizBeth
(9,952 posts)millions are being kicked off UI and are going to sink. That is the reality we sit in right here and now.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)We need to get that on the news.
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)My union son works for autos...and they don't give a damn about him and covid.
Takket
(21,578 posts)I work for one and they have undertaken huge effort and expense to keep us all safe. Weve been at work since May and had about half a dozen cases but no spread within the building.
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)although I did hear Ford will offer free vaccines soon.
Demsrule86
(68,586 posts)I can't say which one...or he could lose his job.
musette_sf
(10,202 posts)TY TH.
MerryBlooms
(11,770 posts)employees.