Recently, the DNC announced its first-ever “Build Back Better” bus tour, which makes it a great time to evaluate how the Democratic Party has done so far this year.
The facts point to one conclusion: Democrats are delivering for the people of Kentucky. Earlier this week, the first step in modernizing our infrastructure and repairing our roads and bridges passed the Democratic-led U.S. Senate. It will soon likely pass the Democratic-controlled U.S. House and land on President Joe Biden’s desk to become law.
Which is good timing, because it has been just over half a year since Democrats took control of the White House and Congress with promises to do what Republicans could not — deliver results.
Colmon Elridge
So, at our six-month check-in, the fact that Democrats just passed a crucial part of our Build Back Better plan and are starting on passing another plank of it, point to one conclusion: Democrats are delivering for the people of Kentucky.
On the federal level, President Joe Biden and Democrats are delivering results and building back better for the American people — without any help from the Republicans. And in Frankfort, Gov. Andy Beshear has positioned Kentucky for a full recovery post-pandemic while making the tough choices necessary to keep us safe.
In just a short period of time, President Biden, Chairman Yarmuth, and the Democrats in Congress quickly passed the American Rescue Plan, which delivered instant relief for Kentuckians this spring and, starting in July, a tax cut for middle-class families through the child tax credit.
By contrast, Kentucky Republicans in Congress have stood in the way of the action Americans need. Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Thomas Massie have spent nearly all of their time downplaying vaccines, undermining the need for them and purposely confusing Kentuckians. And when they aren’t spreading misinformation about COVID-19, they are worried about protecting the domestic terrorists who stormed our Capitol and tried to overthrow our democracy. Just shameful.
Congressman Comer is busy suggesting ideas he’s already voted against while making sure he’s on Fox News as much as possible. And every single Kentucky Republican voted against a tax cut for middle-class families, just a few years after Republicans quickly approved big tax breaks for the wealthy. Again, shameful.
Meanwhile, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, and under Gov. Beshear’s direction, new roads are being built all over Kentucky, schools are being updated, and more communities are receiving broadband and clean water upgrades. Madison County will see airport improvements, Oldham County will see road improvements near their schools and Shelby County is seeing upgrades to their wastewater facilities, just to name a few projects.
Gov. Beshear is announcing new jobs and investments all over the state. Kentucky’s year-to-date private-sector new-location and expansion figures include $2.6 billion in total planned investment and the creation of 5,500-plus full-time jobs across the coming years. Through July, Kentucky’s average incentivized hourly wage is $23.47 before benefits, a 6.2% increase over the previous year .
Just in the past few weeks, hundreds of jobs were announced for Whitley County, Henderson, Bowling Green, Covington and Louisville.
Kentuckians want good paying jobs in their communities, they want their roads fixed and their schools in good condition. In just 7 months, Democrats are delivering on all of those needs that Republicans did nothing about for the previous four years.
It’s a long time until our next elections in November 2022, but if the first half of this year is any indication, the “D” next to Democratic candidates on the ballot should be a reminder that Democrats deliver.
Colmon Elridge is chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
@Richard, did you have the same concerns when republicans overloaded the deficit with tax cuts for the rich in the previous administration? These policies actually help people rather than lining the pockets of those who rob from the poor and give to the rich.