“Income redistribution for public unions.” That’s what the Wall Street Journal today called the $350 billion aid package for cities and states now pending in Congress. Their column cited our recent analysis of the COVID impact on state budgets as well as other data showing that most states simply don’t need a bailout.
“Research outfit Wirepoints recently estimated that 44 states are running surpluses for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 when Covid relief and budget reserves are included. The six outliers: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland, Hawaii, Nevada. They have pre-existing spending problems or rely heavily on tourism,” WSJ wrote.
And about one third of the $150 billion that Congress allocated in direct aid to state and local governments last spring still hasn’t been spent, their column points out.
More and more pork is being found in the bill. For example, $112 million would be allocated for Bay Area Rapid Transit expansion, an item of significance to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. OpenTheBooks.com found what House Democrats consider coronavirus-recovery “essential” spending:
- $1.5 million earmarked for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York to Canada. Senate Leader Chuck Schumer hails from New York.
- $50 million for “family planning” – going to non-profits, i.e. Planned Parenthood, or public entities, including for “services for adolescents[.]”
- $852 million for AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Vista, and the National Senior Service Corps – the Corporation for National and Community Service – civic volunteer agencies. This includes $9 million for the AmeriCorp inspector general to conduct oversight and audits of the largess. AmeriCorps received a $1.1 billion FY2020 appropriation.
Our view about federal relief for states and cities has been that legitimate COVID relief ought not morph into something else, but that’s just what Congress is moving toward. It’s ignoring what shape states are actually in and the real problems behind those in trouble, which mostly predate the pandemic.
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
“MOVING TOWARDS”? Are you serious? This was never about moving towards the pork barrel spending tax and spend sickness that every Democrat has. It was intended consequences for the benefit of the party by creating a “crisis” out of a simple virus and making it pay off for the party and their lackeys. This B.S. about AmeriCops is just another CCC a Civilian Conservation Corp. like during the GREAT DEPRESSION. What was so freaking GREAT about that damned depression anyway? Ask yourself these hard questions. Are we not being led by an idiotic party (Democrat) that is still working in… Read more »
Political Industry model (gross revenues sourced from non-friends converted to net income for friends, with centralized-control “rake” being an enormous percentage of “take) accomplishes key inflationary elements of social engineering. Here is a big one: “Charity” is now transacted as a for-profit industry. Grant-recipient “charities” have increasingly demanded volunteers assume personal liability. This socially engineers many senior volunteers, who cannot afford to risk their own entire retirement savings on defense against possible strategic predatory litigation, to quit volunteering. “Charity” employees can be somewhat indemnified. So, charity has transitioned from net neutral (free labor, money in=money going out to recipients) to… Read more »
I have found many “charities” to unfortunately be quite the racket. It is hard to trust them when a significant portion is going to administrative payroll and benefits. I get it that the big ones need good leadership (like any business)–and you have to pay for that–but you really have to be careful. Those dollars end up getting sucked in and very little comes out for the beneficiaries. I find the same for university giving — buyer beware, as it just pays for more “Assistants to Assistant Vice Deans of Diversity and Inclusion” people. It’s a shame that many innocent… Read more »
If the relief package is based by state population and most states don’t need it, imagine Illinois putting it towards debt/bills while other states send checks to their residents. That should wake some people up to how poorly Illinois is governed.
It’s not a Covid aid package, but payback for the effort to steal the election from Orange Man.
Buy this man a beer. You called it.
It’s great to see you guys getting more and more recognition at the national level. Obviously the right people are reading your work. I remember when this website was pretty much just Mark and maybe a couple commenters. Poor Mark had to read my drivel and a sparse few others, probably shaking his head. Then he brought on Ted, and the bigger team has really done a great job of growing this into a full-fledged original research publication, with great commentary on daily news. It’s what solid, objective media with some well reasoned opinion ought to be. And they don’t… Read more »
My comment from wsj articale post –Congrats WP!!!. As articale states, blue state dems got a huge problem–when covid fed funds are used as pay-o-la to upperincome state employees and their rediculous pensions instead of relief to neediest, how does that pass the sjw/ woke ethical smell test?–” Most federal funds to state and local governments will invariably flow into higher union pay, pensions and benefits and other payouts to buy votes” where are the pols on the right maken the case?
Look on the bright side! All those nice people in Georgia voted for senators who will permit the federal government to send their tax money to us here in Illinois to keep our public pensions fat and our public employees salaries ever more generous. That means our taxes may not have to go up as much or as fast here in Illinois. All in the name of social justice and justice for working people. Bless their hearts.
Lol!!-amen-say no more!!