In yet another congressional failure to the American people, Congress passed a $900 billion dollar relief package in response to the virus pandemic. This means $600 of our own tax dollars will be coming back to us by way of a stimulus check.
Much controversy surrounds the idea of the American people receiving a check at all. Some people are waiting by the mailbox for it. Others don’t think it’s enough. Some very loud voices would rather America to open up for business, rejecting all notions that the economy should shut down over a virus.
Either way, a $600 check is a slap in the face considering how long Americans had to suffer under oppressive mandates, fines and even arrests for simply maintaining their livelihoods and trying to feed their families. Also questionable is how long it took for lawmakers to come to this paltry conclusion.
But that’s not all. The bill has more than American interests at heart. Included in the bill passed by Congress: $1 billion to the Smithsonian (Yes, that is billion with a B.), $26 million for the Kennedy Center, nearly $300 million to arts organizations, and hundreds of millions of dollars lining international pockets in countries like Sudan and Egypt. It even includes couples with one immigrant who doesn’t have a Green Card. What in the Common Core math is this and WHY?
With some basic multiplication, roughly 300 million Americans times $600 is $180 billion dollars. Some could say that payout is significantly higher than what these foreign nations received. But this only makes sense to someone who lacks understanding about the source of said funds. The key difference is that we Americans paid for ours through taxes, and will have to pay for their “stimulus” as well. (I’m not exactly sure how arts organizations are a priority in the midst of a pandemic, but I digress…)
If this is what it has come to and our lawmakers are deciding where our hard earned pennies should go, then we should decide how we want to earn said pennies. That means if Congress wants to see more of our pennies, they should make one final mandate — that America reopens for good. And if President Donald Trump does not veto this shame of a bill, the people will be discouraged from ever putting another dollar in the American collection plate.
What needs to happen?
- Americans should not accept this $600 or demand any more of these payouts. This is enough to pay just one bill for many of us and that should be deemed an insult if there ever were one.
- Trump should most certainly veto this plus request that Americans go back to work to boost our economy — because that’s how it works in the real world. Plus two vaccines exist and we should be preparing to reopen. Besides, what proof do we have that shopping at a crowded department store is better than a mom and pop restaurant? All of this reeks of unchecked control rather than controlling the spread.
- Congress needs a solid explanation to the American people why arts and international interests are involved. I’d like my explanation written with quill and ink and mailed to me via bald eagle because this is among the saddest and most expensive bills to ever make it to the Oval Office.
SOURCES:
$600 Second Stimulus Checks Still Aren’t Enough for Most Americans
Stimulus checks of $600 are coming — here’s who will get one – CBS News
Second stimulus update: Everything to know about the bipartisan $300 unemployment benefit plan | Fortune
