McConnell’s position is not only hypocritical but unsound and politically dumb. State and local governments employ millions of people around the country. If McConnell wants to reopen the economy and stem unemployment, the last thing he should do would be to let states and cities founder and institute painful cuts.

Many Republicans find his position daft. That may include President Trump, who purportedly told New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) on Tuesday that he would support state and local funding in the next big funding bill. Republican Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio), whose home-state governor is also a Republican, objected:

As a political matter, the move is hugely damaging to Republicans — and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) knows it. You will notice that she no longer talks about state funding; she talks about money for our “heroes.” During an MSNBC interview on Wednesday, she explained that state and local funding means funding for “the health-care worker, the police and fire, the first responders, the emergency services people, the teachers in our schools, the transportation workers." She added, “Again, it is about the people. And these people are risking their lives to help save other lives and now they are losing their jobs.” She will be calling it the “Heroes Act.”

Pelosi confirmed that Trump seems to favor such spending as well. (”The President himself has even said, he has tweeted out . . . that he is ready to do state and local [funding], that he knows there has to be another bill and there are other measures that need to be addressed in that legislation. It is going to be a major package." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has also said the federal government will spend “whatever it takes” to recover from the coronavirus-induced recession.

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McConnell’s position, therefore, makes no practical or political sense. It’s the Herbert Hoover mentality all over again, as though fiscal tightening is the antidote to recession. It nevertheless is revealing of the ongoing contempt many Republicans (including many in the donor class) have for good governance and active, nimble government. The position is entirely out of step with popular opinion that wants government action now. Americans who are still employed are fearful of losing their jobs and, moreover, are deeply sympathetic toward lifesaving first responders and other local government workers right now.

McConnell, as he did in the bill the Senate passed Tuesday, has gotten into the habit of drawing lines in the sand (Only $250 billion for small business — nothing else!) only to be outmaneuvered by the House and the administration. He looks increasingly feckless and out of step even with his own party. Kentucky voters have an opportunity in November to make a change and elect someone who might actually fight for their state rather than suggesting bankruptcy, further layoffs and a kick in the shins to first responders. They should take it.