By Frank Spotorno
The great Billie Holiday, in her song God Bless The Child, sang “Empty Pockets Don’t Ever Make the Grade.”
Millions of Americans now have empty pockets because of COVID. They have lost their jobs at no fault of their own. They need a helping hand to get through the winter. The last relief many received was back in April.
$600 is not enough for any family struggling to put food on the table. Before our politicians in Washington start handing out our tax dollars to corporations and foreign governments, they need to help Americans first, and Americans who have lost their jobs first, like the waitresses, and hotel workers and airline workers.
Let’s give them more. Luckily, I’m still working and my business is barely afloat. But I have had to lay off some of my workers. Why can’t Washington get this right, and give $2,000 to those with no income.
More important, why didn’t they want to give more than $600? Are they that out of touch? President Donald Trump said give $2,000.
What if our Senators and Congressmembers lost their paychecks because of their own incompetence? If they can’t fix our problems, they don’t deserve to continue getting getting paid-period!
For those of you working from home, learning from home, and staying at home during this pandemic, consider yourself lucky. I’m still out working, taking the subway and trying to keep my business alive.
The reality is that businesses are closing. Americans are losing their jobs, their homes, their livelihoods, their well-being, families are breaking up, people are committing suicide, more and more Americans are going homeless and Congress’ answer is take your $600 and shut up! Shame on you!
Some Senators and the House of Representatives, understand and agree with President Trump.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said it best, “The Covid relief bill is an example of how distracted and tone deaf Congress is. It was not targeted to the people and small businesses who actually need it. Pork spending and random foreign aid has to stop. Americans deserve better and we are not getting it. #TermLimits”
And remember, Empty Pockets Don’t Make The Grade!
Frank Spotorno is the co-founder of YonkersTimes.com
