Sen. McConnell: “The Last Thing We Need Is For The Political Left To View This National Crisis As An Exploitable Opportunity”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks Tuesday on the Senate floor regarding the coronavirus response, calling out the “political left” for using the virus “as an exploitable opportunity to achieve other goals”.

McConnell first noted that it’s been “a little more than a hundred days since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States” adding: “Our nation has come face-to-face with this full-scale pandemic.”

Senator McConnell explained that in early March, lawmakers “passed an initial response to help communities handle the outbreak,” adding: “We spent billions of dollars to enhance our public health response, to promote the development of vaccines and treatments, and help the healthcare providers and small businesses in places that were then bearing the brunt of the virus.”

“Just days later, we delivered billions more in a ‘Phase Two’ bill. It sought to expand access to testing and help workers,” he said. “And then we built the historic CARES Act, the largest rescue package in American history, and then passed it without a single vote in opposition. It sent more than $2 trillion in direct money to American households, support for employees’ paychecks, stability for major employers, and resources for the healthcare fight itself.”

“But on the whole, it has been encouraging to see Congress, the Administration, the Federal Reserve, and the American people leap into action together to help our country. Our work is making a difference,” the Senate Majority Leader expressed.

He pointed out that ultimately “there is no policy Congress could pass, nor any amount of money we could spend, that could keep the entire economy glued together if these blunt shutdowns continue indefinitely.” Continued Below

Senator McConnell went on to say: “As we carefully consider what may come in the weeks ahead, we’ll need smart and targeted policies to help jump-start our economic engine, not unrelated ideological wish-list items that would gum it up even further.”

“The country will need pro-growth, pro-certainty policies. … The last thing we’ll need is for the political left to view this national crisis as an exploitable opportunity to achieve other goals they’ve wanted for a very long time,” he said.

“That is how, for example, former Vice President Biden has repeatedly described this pandemic: ‘An incredible opportunity… to fundamentally transform the country.’ This cannot be about ideological transformation. It needs to be about what will actually work for the American people,” McConnell insisted. Continued Below

“We are all in this together. We’ve stepped up to meet this challenge. Let’s continue to stand together for our country,” Senator McConnell concluded.

While speaking at a virtual town hall Monday hosted by the League of United Latin American Citizens, Joe Biden said: “And I truly think that if we do this right, we have an incredible opportunity to not just dig out of this crisis, but to fundamentally transform the country.”

The notion drawn by Biden echoes that of Hillary Clinton and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, who both have made similar statements regarding the COVID-19 crisis.

During last week’s joint town hall with Biden, Hillary claimed, “This would be a terrible crisis to waste”, in reference to pushing Democrat’s healthcare agenda. While Rep. Clyburn said at the beginning of the outbreak, “This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.” Video Below

Senator Mitch McConnell calls out the left:

Sen. Mitch McConnell: „The last thing we need is for the political left to view this national crisis as an exploitable opportunity to achieve other goals they’ve wanted for a very long time.“ pic.twitter.com/jRkAqXUBnm

— The Hill (@thehill) May 5, 2020