Letters to the Editor: If anyone deserves a coronavirus stimulus check, it’s California’s Latinos

To the editor: Whatever the outcome of the next COVID-19 relief package from Congress, Latinos in California have already borne the brunt of this crisis. More than 6,500 Latinos in the state have died from this virus, with about 300,000 more infected. (“No stimulus checks for Americans in slimmed-down GOP coronavirus relief package,” Sept. 8)

This pandemic has walloped this community economically as well. According to a recent poll by the Latino Community Foundation and Latino Decisions, nearly 40% of Latinos in the state have had to use savings or retirement money to pay for expenses.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and congressional Democrats acted months ago with robust legislation to help alleviate this crisis for the Latino community. Now it’s on Senate Republicans to prevent this crisis from becoming a full-on calamity for Latinos.

It’s simple: As a community disproportionately represented in the essential workforce, Latinos deserve a chance to have their crushing losses mitigated. Give us our stimulus checks.

Christian Arana, San Francisco

The writer is director of policy for the Latino Community Foundation.

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To the editor: This is so Republican — businesses get immunity, but their laid-off employees get peanuts. What I see is Democrats working to make things better for people, and Republicans disregarding people while they focus on their ex-employers.

Many of my friends are business owners, and I can tell you that they talk about how this pandemic isn’t having that big an impact on their lives. It’s not the same for their former employees.

Don’t tell me it’s the owners who are taking the biggest risks — their savings accounts and equity are protecting them from the pain that their less-fortunate employees feel.

Barry Davis, Agoura Hills