Just Imagine if Congress Was in Our Shoes.
By: Lauren Elizabeth
Tags: Democrats, Republican Party, Economy, Government, Politics

Just Imagine if Congress Was in Our Shoes.

As covid rages, I can’t help wondering how they would react if they were facing the same circumstances as the millions of people they have failed. Lauren Elizabeth Follow Dec 20, 2020 · 3 min read

Photo by Darren Halstead on Unsplash

After months of quite literally holding the stability of tens of millions of lives hostage for political games and cruel loyalty to the donor class, it appears as though Congress has finally reached a deal on Covid-19 relief. Predictably, it comes nowhere near the size and scope necessary to help struggling people across the country as they attempt to get through these unprecedented times.

ABC’s Eyewitness News reports:

“…The COVID-19 legislation has been held up after months of dysfunction, posturing and bad faith. But talks turned serious last week as lawmakers on both sides finally faced the deadline of acting before leaving Washington for Christmas. The relief bill, lawmakers and aides say, would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefits and $600 direct stimulus payments to most Americans. It would provide a fresh round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.”

The idea that a measly $600 check after nearly ten months with no relief other than a one time check of $1200 is sufficient is not only a slap in the face to every single American who has lost their job through no fault of their own during this pandemic, but is also indicative of just how cruel and wildly out of touch our lawmakers are with how real people are currently being impacted by this crisis. As Congress is set to go on holiday break while their constituents still don’t know how they’re going to put food on the table let alone catch up on rent, I can’t help wondering how our lawmakers would feel if the shoe was on the other foot. How would they feel if they were in the same situation as the tens of millions of people they continue to fail?

My guess is they would be more apt to bring the American people much needed relief if they were finding themselves in the same circumstances. How would Senators Ron Johnson, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, or Speaker Pelosi feel if they were suddenly left jobless through no fault of their own in the middle of a pandemic? Would they act with more urgency if they were existing solely on credit card debt, depending on the kindness of friends and family for housing if they were even that lucky, and lost their health insurance on top of it like so many of their constituents? Would they be more inclined to care if they were sent a $600 dollar check after months of being unable to find work with back rent to pay, and having children to feed?

Frankly, it has never been more clear that Congress is dependent upon the notion that the American people have been conditioned over the past forty years to accept this sort of cruelty. They are revealing themselves to be mindful of the idea that if the growing levels of desperation are contained just enough, they might be able to avoid being held accountable — whether it be at the ballot box or in front of their homes — by the people they continue to neglect and fail. A relief bill this unacceptable is being floated because Congress is so far removed from the consequences of their actions that they have no ability to comprehend or care about how people are being directly impacted by their games.

Earlier in December, — with a link to the poll attached — Scott Santens tweeted:

“Polling of 1,080 likely voters shows that there’s no policy priority more popular than a 2nd stimulus check. Support is at 75% with 77% support from Ds and 72% support from Rs. More PPP = 52% Expanded UI = 50% State + local = 31% Liability shield = 23%”

If that alone isn’t indicative of how far Congress is removed from our realities, and how little representation the American people have in our Government, then I don’t know what is.