So we all have a new lifeline on the way, compliments of the federal government.

The Republicans would like praise and appreciation sent their way.

The Democrats are equally as adamant that only their votes counted toward securing the new stimulus funding.

Has anyone attached a new, snappy nickname to it yet? Is it simply the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) II Act? Or how about McConnell’s Millions, or Nancy’s New Deal?

Surely they will take credit for the vote that they cast to return some of our tax dollars to us. Maybe they will flip a coin to see if one of them can get their name on the signature line of the checks.

There will be plenty of opportunities for each selfish party to promote themselves as the good guys and to try to cash in on the whopping $600-per-person checks which will be restoring us to prosperity. That is, unless you are a landlord or real estate investor. They were just handed a second round of the shaft as people who haven’t paid their rent in nine months get another pass.

The masterminds that come up with these ideas again failed to recognize that the owners need the same financial break as the renters. Why did they fail to recognize this? It’s really simple. For every owner who can vote, there are 10 renters who can vote — just when you thought elected officials aren’t being bought.

The employment and unemployment numbers were starting to come back into balance. But since no one in Washington pays any attention to what is happening back in their districts, unless there is a fundraiser in their name, they again overlooked the fact that the extra unemployment benefits are making it a better deal if the employee stays home and collects while the employer is still being ordered to provide health care benefits even without any evidence of the employee not being able to work.

We are not opposed to another stimulus package. We were helped by the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). But there were rules and we followed them to the absolute letter. If there were scandalous ways of cheating the system, we know of no businesses that even tried.

But the programs as outlined by the government for the people are ripe with opportunity to abuse the system, and none of that was corrected from the errors made with the CARES Act. They just threw the money out there and hoped it was successful, with no follow-up and very little scrutiny. Certainly there’s been no improvement.

Aren’t we supposed to learn from our mistakes, or is that only for children? This total is short of Trump’s Trillions, so maybe it will be more carefully administered. Are you buying that?

And remember, please wear your mask.

— RV