Are you FOR or AGAINST the following one-time relief/stimulus payments, and why?

PACKAGE 1; First round of stimulus checks.....Individuals received up to $1,200, married couples got up to $2,400, and $500 were added for every child under 17......Cost; $290 billion.

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PACKAGE 2; Individuals will receive up to $600, married couples will get up to $1,200, and $600 will be added for every child.......Cost; $160 billion

PACKAGE 3; Individuals will receive up to $1,200, married couples will get up to $2,400 and $600 will be added for every child.......Cost; $300 billion

PACKAGE 4; Individuals will receive up to $2,000, married couples will get up to $4,000 and $600 will be added for every child......Cost; $502 billion

PACKAGE 5; Individuals will receive up to $2,000, married couples will get up to $4,000 and $2,000 will be added for every child.......Cost; $580 billion

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/23/tru...ulus-checks-could-delay-direct-payments-.html

https://www.cnet.com/personal-finan...rats-still-want-a-2000-second-check-now-what/

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ME FIRST......

Apparently, one reason why a lot of people want to raise the $600 stimulus checks is because a large number of recipients are late in their rents/morgage payments, and other bills. In addition, most Americans set, then exceed their holiday budgets, thus, it would certainly help.

Rationale; Were the first round recipients (Package 1), also late in their rents/mortgage payments, and other bills? According to the IRS, by early May, 152 million checks were sent out, thus, I'm assuming most checks were sent out in April, and for many ''Just in time'' according to the following Unemployment figures;

Feb 2020; 5.78 M
Mar 2020; 7.41 M
Apr 2020; 23.1 M

However, since April, the number of unemployed have been reduced to 10.7 Million.

FOR; Package 2, max Package 3

AGAINST; Package 4 and 5

 

I think package 5 would have the double benefit of helping the economy recover from the current recession as well as helping people to pay off their debts. So I wouldn't oppose it too offhandedly. But I would prefer one in which unemployment benefits are extended.

 

As of December 3 there were 20.2 MILLION Americans still receiving some form of unemployment compensation checks. About TWICE THE NUMBER OF YOUR 10.7 Million unemployed ????

 

In addtion to the above, I don't support the following slogan;

''STOP the billions of dollars in pork, and increase the size of the check''

Well, the cost differential between Package 2 and 4 ($600 to $2,000/$600 per child), equates to $340 billion, thus, there's no way the stuffed pork amounts to $340 billion. If we were to assume max $100 billion, then it would barely offset the cost of Package 1, thus, $1,200/$2,400/$500 per child.

In addition, I'm a fiscal conservative, thus, stop the pork/wasteful, and then, reduce the deficit.

And for anyone's info, the amount of Discretionary Spending Trump requested in his FY2021 budget; $1.485 trillion. Source; https://www.thebalance.com/current-us-discretionary-federal-budget-and-spending-3306308

 

True, and from several unemployment relief programs.

 

The real question is will 600 or even 2K after taxes are taken out/paid later make a real difference in anyone lives?
If so the real problem we face is low wages.
What we really need to do is raise wages in this country to a level where 600 bucks isn't a 'windfall'.

 

I was against all of them. I preferred an enhanced unemployment benefit system where people who lost jobs and work due to covid would received higher benefits than normal up to but not exceeding what they normally earn.

 

I don't support any of this corruption. Federal government has no business paying money to the public unless it is paying for products or services or unless it is refund tax payments. The fact that we borrow money to do it is beyond the pale. Sorry. I think it is plain wrong.

 

Yes and No

In reference to Bush's $160 billion stimulus checks.....

A December 2009 study found that only about one-third of the tax rebate was spent, providing only a modest amount of stimulus.

Murray, Sara (16 December 2009). "Most 2008 Stimulus Checks Were Saved, Not Spent".

Stimulus means; Spend it!
Relief means; Pay your bills
No Stimulus/Relief means; Contribute to an IRA

Thus, if a majority of recipients have past due bills/maximized their credit cards/limits, thus, more a relief than a stimulus.

 

PACKAGE # 6

ty

 

Neoliberalism sucks (or rather, economic Darwinism) , it really does. Well, I regret to inform you that the majority of the population disagree with you on this point, because the virus was no one's fault, and if the government is going to only allow essential workers to work, then it must support the on essential workers who lost their jobs for no fault of their own.

