Beyond the political narratives replayed in the news media, here is the crux of the $2,000 check stalemate.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) blocked a vote on the checks, the second time he has objected to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D., N.Y.) requests to vote on the House bill. Instead, he introduced legislation that joins the increased checks with other demands from Mr. Trump that lack bipartisan backing:

eliminating Section 230 liability protections for social-media companies,

reviewing purported voter fraud in the 2020 election.

“Here’s the deal: The Senate is not going to split apart the three issues that President Trump linked together just because Democrats are afraid to address two of them,” he said.

The House bill would increase the $600 checks to $2,000 ($4,000 for joint tax filers) with another $2,000 for each dependent regardless of age. All told the House bill would provide benefits to a family of five making up to $350,000 a year.

[Trump's plan] would still provide benefits to a family of five earning up to $266,000 a year

Mr. McConnell hasn’t announced a plan to take up that legislation. Democrats have decried grouping the three provisions together, saying Mr. McConnell is using the contentious measures to cut off Democratic support for the bill and avoid holding a vote directly on the larger checks.

Mr. Schumer wants the Senate to pass the bill the House passed earlier this week with the $2,000 checks.

In the meantime, the $600 checks in the flawed bill already passed and signed by President Trump are going out. Something for suffering citizens anyway, but not enough by anyone's standard. Democrats, and some Republicans, want to spend more money on other projects and for other countries, than apply money to Americans. Most of the wasteful spending is in the other bill, but that just proves the point. Democrats think we have different checkbooks, not one. IF we spend money in different bills, then its okay. When the truth is, we can't afford to spend ANY more money, period!

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