Leonard C. Goodman is a Chicago criminal defense attorney and co-owner of the newly independent Reader.
Contrast these images with Washington’s response to the cries of its major donors when, in March, the COVID-19 pandemic forced American businesses to shut down and workers to shelter in place. The leaders of both political parties quickly joined together to save the investor class by unanimously passing the CARES Act, whose 880 pages—clearly written by highly paid corporate lobbyists—bailed out big business (i.e., big donors) to the tune of $4.5 trillion, including companies like Boeing that were already sick prior to the virus. Congress decided not to save the rest of the real economy. As a result, small businesses are particularly at risk, as FEMA estimates some 40 percent of them don’t reopen after a disaster, a devastating blow to our great cities. Some 40 million Americans have been disconnected from their jobs and their health care, and must stand in mile-long food lines to provide for their families.
According to Poll Watch in Sunday’s New York Times, “This November’s election could become only the second presidential contest in the history of modern polling in which both candidates are seen negatively by most voters.” You can probably guess the other election. It was four years ago when “both Mr. Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, were disliked by a majority of voters.”
