Will Democrats Choose Their Ideological Wish List Over Suffering Americans?

Democrats Are Using A Global Pandemic To Demand All Kinds Of Unrelated Ideological Policy Provisions

REP. JIM CLYBURN (D-SC), House Majority Whip: “This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.” (“House Democrats Eyeing Much Broader Phase 3 Stimulus,” The Hill, 3/19/2020)

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-NJ): “How many times are we going to get a shot at a trillion-dollar-plus program? … This rush, in a way that doesn’t get it right, is dangerous because I don’t know how many trillion-plus packages we are going to have.” (Sen. Menendez, Congressional Record, S.1910, 3/22/2020)

FLASHBACK: RAHM EMANUEL, Former Obama White House Chief of Staff: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.” (Remarks to Wall Street Journal CEO Council, 2008)

Dems Are Seeking ‘Climate Change Provisions,’ A Minimum Wage Mandate, Changes In Voting Systems, And Election Security Money

“Democrats on both sides of Capitol Hill are pushing to add climate change provisions to the third aid package for people and industries affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic…. Several Senate Democrats want airlines to reduce their carbon emissions … House Democrats, meanwhile, are looking at clean-tech tax credits. Those include incentives for electric vehicles, battery storage, offshore wind and solar energy that were left out of a December tax extenders package.” (“Democrats Want to Include Climate Action in Coronavirus Aid,” E&E News, 3/19/2020)

• SENS. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-RI), MARTIN HEINRICH (D-NM), ED MARKEY (D-MA), JEFF MERKLEY (D-OR), RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT), DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI), TINA SMITH (D-MN), AND CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): “[W]e believe that any such financial assistance should be paired with requirements … Given the large carbon footprint of commercial aviation, requiring reductions in carbon emissions would represent a major step …” (Sen. Whitehouse, Press Release, 3/18/2020)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “We’re also thinking that there should be, if they’re going to get help, maybe their employees should get on the boards of these companies…. We also want to … we want them to pay $15 minimum wage …” (Sen. Schumer, Press Conference, 3/17/2020)

“Democrats are pushing hard to include a huge expansion of voting by mail in a mammoth coronavirus stimulus bill being crafted on Capitol Hill …” (“The Cybersecurity 202: Democrats See Coronavirus Stimulus As Last, Best Chance For Vote-By-Mail Push,” The Washington Post, 3/23/2020)

• REP. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-NJ): “I led a letter w/55 colleagues urging that our next bill require all states to allow everyone to vote by mail in November. The House is pushing for that to be in final bill.” (Rep. Malinowski, @Malinwoski, Twitter, 3/21/2020)

“‘We’ll be introducing our own bill and hopefully it will be compatible,’ [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi [D-CA] said after leaving McConnell’s office. Pelosi pushed a ‘laundry list’ of demands at that meeting, according to a GOP official, including a proposal to wipe off $10,000 from anyone who owns federal student loans, as well as election-security funding.” (“Senate Fails To Advance Coronavirus Stimulus Package,” Politico, 3/22/2020)

• “Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Chris Coons (Del.) urged the leaders of the House and Senate on Friday to include election security funding in an upcoming coronavirus funding package.” (“Senators Urge Congress To Include Election Funds In Coronavirus Stimulus,” The Hill, 3/20/2020)

Meanwhile, States Democrats Represent Have Hospitals Under Strain, Shortages Of Medical Supplies, And Soaring Unemployment Claims

New York: ‘New York City Hospitals Are Already Straining Under The Onslaught Of Novel Coronavirus Cases,’ ‘They Will Not Be Able To Function If They Don’t Get An Infusion Of Money Right Away’

The New York Times: “Coronavirus in N.Y.C.: Region Is Now an Epicenter of Global Pandemic” (“Coronavirus in N.Y.C.: Region Is Now an Epicenter of Global Pandemic,” The New York Times, 3/22/2020)

• “Already, hospitals across the New York region are reporting a surge of coronavirus patients and a looming shortage of critical supplies like ventilators and masks.” (“Coronavirus in N.Y.C.: Region Is Now an Epicenter of Global Pandemic,” The New York Times, 3/22/2020)

