Do the Work
The past year has been one of the most difficult for Ohioans in generations. A pandemic, an economic disaster, and a poisonous political debate that has served no one, are only the most obvious challenges we are facing today.
More than any moment since the Great Depression, Ohioans need help. While there are no shortages of examples of neighbors looking out for one another and family members lifting each other up, we still need more. We need Washington to do its part as well. It is far past time for action that is bold and that will carry us through this crisis.
As you read this, families across the state are sitting down at the kitchen table trying to figure out how they are going to pay next month’s rent or mortgage. How they are going to cover their co-pays or afford groceries. Even for those keeping their heads above water, we can all envision that conversation, what those families are saying, and the mood in the room. The rainy day many families planned for has turned into rainy months.
So, when I think of Ohioans who are struggling right now and in need of immediate and substantial economic relief, I understand their pain and anxiety.
But you know what words and phrases never come up at the kitchen table when a family is worried about paying their bills or trying to make ends meet?
Filibuster. Process. Reconciliation. Power sharing.
You know why they don’t come up? Because Ohioans are not in the mood for a civics lesson. They don’t care one bit about negotiated agreements and bi-partisan feel-good commitments when they are trying to scrape together funds to keep a roof over their heads. They don’t care about the power politics of organizing resolutions. They sent representatives to deliver results at a time when Americans are most desperately in need of meaningful relief. Ohioans pay their taxes, work hard, and now want to see some results of the fruits of their labor. Ohioans need relief and they need it now.
The election was three months ago. Where is the urgency? We did not find ourselves in this situation overnight. It is time to get something done.
If the status quo isn’t working for people, change it. If that means ending the filibuster, end it. The old ways and norms just aren’t working.
It is past time to rush the additional $1400 into the bank accounts of Ohio’s families. It is time to reward work with raised wages. It is time to support people who find themselves out of work through no fault of their own. It is time to rebuild this country from the ground up, ensuring that workers don’t just have a job; but a job with good wages, real benefits, and a chance at a comfortable retirement.
While I am a Democrat, my plea is to leaders of both parties. For Democrats in Washington who find themselves in control of both the executive and legislative branches for the first time in nearly a decade, what will you do with the responsibility Americans entrusted to you? And to the Republicans who had no problem working around the clock to give billions in tax breaks to corporations who didn’t need them, where is that urgency today when people in your districts are crying out for help?
Of course, I would prefer for our solutions to come from both parties. Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas. But in this moment, we’re not seeing the elected Republicans from Ohio, or elsewhere, showing the urgency and courage to do what is right for working families. I know that there are Republicans with courage and convictions who understand that immediate action is needed. (I know this because I married one). But in the end, it’s all about the result. It’s all about relief. If Ohioans wake up to finally see that they’ve gotten the government and the leadership they paid for, they won’t think twice about the filibuster or reconciliation or anything related to Washington, DC. Ohioans want help and they don’t care where it comes from.
If our elected officials care about working families in our state, they will stop at nothing to ensure Ohioans get the relief they need. If it was the well-being of their families at stake, Senators and Congressman would pull every string, cash in every chip, and grease every pole to make sure they got their piece of the pie.
It’s time they apply the same effort for struggling Ohioans. I know I would.
