The American Rescue Plan will be signed into law today by President Biden. Republicans only seem to be ok with unilateral governing when they are in the majority. They are whining and tantrum, embarrassing themselves with blatant hypocrisy and a refusal to consider working in a bipartisan manner with democrats and President Biden. When in the majority, Republicans regularly exclude any consideration of the Democrat’s agenda, but when Democrats are in the majority, they accept bipartisan consideration for their agenda. In the past, this level of hypocrisy would tank the career of an elected official. We can only hope in the future Americans will once again expect honesty, ethics, and fairness from members of Congress.
Despite the lack of Republican support for the Biden Rescue Plan, help and hope is on the way to individuals, families, states, cities, public health services, the hospitality and entertainment industry, and small businesses. A summary of the plan includes:
- Direct payments- $1,400 per individual making up to $75,000 and $1,400 per dependent child in the family
- Unemployment benefits– federal unemployment payment benefits will remain at $300 per week until Sept.6th
- Child tax credits- the yearly credit to be expanded to $3,000 pre-child between the ages of 6-17 and $3,600 for children under 6. The amounts will gradually be reduced based on increases in family income
- Paycheck protection program- $7.25 billion in loans to be distributed to small business (PPP loans) and non-profits
- Education- Provides $128 billion to state educational agencies, plus $39 billion to institutions of higher learning and $15 billion to the Child Care and Development Block Grant program
- Support to low-income families- Provides $4.5 billion for Low Income for Home Energy Assistance Programs, funding to boost the cash value of vouchers for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, infants, and children
- Public Health- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to receive $7.5 billion to distribute, administer, and track COVID-19 vaccines, $46 billion towards diagnosing and tracing coronavirus infections, $2 billion for buying and distributing testing supplies, and PPE
- Industry support- The Small Business Administration will receive $25 billion to help restaurants and other food and drinking establishments. $30 billion will go to the transportation sector covering ppe, payroll, and transit costs and $8 billion for airports, and #15 billion for airline workers.
- Rental assistance- $35 billion in emergency rental assistance, and $15 billion for emergency housing for the homeless, and victims of domestic abuse or human trafficking.
These provisions represent a vision of how the American Rescue Plan will reduce a percentage of the financial, physical, and emotional losses the American people have been suffering throughout 2020. The bill is wide-reaching and is evidence of Biden’s extensive knowledge about economic recovery, pandemics, leadership, and how to legislate to improve the lives of low-come Americans and children. Before Biden won the election, the Trump Administration’s approach to handling the pandemic was to deny it, minimize it, lie about it, marginalize the scientists, promote an anti-mask campaign, underfund tracing, testing, and ppe development, and suggesting bogus treatments for COVID-19 such as injecting bleach or drinking the Pillow Guy’s oleander petals.
Joe Biden is succeeding in making millions of people healthier, safer, and hopeful. An analysis of the bill shows Biden’s commitment to helping the working class. Also reflected in the legislation is his capacity for compassion and intelligent problem-solving. The president will continue to hope for bipartisanship gains, however, he is preparing to be creative in how to pass his legislation despite the Republican’s 100% commitment to obstructing his vision for America.
While the GOP fights to return Trump, the autocratic, anti-democratic former president (who is embroiled in civil lawsuits and criminal investigations for crimes against America) back into power, Biden and the Democratic party are fighting to end the COVID pandemic, protect voting rights, recover the economy, eliminate poverty, address climate change, and restore civility and bipartisanship into our government.
When Americans receive their stimulus checks, they will notice President Biden did not insist his name be placed on the checks, unlike the insecure, egomaniacal Donald J. Trump did. No question who is the better man, the better person, and the better President.
Available on Amazon books, “America Survived Trump” A Chronology of the Struggle, by Rebecca Sperber M.S.
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