Less than 2 weeks ago, I had excitement for the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I was excited for Reverend Warnock and Jon Ossoff to take their positions. But today, on the 1st of February, my feelings are not the same. I’m extremely worried about our country. We need bold action and I’m afraid we’re not going to get it.
To those who say “they’ve only been in office ‘X’ days” – please read this article and you’ll understand why I am standing by the people that are afraid of the future of the Democratic Party because the weaknesses of the Biden-Harris Administration and how his promise of bipartisanship could really hurt Americans when it comes to proper COVID relief.

We’re going to lose in the midterm elections. We’re going to lose by even more in 2024. You want to know why? Lack of bold action. On May 8th, 2020, Kamala Harris introduced the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act. This was designed to provide $2,000 every single month to Americans through the pandemic. She fought for monthly payments at this number – until the office of Vice President was in her sights. Help was still needed and yes, Vice President Harris spoke about Americans needing help after this, but it was never the push that it was back in May, or the next couple months following her announcement of the bill.

This tweet lives on – through what is now her @VP account – on Twitter. Warnock’s advertisement was a controversy of its own & Biden’s “bipartisanship” promise may lead to the second checks being less than $1400, already an unacceptably low amount, we have a lot to worry about. We cannot settle for less than Biden’s $1400 – while we fight for more – and we have to bring as much attention as possible to Kamala’s tweet (and the bill behind it) about $2000 monthly checks. The GOP would much rather pass one-time $1000 checks, while cutting the single-filer income cap at $50,000 – $25,000 less in comparison to the current income cap for this aid.

Where this gets worse, is COVID relief in the form of unemployment. The GOP wants to reduce Biden’s proposal for extending emergency federal unemployment benefits, currently $300 a week set to expire in mid-March. The Biden plan would increase those benefits to $400 weekly through September. The GOP plan keeps payments at $300 per week, extending them through June. You can see where the GOP plan is just not enough.

So, the problem at hand; will Biden’s bid for unity & bipartisanship end up with a horrible concession to a lesser package? If Biden compromises and settles for a lesser plan in the name of “bipartisanship” – he will have failed the American people. They have the power to pass Biden’s relief bill. Vice President Harris, remember, you said we need bold action, right? This is the Biden-Harris Administration. Do you both want to be known as the administration that promised real relief and then left Americans to starve and die? It’s sad too, if we concede to the GOP’s useless relief package, it’s because you don’t have the guts to use the powers that you have to push through proper relief. Without bold action, the midterm elections will be a nightmare for the Democratic Party. Oh, and 2024? If bold action isn’t passed now, it will be remembered, and by the 2024 election, we will have another Trump-like candidate – and our country cannot live through another 4 years of a Trump-like presidency.

I know I’ve said to #LeadWithLove, and I still expect love to flow between all of us, but I can’t sit back and let this happen when people need REAL relief. President Biden and Vice President Harris – I urge you to #LeadWithLove. I urge you to do everything in your power to pass monthly $2000 checks. Get the first COVID package out the door. People need the check, be it $1400 or $2000, get it out the door and into Americans’ hands. Make sure unemployment is boosted by the $400 in the Biden plan, not a cent less. Make sure it’s through the very end of September. This is all necessary. Do not compromise. We will find unity and bipartisanship in another way, but the rumored GOP plans will cost many more lives and we can’t do that. We’ve lost so many already, and sadly, we’re going to lose more before it’s over. But to make things right, support the people in need, protect high risk citizens, and finally put an end to this pandemic ravaging our country, we need bold action, not compromise.

I’m going to continue to hold you to this – bold action – and real relief. It is owed to the American people. We are the economy – and when we lose everything – there goes the entire American economy for good. I don’t want to see my country permanently collapse and I’m sure many other Americans feel the same. If we don’t pass real relief – we will collapse – and we won’t recover.

I do my best to keep a positive attitude and I always push for leading with love, compassion, empathy and honesty. I hope our leaders learn how to do the same – and I hope we get the relief we all desperately need. This is the hardest statement I’ve written in my entire campaign. As you all know, I fought hard for Andrew Yang to secure the Democratic nomination, and afterwards I stayed on board with the Democrats, so when Joe Biden was named the nominee, I knew we had the core mission of defeating Trump and restoring decency to America. I am forever grateful that we have accomplished one necessary thing – removing Trump from office – but I believe we can do more and better by all Americans, and it’s time to do so.

Continued wishes of peace, love, health and happiness,

Cory Legendre

CORY LEGENDRE FOR AMERICA
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