The Wall Street Journal: “Coronavirus Cases Strain New York City Hospitals: ‘We’re Getting Pounded” (“Coronavirus Cases Strain New York City Hospitals: ‘We’re Getting Pounded,’” The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/2020)

• “New York City hospitals are already straining under the onslaught of novel coronavirus cases, even as state officials say the real peak of the outbreak is nearly a month and a half away. Doctors at the largest public hospital in New York say equipment shortages have resulted in them wearing the same masks for as long as a week. Emergency-room physicians at another hospital are having to reuse gowns. Some large hospitals already have exceeded the capacity of their intensive-care units.” (“Coronavirus Cases Strain New York City Hospitals: ‘We’re Getting Pounded,’” The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/2020)

• “Hospitals expect the problems to mount. Earlier this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreak is expected to peak in 45 days, and by then the state would need tens of thousands of more beds. … New York officials say the state could need as many as 110,000 hospital beds and 37,000 intensive-care beds for virus-related illnesses as they peak. The state currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 intensive-care beds, many of them occupied by people with other illnesses.” (“Coronavirus Cases Strain New York City Hospitals: ‘We’re Getting Pounded,’” The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/2020)

AP: “NYC says hospitals are 2 to 3 weeks from exhausting key supplies” (“NYC Says Hospitals Are 2 To 3 Weeks From Exhausting Key Supplies,” The Associated Press, 3/19/2020)

• “New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that the city’s hospitals were two to three weeks away from running out of essential medical supplies as coronavirus cases grew rapidly in the city and state Thursday.” (“NYC Says Hospitals Are 2 To 3 Weeks From Exhausting Key Supplies,” The Associated Press, 3/19/2020)

• MAYOR BILL de BLASIO (D-NY): “I think we’re about 10 days away now from seeing widespread shortages of really fundamental supplies — ventilators, surgical masks — the things that absolutely are necessary to keep a hospital running... They will not be able to function if they don’t get an infusion of money right away.” (New York Post, 3/22/2020)

“The governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania asked the federal government on Friday to provide the states $100 billion in block grants to help navigate the coronavirus pandemic, saying their financial situations are dire and can’t be overcome without aid.” (“New York Region Governors Ask Feds For $100B In Federal Grants,” Politico, 3/20/2020)

Illinois: ‘Hospitals All Over The State Are In Jeopardy Of Potentially Running Out Of Critically Needed Protective Medical Supplies’

“With more COVID-19 cases confirmed every day, a coalition of Illinois hospitals is issuing an urgent plea for supplies, especially masks, for protection against the coronavirus. The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) is specifically asking organizations representing the construction industry, dentists, veterinarians and other groups to donate any extra supplies they may have.” (“Illinois Hospitals: We Need More Medical Supplies,” CBS2 Chicago, 3/19/2020)

• A.J. WILHELMI, Illinois Health and Hospital Association President and CEO: “Hospitals all over the state are in jeopardy of potentially running out of critically needed protective medical supplies… With continuing uncertainties about global and U.S. supplies of face masks, we urgently need to find alternative supplies, no matter where they are, so our hospitals can continue to provide life-saving care to current and future COVID-19 patients.” (“Illinois Hospitals: We Need More Medical Supplies,” CBS2 Chicago, 3/19/2020)

GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): “We need millions of masks and hundreds of thousands of gowns and gloves and the rest. And, unfortunately, we’re getting still just a fraction of that. So, we’re out on the open market competing for these items that we so badly need. And we’re succeeding in some ways, but we still need more. … We’re all competing against each other.” (CNN’s “State of the Union,” 3/22/2020)

Washington State: ‘Preparing A Bleak Triage Strategy To Determine Which Patients May Have To Be Denied Complete Medical Care In The Event That The Health System Becomes Overwhelmed’

