Mitch McConnel should be removed as Senate Majority Leader or at least censured for his dangerous and irresponsible comments that states should consider bankruptcy instead of the federal government providing them emergency funds for the pandemic. I know neither will happen but here is why I believe he should be:

1. States declaring bankruptcy would have enormous and devastating damage to the states, state bondholders, businesses doing business with the states (in state and out of state businesses), employees of the states (jobs and pensions), investments that invest in state bonds, and citizens of those states.

2. The possibility of something (like a rumor or word something is being considered) can cause as many problems as something actually happening, and so McConnell planting the seed of state bankruptcies is dangerous and irresponsible.

3. While he can think what he wants and bounce the idea off others in confidence, suggesting the bankruptcy option in public and in the media can have many and potentially deadly repercussions including but not limited to:

a. Causing even more anxiety about the pandemic that already exists among all the groups directly and indirectly impacted should a state declare bankruptcy. Any business owner working for a state or owners of those businesses that work for companies that work for states likely knows the problems when a customer goes bankrupt.

b. If there is even the possibility that the Senate might force states to go bankrupt, businesses will not want to work for states and will demand payment upfront and existing balances paid in full. Companies may even cancel lines of credit to states.

This means in the midst of a pandemic when states are left to their own to get needed. Vital materials and services, due to the federal government’s egregious failure to order and organize the production and procurement of PPE and other needed items and services (mostly caused by the Trump administration and more specifically Trump) will make it harder for states to procure the pandemic related materials and services they need. It could cause their existing lines of credit to be curtailed or stopped, making getting supplies in a timely fashion that much harder.

4. While many of the hardest-hit states right now are considered “Blue” states, it is shortsighted on McConnell’s part to think that “Red” states won’t need federal help to avoid bankruptcy as the pandemic continues and as waves of COVID-19 will hit all states over time. Not to mention that even blue states have Republicans living in them, and they donate to Republicans just as Republicans in Red states do.

5. I can think of no time when any Democrat official on the state or federal level balked at sending disaster and emergency funding, and other relief to even the deepest of Red states. (I can think of several times when some Republicans have talked about not providing funding to disaster areas – like Rand Paul. What’s going on in Kentucky??).

If McConnell thinks his words won’t cause Democrats to start rethinking approving emergency funds to Red states, he may find out that you can’t initiate damage to some Blue states beyond a certain point before they will do the same to Red states. My guess is that most Democrats would be reluctant to withhold disaster funding, but McConnell really moved the bar too far with his public comments for some Democrats.

6. I don’t know for sure, but I have heard at various times over the years that Blue states tend to provide more revenue to the federal government than they get back and that Red states, on average, get more federal dollars back than they pay in. I don’t know if this is the case. But had not Mitch McConnell said what he said, I never worried or was bothered that some states were helped by the tax dollars of others. I am still not bothered by it, but, if true, it just adds to the outrage I feel about his comments.

I’m not the only one who has been troubled by what McConnell said. I think his words will spur more people from outside of Kentucky to support his opponent than would otherwise support her. I’m going to do my best to urge those I know to support Amy McGrath.