I could not have disagreed more with the News Tribune’s March 26 “Our View” editorial, “ Congress failed struggling Americans. ”
While claiming to advocate for bipartisanship in a time of crisis, the editorial used the word “sleazy” in quoting an Obama-era chief of staff. Besides being partisan itself, it was not at all relevant. I am deeply appreciative of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and House Democrats for doing their job to negotiate more support for their constituents during this pandemic, particularly health workers, the suddenly unemployed, struggling small businesses, and poor and middle-class Americans. Far from “political pork.”
Democrats also negotiated to make sure that bipartisan, agreed-upon oversight for the huge amounts of cash handed to Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s Treasury — language that had disappeared from the Senate version — got put back in the bill. They stood with us in making sure taxpayers don’t have to shoulder another huge bill that primarily benefits the rich and donor class (as the Republican tax bill did) at the expense of most of the citizens of this country.
The result of the negotiations between both parties was worth an extra day or two for a better, fairer bill. That is the way Congress is supposed to work.
Ann Gumpper
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Duluth
