In a year that has brought much sorrow and suffering with seldom a dose of optimism, it is good to see it not only coming to an end but also with a glimmer of hope.

As 2020 comes to a close, we do see two major positives taking place.

The first and most important is the delivery of the vaccine which we hope and pray will bring an end to the spread of COVID-19 and eventually a cure.

The second is the passage of the federal funding of the new round of stimulus checks for people and for businesses. Some people have concerns about the long-term safety of the vaccine because of the somewhat-rushed nature of its development.

And likewise, there are many questions about short-term benefits vs. long-term repercussions that the unlimited printing of money could have on our economy.

Maybe the biggest question about the stimulus checks is why and how deep must the United States go in supporting the economy of other countries when we ourselves are in such bad shape.

While many are disappointed with “only” $600-per-person checks, there is a strong probability that the President-Elect Joe Biden administration will make an effort to impress everyone with an almost immediate follow-up round of checks and also an increase and extension of the bonus unemployment benefits.

That is a no-win situation as the people clamor for unemployment increases even though businesses can’t find enough help to keep production levels up to pre-COVID-19 levels.

It seems one person’s stimulus is another person’s crisis.

We first have to get past the Christmas and New Year’s holiday waves of COVID-19 attacks and the deaths that are coming with it. But then, unless we get some different twist of fate (such as a new strain of the virus), it will be full-speed ahead for the economy.

At least that is what we can hope for.

We don’t need a bunch of finger-pointing and blame sprinkled over the current conditions or the conditions on Jan. 21, 2021 (the day after the presidential inauguration). We have a window of opportunity, and we need to sprint through it and get momentum rather than getting bogged down with political nonsense that captures too much of the legislature’s time and attention. Put 2020 behind and go for the gold.

And do it wearing your mask, please.

— RV