An open letter to my U.S. Senator who voted for the “targeted coronavirus relief package” bill

An open letter to my U.S. Senator who just voted for the Dec. 21, 2020 “targeted coronavirus relief package.”

Any Senator or House member who voted for this bill should be held accountable for their action. Put their feet to the fire. Let them know if you are dissatisfied.

December 23, 2020
United States Senator
Dear Senator,
I respect the institution of Congress. But I do not respect the shameful
behavior of the current 116th Congress. Passing a trillion+ dollar spending bill,
sight-unseen, and expecting the American people to foot the bill shows a
profound disrespect for those people you represent. You refer to this bill as a
“targeted coronavirus relief package.” I assume you mean that as a joke, kind
of like Obamacare, which had much more to do with power over people than
with medical care. So, CORONACARE may be a better name for this bill, which
was supposed to focus on relief for the American people who have been
devastated by COVID-19 and government lockdowns. Instead, it is filled with
giveaways, particularly to foreign governments, that are not remotely related to
COVID-19 and government lockdowns. Your support of this bill appears to stiff
the American people and small business owners. In comparison to the millions
and billions of dollars of direct payments (not loans) to large industries and
government entities and foreign governments, the $600 direct financial
assistance for individuals, the extra $300 weekly federal unemployment
insurance benefit, and the temporary and targeted rental assistance seem
rather piddly. It is particularly galling that, of all the expenditures, the
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a loan, not a direct payment. It is an
insult to every American and small business owner to be given crumbs (small
direct payments and loans) while huge U.S. corporations and government
entities along with foreign governments get the cake, that is, are given money
outright and without any expectation of payback. Fair is fair. If you believe
that money grows on trees and is free for the picking, then give it to everybody,
not just a select group.
For example:
• Why did we need to spend $931,000,000 to pay off part of
Sudan’s bilateral debt, and to help pay off its debt to the IMF, while
making another $700 million available for assistance to this
country, a known state sponsor of terrorism?
• Why did we need to spend $169,739,000 to Vietnam, including
$19 million to remediate dioxins (page 1476)?
• Why did we need to spend unspecified funds to “continue support
for not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Kabul,
Afghanistan that are accessible to both women and men in a
coeducational environment” (page 1477)?
• Why did we need to spend $198,323,000 to Bangladesh, including
$23.5 million to support Burmese refugees and $23.3 million for
“democracy programs” (page 1485)?
• Why did we need to spend $130,265,000 to Nepal for
“development and democracy programs” (page 1485)?
• Why did we need to spend on Pakistan: $15 million for
“democracy programs” and $10 million for “gender programs”
(page 1486)?
• Why did we need to spend on Sri Lanka: Up to $15 million “for the
refurbishing of a high endurance cutter,” which is a type of patrol
boat (page 1489)?
• Why did we need to spend $505,925,000 to Belize, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to “address
key factors that contribute to the migration of unaccompanied,
undocumented minors to the United States” (pages 1490-1491)?
• Why did we need to spend $461,375,000 to Colombia for
programs related to counternarcotics and human rights (pages
1494-1496)?
• Why did we need to spend $74.8 million to the “Caribbean Basin
Security Initiative” (page 1498)?
• Why did we need to spend $33 million “for democracy programs
for Venezuela” (page 1498)?
• Why did we need to spend unspecified amount to Colombia, Peru,
Ecuador, Curacao, and Trinidad and Tobago “for assistance for
communities in countries supporting or otherwise impacted by
refugees from Venezuela” (page 1499)?
• Why did we need to spend $132,025,000 “for assistance for
Georgia” (page 1499)?
• Why did we need to spend $453 million “for assistance for
Ukraine” (page 1500)?
None of these expenditures has anything to do with the ramifications of COVID19, with its resultant government lockdowns, and with the American lives
devastated by this situation. It not only does not help everyday Americans
whether this storm, but it hurts them by burdening them with a seemingly
unpayable debt.
I dare you to stand up in front of the American people and show how spending
$10 million dollars in Pakistan for “gender programs” helps everyday
Americans.
I dare you to stand up in front of the American people and show how spending
$33 million dollars “for democracy programs” for Venezuela, a socialist
country whose leaders hate America, helps everyday Americans to pay their
rent.
I dare you to stand up in front of the American people and show how giving
$700+ million dollars to Sudan, a known state sponsor of terrorism, helps
everyday Americans.
I dare you to stand up in front of the American people and show how the direct
payment to households ($600 for each adult and $600 for each dependent) and
the piddly $300-a-week federal unemployment subsidy appreciably helps the
everyday American in comparison to the near $600 million dollars of assistance
given to the countries of Georgia and Ukraine. Most everyday Americans,
unfortunately, probably could not find these countries on a map, much less
determine any rationale for diverting a massive amount of money to foreign
countries when it is so desperately needed by American citizens at home.
Your proud support of the “targeted coronavirus relief package” or betternamed CORONACARE shows your complete disconnect with everyday
Americans.
I believe it is your duty as a U.S. Senator to stand up in front of the people of
your state and, point-by-point, justify your support for the
expenditures in this bill. I know it will take some time, but you are now on
vacation and you also are getting paid very well. So, earn it.
Respectfully,