These past weeks the stimulus package created by the democratic party and approved by our democratic president went through the rigors of votes by the Senate and then back to congress for the final approval of the changes the Senate made. I listened to the congressmen and women make their cases as to whether this aid to the American citizens should be allowed. What I thought was an easy answer, "of course it should," turned out to be another lesson in by-partisan politics with a whole lot of rhetoric and fake claims by the opposition.

I am one of the lucky American's that has not had the financial burden thrust upon me during this pandemic. My job is easily done in the comfort of my home and I am also one of the few American's that can say at this time, that my immediate family is healthy and safe as well. However, unlike many of the republican politicians that espouse the notion that losing your job is not their problem, I know the economic, emotional, and ideological burden the pandemic has put on everyday Americans. Seems they want to blame the blue state governors that shuttered their states during the pandemic to keep everyone from dying.

Meanwhile, one congressman kept implying after each democratic congressperson spoke was antiquated and down-right disparaging. The notion that people on unemployment want to stay on unemployment. That somehow an additional length of time or the additional, $300.00 that is included to unemployed citizens in this package makes for a society of lazy people that want to stay home and reap this win-fall.

Seriously congressman, in the state of Florida the maximum amount a single person can receive on unemployment is $275.00 a week. Let's do the math, $275.00 divided by 40 hours a workweek is a whopping amount of $6.875 an hour. By the way, is below the national minimum wage of $7.00. I am almost sure that the maximum is not given out as a baseline amount, more like less than $200 a week for the average unemployed citizen if they were lucky enough to get through the rigors of the application process. Now, this additional $300 is going to help allow many to pay their rent because in the sunshine state the median rent for an apartment is between $1,000 to $1,297 and the national median is $1,097.

But that is not what made me most annoyed. The graphic that was displayed by the congressman itemizing the cost and insisting that it would cost every man, woman, and child in the United States $5,000+ to pay it back. It is absurd to think that for years to come the financial burden of this one bill has a $5,000 impact on a 2-year old. Leading the people hanging on every word this man said was gospel and when little Timmy turns eighteen, he will get a bill in the mail. Besides, why aren't the democrats able to do the same and show the citizens the exact amount that it will cost each one of us for the republican tax bill they passed? Because the economy is a moving target that changes with circumstances and environmental changes on a global stage.

The congressmen and women that shame citizens into thinking they are not allowed or worthy of this assistance should not be in office. It's a standard that should be made clear during the next election cycle. I do know that for many of us, once the doors open and life has some sense of normalcy the hard times blur. We might forget what was and wasn't said and done for our success. Therefore we must keep track of your local, state, and national politicians, know which one supported you through to the success and which one road the rhetoric and denial of our situation to the bitter end, and then vote to make sure they know we are paying attention.