In the wake of Congress’ passage of a bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill including direct payments of $600 to individuals, President Donald Trump expressed his belief that the sum was too small to meet the needs of the American people.
As it turns out, the American people agree — as the results of a recent poll found.
Bipartisan debate continues
The survey’s findings were released after GOP lawmakers shot down the president’s call for a $2,000 payment to each individual.
A clear majority of respondents — 62% — shared Trump’s view that $600 is not enough.
Results came from a Business Insider survey taken on Monday, the same day Congress passed a stimulus bill after months of failed negotiations. The deal, which came attached to a last-minute spending agreement to fund the government, includes a provision for $600 checks, or half the amount Americans received during a bill pass earlier in the year.
According to the poll, which surveyed 1,123 individuals, the median amount desired is at least $1,500. Nearly half believe the sum should be $2,000 per person or more. Of course, two in 10 respondents shared their belief that even $600 is too much.
Trump’s surprise announcement on the topic came on Tuesday evening when he demanded that Congress cut out wasteful spending in the proposal and raise the amount of relief to $2,000.
“Sending the bare minimum”
Threatening to veto the bill, the president called it a “disgrace” that did more to help out special interest groups than individual American citizens.
“Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries and lobbyists and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it,” he asserted.
Support for an amount higher than $600 per person crossed party lines. Nearly two-thirds of Trump supporters and a staggering 86% of Biden voters are urging for a larger sum.
Of course, his proclamation was swiftly criticized by the media and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, many of whom believe that the president is jeopardizing an agreement, albeit modest, on COVID-19 relief while threatening a government shutdown.
House Republicans largely shot down Trump’s proposal on Christmas Eve and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) voiced opposition in his chamber, saying: “The best way out of this is for the president to sign the bill. And I still hope that’s what he decides.”
The post Majority of Americans in both parties agree 0 relief checks are insufficient: Survey first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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