Mitch McConnell is in big trouble when even reliable conservatives reject his plan to repeal a federal prevailing wage law (the Davis-Bacon Act) to pay for the Brent Spence Bridge replacement. The idea is even less appealing when you consider it will take 10 years to get the funds to build the bridge. It’s based on the same old failed Republican ideology of cutting taxes for the rich while slashing the wages of people who earn their income through their labor.
Following McConnell’s announcement he became irritated with journalists because they were skeptical.
Amanda Van Benschoten points to an even more serious problem – the fact that almost nobody in the reliably conservative region of Northern Kentucky supports McConnell’s plans to build a bridge by screwing construction workers over.
McConnell’s political problems don’t end with the fact that he has nothing to offer but the same failed philosophy that killing jobs and reducing wages benefits everyone. Alison Lundergan Grimes continues to make the case that Kentucky needs someone who recognizes that it certainly is their job to rebuild the Brent Spence Bridge, though certainly not with policies that kill jobs and create poverty. Specifically, she proposes closing tax loopholes for the rich and ending some corporate tax breaks to pay for the bridge that is the most important priority for the people of Kentucky. McConnell has lost credibility even among his formerly most ardent supporters, as is reflected by the fact that solidly conservative North Kentucky rejected his plan.
McConnell needs votes from Northern Kentucky, a reliably conservative region in federal races, come November. But almost nobody in the region embraced his plan, even those desperate for any solution that doesn’t involve tolls.
According to Van Benschoten, members of the business community had a similar reaction.
In short, McConnell has lost touch with the people of Kentucky and he lost their trust much the same way as Eric Cantor did. All the signs point to McConnell’s defeat, albeit by a stronger candidate with more credible and pragmatic ideas than the one who defeated Cantor.
Even if McConnell’s credibility and attitude were above reproach, the fact is this policy applies the same flawed ideological belief that wealth trickles down by giving the rich huge and unpaid for tax breaks while increasing the tax burden and lowering wages for everyone else. One doesn’t need a background in economics to understand that policies resulting in lost income for workers and eventually the government won’t benefit anyone. It does take expertise in economics to determine how devastating McConnell’s proposal would be in real dollars.
In Kentucky’s case, the projected decline of construction worker’s income is dramatic. Peter Philips, a University of Utah economist projected that the absence of the Davis- Bacon Act would result in a decline of construction wages between 3.2 and 6.5% in 2013. If there wasn’t a Davis-Bacon Act, Philips projects that Kentucky workers would have lost $75 million to $152 (in 2013) dollars. These sharp declines in workers’ incomes would mean a loss of $10 million to $20 million in tax revenues per year for Kentucky’s government. (Peter Philips, accessed 6/23/14) Obviously, these numbers contradict McConnell’s claim that everyone will benefit from his screw workers to build a bridge in 10 years plan.
The CBO’s analysis of McConnell’s bridge proposal confirmed what everyone in America knows – including Mitch McConnell even if he won’t admit it.
An argument against repealing the Davis-Bacon Act is that it prevents out-of-town firms from coming into a locality, competing with local contractors for federal work using lower-paid workers from other areas of the country, and then leaving the area upon completion of the work. Another argument against repealing the act is that doing so would lower the earnings of some construction workers. An additional argument against such a change is that it might jeopardize the quality of construction at federally funded or federally assisted projects. When possible, managers of some construction projects would reduce costs by paying a lower wage than what is permitted under the Davis-Bacon Act. As a result, they might attract workers who are less skilled and do lower-quality work.
Interestingly, McConnell used the CBO study to defend his screw the poor to build a bridge in 10 years proposal.
The people of Kentucky understand that McConnell sees his job as catering to corporate interests at the expense of the people he was hired to represent. Is it any wonder that Kentucky’s voters are turning to Alison Lundergan Grimes to help them build a bridge to a better future for everyone?
Image: All Voices
Former contributor.