 

Well, on Dec 26th, Trump tweeted; $2000 + $2000 plus other family members. Not $600. Remember, it was China’s fault!

In other words, it was China's fault, thus, Congress should max the compensation!

Huuuummmmm, what about the financial crisis, whose fault?

2001 stock market crash? whose fault?

Savings and Loans Crisis, whose fault?

Early 80's record high inflation/Interest rates? whose fault?

California wildfires? whose fault?

Huricane Katrina? whose fault?

Trump's bankruptcies/UNPAID contractors/sub contractors and suppliers? whose fault?

 

For your info, in May 2009, we had 14.7 million unemployed

The Financial Crisis, followed by the great recesssion.....NOT THEIR FAULT!

I remember they had additional weeks of unemployment, however, did they receive an extra $300 a week?

Bush's stimulus checks; $300 for individuals, $600 for married couples, and $300 for each child.....in today's dollars; $364/$728, one time only.

Note: I wasn't here....I was working in Lybia, and my family members were lodged in Spain.

 

So far as we know China didn't create the virus either in a lab or by bad heath policies... Still, the spread of the virus into the rest of the world is laid at the feet of China and WHO, and their buddy buddy attitude.

 

Apparently, the figures don't add up:

1) difference between pack 2 and 3: $140 billion correspond to the "basic" $600 for individuals + $1200 for married couples; hence that leaves $ 20 billion for children;

2) if the "basic" becomes $2000 and $4000, respectively, the amount gets to $140 billion X 20/6 = $466.7 billion; add to it the $20 billion for the chidren, then pack 4 amounts to $486.7 billion;

3) in package 5, the basic remains $466.7 billion, but the children portion becomes $ 20 billion X 20/6 = $66.7 billion; the total amount for pack 5 is then $533.4 billion, not $580 billion.

Whatever the arithmetics, I believe people qualified for the stimulus should receive at least package 3 (equivalent to the first stimulus) and preferably pack 4, imho.

However, the difference between pack 3 and pack 4 is quite big; so a pack 6, being $1500 for individuals, $3000 for couples and $1000 for children would seem reasonnable (assuming this word can be used in such dire circumstances). That would amount to a total of $383.3 billion. (i.e. $350 billion for adults + $ 33.3 billion for the chidren). Can the US treasury afford that?

 

A great number of Trump's loyalists believe China should foot the bill

On Dec 26th, Trump tweeted; $2000 + $2000 plus other family members. Not $600. Remember, it was China’s fault.

"It was China's fault"

Well, in reference to the financial crisis; Whose Fault?

Canada?.......certainly not.

Our fault!.....Thus, should Uncle Sam compensate the Canucks?

 

Spending it, paying bills, investing it or saving it in the bank... they all stimulate the economy. So long as they go to middle class and lower class citizens.

 

I prefer none of them. Why would anyone not laid off or business not shut down get $1? Why should anyone working for government get a bonus since they are paid? Why should anyone on fixed income that lost nothing get free money?
How did #1 add up to $900 billion? The government has no money to give away to begin with.

 

$2,000 a month per person until the end of the pandemic. Take it out of the military industrial complex budget.

 

Fault isn't the issue. The issue is the appropriate role of government. That role should only be defending the country, dealing and treating with other countries, maintaining a stable currency and resolving interstate disputes. Everything else belongs in the states, the private sector or the trash can. It is easy to assign blame but not so easy to get Americans to reform their government.

 

The fact that the majority population disagrees with me helps explain why federal government has lost its way. Government has no business deciding who can work and who can continue to operate legal businesses. It is inexcusable and sad for me that people would accept it. I have never seen government act in such an authoritarian way in my 76 years of life.

 

But we know that won't happen. The top 1% gets its cut, the largest cut, before anyone else gets a nickel.

 

I'm strongly in favor of increased UE benefits for the duration. I've been so, from the start.

One time direct payments don't do much.

We will not likely qualify for this next check. That's fine with us; if we get it, we'll do what we did with the last; donate to food banks.

 

I have never seen such an authoritarian administration (in this country) like Trump's in my life either. But you elected him.... we didn't. So why are you complaining? Too late for second thoughts....

 

Because it is the precise group of people that will spend the money. When less than 10% of the country has 90% of the wealth a lot of people have little money to spend. And if the government wants me to spend money I need money to spend. I volunteer to spend money for the good of the country as long as I can. Just keep them checks a coming.