Letters: Local government relief missing from stimulus bills; Pandemic proves importance of universal health care

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Local government relief missing from stimulus bills

A few weeks ago, Congress passed the fourth coronavirus stimulus, a $484 billion package. An important component has been missing from all four stimulus bills — local government relief. Some of these ingredients are in House Bill 6467, now under consideration by Congress. A key weakness is that early drafts do not allow aid to municipalities like State College Borough, with fewer than 50,000 residents. There are similar problems with school districts and other municipal entities. This weakness must be addressed.

Local governments have been the first to respond to the pandemic, but have also have the potential to lose revenue. In State College, we have already lost considerable parking revenue and we are poised to lose much from earned income tax revenue. Even before the pandemic, our local budgets were very tight. Without emergency funding from the federal government, many local emergency efforts will not be sustainable even over the short term.

The cost to our society of diminished local responses because of austere budget constraints will be far greater than the cost of stabilizing local budgets through direct support from Congress. The ripple effects on local economies and the national economy will slow if not quash any possible recovery.

Our society’s ability to rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic depends on strong local governments. I strongly urge our congressional representatives, Congressmen Keller and Thompson, and Senators Casey and Toomey to work for a strong bill for local governments.

Where is the outrage in Trump’s mishandling of pandemic?

I was appalled when President Trump was elected. As corporate lobbyists and incompetent family members wielded unprecedented power, and Trump egged on White Supremacists and Nazis, I could not believe the willingness of respectable Republican leaders to stomach this destruction of our common values.

But how, after the shocking mishandling of this pandemic and the needless deaths of tens of thousands of Americans, does President Trump still command the respect of 43% of the country and the obeisance of Republican leaders like Senator Toomey? Where is the outrage?

This is no simple lack of national leadership in a time of crisis, it is far worse. Rather than bringing us together, Trump is pulling us apart, urging his crazed followers to LIBERATE their states from sensible leadership. Rather than lifting up scientific experts, he wants to consider ingesting disinfectant!

The Republican party I know at least cared about American influence abroad. Now the CDC is reduced to a shadow of itself, no longer able to provide advice to Americans, much less help the rest of the world. Individual American scientists are still respected, but poorer countries now look to South Korea, Germany, New Zealand and others for the competent, effective leadership that we used to be proud of.

I remember being shocked on March 15 to hear that more than 300 people died in Italy in one day. Since March 31 more than 1,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 each and every day. This is not OK!

Pandemic proves importance of universal health care

This coronavirus should finally convince us of the importance of universal health care. By leaving people without it, we have guaranteed the spread of disease, especially when these people work low-paying jobs is hospitals, restaurants and stores. A chain is as strong as its weakest link.

We are far wealthier than other developed countries that already have universal health care — at much lower cost, with better outcomes than our present business model. Here, people lose health care when they lose their jobs and they then risk financial ruin if they get sick. If we want to lessen future disasters we must make America stronger by providing this basic human right.