Mitch must be using the old, I will just poke a stick in my eye strategy. Yep that’s it. Go Grimes Go!!!
Mitch McConnell is one sorry low down human being, who has taken advantage of a lot of weak minded people. Hey people is very simple, if you’re not a 1%er don’t vote for the 1%ers party.
No kidding they’re piss considering Kentucky is ranked 45th out of 50 states for poverty
Kentucky
Median household income: $41,724
Unemployment rate: 8.2 percent
Percent below poverty line: 19.4 percent
The final tell of this long campaign will be seeing Alison and Mitch side by side in a debate – he will look 100 yro while Alison will look fresh and new!
Adios, McTurtle.
No offense, but I’m waiting for the day when even ignorant repubs wake up.
It’s not Mitch’s age that is the problem. Don’t get hung up on age. It’s what Mitch stands for that is the problem.
Not living in Kentucky Iam not familiar
with the problems but it sounds like we have the same problems in North Carolina.
One of the leading contributors to these problems is the Koch”head”brothers and
Donald”bad head”Trump pour millions of dollars into Republican campaigns
Long ago, I concluded that what used to be the Republican party is now the Randroid party, Hell-bent on oppressing everyone they see as weak just to prove to themselves what Hulks they are.
Now don’t be too hard on Mitch. Remember — the pyramids were built with slave labor —- he knows — he was there!!
I don’t know what they think they are but we do know they are incompetent. This is just classic. Sorry if its off topic
Grassley’s Hunt For An Obama Insider Trading Scandal Backfires On GOP
Early last year, Wall Street traders somehow found out that the Obama administration planned to make a policy change to Medicare before the news was even announced.
The flurry of stock trades in major health care companies that followed has since caught the eye of federal law enforcement as well as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who has made investigating the matter one of his pet projects on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees. In his search, Grassley has gone as far as to cast suspicion on the Obama administration as the source of the leak.
Read More
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/grassley-medicare-leak-sutter
But at least they fed and housed the slaves. Mitch wants them to work and then go hungry.
Any state that is run by the American Taliban and you are somewhat confused go here http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed and you will have your answer on what is going on
This is just one more example of how out of touch McConnell and the rest of his Republican buddies really are. He actually seems surprised that no one likes his “screw the little people” plan.
Get ready, Mitch. Your retirement date is rapidly approaching!
Time for some turtle soup in November.
Mitch will be ok and living in Kentucky I’ll tell ya also that the polls with Grimes is way off, Mitch is not tied or trailing but by far is the top choice in our Coal State. For example, people I know that was 100% supporters of our Governor Beshear two years ago is regretful from being betrayed and manipulated by the actions of our current Government Administration. Anycase just thought I would share a common voice that is actually from Kentucky.
Your cousins who failed summer school does not make a majority. Then again who knows. Keep in the family if you catch my drift
You’re a really bad troll. Even people from Kentucky can speak English to SOME degree.
Sure….and Romney will win in a landslide
Mitch just wants to keep ya’ll ignorant – I rest my case
Mitch, you should have retired long ago. So, move along and leave!
I hate to say it,but we get the kind of government we deserve.Blindly voting for party instead of most qualified has both given us this mess as well a political party that has an overgrown sense of entitlement.
Hope the people wise up and throw the bum out. How dumb can you be to not want to try to better yourself? These are the people who crow and complain how lazy everyone else and then vote the most ignorant people in. Why not try someone who is sane and not wanting to destroy the middle class? Don’t keep following those who scare you,look where all their ideas have gotten you and others. Try someone new and fresh,not the same old,ancient ideas that hinder everyone’s progress. Stop listening to false preachers,shows and politicians. Mostly,grow up and realize that all on the right are the ones who are destroying everyone. They are like false Gods to the right. The more damage they do,the more you cheer them on. If you want to get to the Promised Land you are on the wrong road. Wake up from their spell.
So, the question is: why does Kentucky still keep voting this idiot in?