Letter to the editor: Politicians use crisis to push agendas

“Never let a crisis go to waste”: As we remain under Gov. Tom Wolf’s yellow restrictions with no defined path even under green to return Pennsylvania to pre-covid-19 conditions, Wolf seems to have adopted this mantra from Obama’s former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

Before this pandemic, our country was nearing full employment and the economy was doing too well for Democrats to have a reasonable chance to retake the White House in November.

As unemployment and business failures soar, many of Wolf’s loyal supporters may get a thrill from his website’s “Plan for Pennsylvania,” which describes his three-phased response to covid-19: Relief, Reopening, Recovery. The Recovery phase is clearly Wolf’s crisis wish list, which he states must at a minimum include: 1) a minimum wage of $12; 2) expanded paid sick and family leave; 3) expanded child care; and 4) expanded student loan forgiveness. Please tell me how any of these items are required for a recovery to the pre-pandemic booming economy.

In my opinion, Wolf has been incredibly slow and arbitrary in allowing businesses to reopen safely, even well after the covid-19 curve has moved to steady decline. It’s time for him to stop holding Pennsylvanians hostage and let us get back to work. As we vote this year, especially in the November election, we need to remember the politicians in Harrisburg and Washington who have leveraged this crisis to push through unrelated progressive initiatives.

Larry Schultz

Murrysville