It’s Almost March, Democrats. Where’s the Survival Check?
For once, it would be nice to see the government deliver something for the people.
After the coronavirus pandemic prompted a referendum on Donald Trump and the Republican party, the Democrats were able to secure the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, taking the White House as well. In the weeks leading up to the Georgia runoff Senate election that determined control of the Senate, Joe Biden and his fellow Democratic lawmakers promised that if they were to take the Senate, a $2000 check would be out the door to Americans “immediately”. Of course, it didn’t take long for lawmakers to renege on their promise, suddenly insisting that the $600 sent out by the Trump administration during his final weeks in office were a down payment, and that Americans would be getting a $1400 survival check quickly and efficiently.
For whatever reason, today it began to really sink in that it’s been nearly a year. It’s been nearly a year since the greatest public health and economic crisis the United States has faced in recent history turned the nation upside down, costing tens of millions of jobs — many of which are never coming back — and over 500,000 lives. Throughout that year, with countless Americans wondering how they’re going to put food on the table for their children let alone pay rent, surviving on credit card debt, and losing their employer-provided health insurance in the middle of a pandemic along with their jobs, the government decided two checks totaling $1800 would basically be sufficient. Now, as the situation grows more dire with each passing week, lawmakers in the richest nation on earth and ultimately the donors who fund them can’t seem to agree on how far to means test the next measly $1400 check.
It’s nearing March, with another month of rent coming due.
Where are our survival checks?
After a month of having a majority in the House and Senate, controlling the White House, and already voting to pass the covid relief bill through budget reconciliation guaranteeing they would not need a single Republican vote, why have Americans not gotten the relief they need? After weeks of promising swift relief and a $2000 check, where is the Democratic party? If they don’t have to worry about Republicans being in the way, how much “more time” does his administration need? Funny, isn’t it, that regardless of what political party holds power, relief for the people is consistently nickeled and dimed?
If Donald Trump had won re-election and left the public waiting this long for what is arguably less than the bare minimum in relief during these unprecedented times, would loyal Democratic voters be defending him? If the roles of the parties in the House and Senate were reversed, with Republicans enjoying the slim majorities that Democrats do, I highly doubt liberals would be reiterating that the GOP just needs some more time to work out the details.
Republicans might be known for ignoring the suffering of their constituents, but shouldn’t we be honest and acknowledge the fact that Democrats often have no problem exploiting that same suffering for their own political gain? The American people deserve better than to have Democrats spending months acting as though they hear and understand the pain of their constituents, only to wring their hands and collectively do nothing to alleviate it once they’ve been voted into power.
I’m not sure how much more clear Democrats could be in indicating that they are genuinely afraid of being popular. They are afraid of taking actions that might be — while tremendously necessary and desired among their base — against the wishes of the donors that fund them. Their complete and utter disregard for the sense of urgency in this moment, and ever-intensifying desperation among the masses only gets more insulting when we consider the fact that Democrats will have no problem in asking for our votes again in less than two years time.
Democrats promised relief, so where is it?