“Medical leaders in Washington State, which has the highest number of coronavirus deaths in the country, have quietly begun preparing a bleak triage strategy to determine which patients may have to be denied complete medical care in the event that the health system becomes overwhelmed by the coronavirus in the coming weeks. Fearing a critical shortage of supplies, including the ventilators needed to help the most seriously ill patients breathe, state officials and hospital leaders held a conference call on Wednesday night to discuss the plans, according to several people involved in the talks. The triage document, still under consideration, will assess factors such as age, health and likelihood of survival in determining who will get access to full care and who will merely be provided comfort care, with the expectation that they will die.” (“‘Chilling’ Plans: Who Gets Care as Washington State Hospitals Fill Up?,” The New York Times, 3/20/2020)

“The novel coronavirus continues to spread through Washington, and more COVID-19 diagnoses are made each day. The state Department of Health announced 203 newly confirmed cases Sunday, bringing the state total to 1,996 cases, including 95 deaths. The bulk of cases remain in King County, which has seen 1,040 people fall ill and 75 die.” (“Coronavirus Daily News Updates, March 22: What To Know Today About COVID-19 In The Seattle Area, Washington State And The Nation,” The Seattle Times, 3/22/2020)

Michigan: Unemployment Claims Surge 2,100%

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): “The problem that we have right now is that we don’t have enough test kits…. We’ve got to have those masks…. [R]ight now, I’ve got to solve problems and I need the Federal Government to help me make sure that I’ve got what we need for our frontline providers, in particular, but also ventilators for people that are going suffer.” (ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” 3/22/2020)

“Last week, Michiganders filed 108,710 unemployment claims, a 2,100% surge from the 5,000 claims that the department normally anticipates, and far more than any period in recent history.” (“Michigan Jobless Claims Surge To 108,000 In A Week, Labor Director Asks For Patience,” Detroit Free Press, 3/22/2020)

California: Medical Supply Shortages In Los Angeles, The Bay Area, And The Central Valley

“Doctors and nurses in Bay Area hospitals are rationing and repeatedly reusing the most-protective masks, known as N-95s, sharing goggles and, in some cases, settling for less protective gear when dealing with patients being treated for coronavirus symptoms.” (“Bay Area Health Care Workers Dealing With Coronavirus Short Of Crucial Face Masks,” San Francisco Chronicle, 3/20/2020)

“Intensive care beds at Los Angeles County’s emergency-room hospitals are already at or near capacity, even as those facilities have doubled the number available for COVID-19 patients in recent days, according to newly released data obtained by The Times. Fewer than 200 ICU beds were available Wednesday, with most ICU beds occupied by non-coronavirus patients, according to the data which covers the roughly 70 public and private hospitals in Los Angeles County that receive emergency patients.” (“ICU Beds Already Near Capacity With Non-Coronavirus Patients At L.A. County Hospitals,” The Los Angeles Times, 3/20/2020)

“As California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned the coronavirus could infect up to half the state’s residents in the coming months, some hospitals in the central San Joaquin Valley already are concerned about running out of everything from beds, ventilators and masks to doctors and nurses. … Already some Valley hospitals are seeing supply shortages …” (“Central Valley Hospitals Are Facing A Shortage Of Safety Supplies As California Faces Coronavirus,” The Fresno Bee, 3/19/2020)

Connecticut: ‘The Largest Daily Increase In Infected Residents Yet’ On Sunday And 16,000 New Unemployment Claims On Friday

“[O]n Friday, the [Connecticut] state Department of Labor announced it received more than 72,000 unemployment claims since March 13, with 16,000 coming on March 20. The state said 2,500 claims is typical for a week.” (“Gov. Lamont Orders Non-Essential Businesses Closed; Urges Residents to Stay Home,” NBC Connecticut, 3/20/2020)

“Three more people have died from the coronavirus in Connecticut, including a second patient at a Stafford Springs nursing home, and there were more than 100 new positive tests Sunday, making it the largest daily increase in infected residents yet. There are now eight deaths in the state attributed to COVID-19 — all in the past week — and 327 residents who have tested positive. About 51 people are still hospitalized, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Sunday night.” (“Daily Updates: Three More Connecticut Residents Have Died From COVID-19, Bringing State’s Total To Eight,” The Hartford Courant, 3/22/2020)