Kudos to the North Carolina Democratic Party for reminding voters about this:
The coronavirus pandemic is giving new life to some old comments from North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
The North Carolina Democratic Party is spotlighting Tillis' 2015 call to lift public health regulations requiring restaurant workers to wash their hands after bathroom breaks.
"I said I don't have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says 'we don't require our employees to wash their hands,'" Tillis told a moderator during a 2015 town hall at a Washington think tank during the first year of his term in the senate.
Meanwhile, Tillis’ opponent, Cal Cunningham (D. NC), has been active in alerting voters about what needs to be done about the coronavirus pandemic. Cunningham released an op-ed in the Charlotte Observer about how the pandemic is going to really hurt rural North Carolina:
We know Gov. Roy Cooper’s Task Force On Connecting North Carolina continues its work to expand internet access. Here’s how the federal government can help North Carolinians in rural and unserved communities without access to high-speed broadband.
First, service providers must act to make sure there are no service disruptions for those struggling to make monthly payments during this crisis, which will hit financially for many. I applaud Governor Cooper’s executive order mandating that water and electric providers not cut off service during this time, and at his strong urging, all internet service providers that serve our state should follow suit. It is promising that a number of major internet and phone carriers across the country are taking steps to keep families connected regardless of ability to pay, and I hope that will serve as an example to others.
Next, let’s quickly boost funding for existing federal grant programs, including those at the FCC and the Department of Agriculture, that help service providers build infrastructure to expand services, and counties and localities the ability to extend service to those who can’t afford it. To get high-speed broadband to the most people quickly, let’s be technology agnostic and use whatever tools will most quickly extend service to more families. This would help ensure more people can access telemedicine services or online learning resources for children in the home.
Finally, let’s use the next phase of investment to help the nation get back on its feet to meet the unmet infrastructure needs of our time, not just high-speed broadband but also bringing schools, roads and bridges up to date. Doing so would save and create well-paying jobs putting people to work on these needed projects.
Let’s replace that jackass, Tillis, with real leadership. Click here to donate and get involved with Cunningham’s campaign.