After US congressional leaders on Sunday announced that they had finally agreed on a new coronavirus relief bill, the decision immediately prompted a wave of reactions, and not all of those reacting were optimistic.
The bill, teased amid Democrats touting that they would "crush the virus and put the money in the pockets of the American people" and Republicans promising that "more help is on the way", caused outrage among netizens over what most consider to be a paltry direct payment sum to individuals, at a mere $600.
The amount of money is seen by many as "insulting" and "shameful", with many users suggesting that amount is "even worse than doing nothing".
In a hurricane of negative comments regarding the bill, netizens slammed both parties, Republican and Democrat, for the decision.
$600 won’t stimulate a damn thing.
— Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) December 21, 2020
After all this drama all they came up with was 600 measly dollars for average Americans but more fucking tax breaks for their donors. The GOP hates Americans. They only love the dollar. Do the right thing Georgia. Make Mitch McConnell irrelevant again.
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) December 21, 2020
Jared, Lara and company looted $617 million, while raising another $250 million. The Trumps got $867 million in 6 weeks, you get $600 for six months.
— Hoodlum 🇺🇸 (@NotHoodlum) December 21, 2020
BREAKING: Man with an estimated net worth of $34,137,534 thinks $600 is enough. https://t.co/izLcQg6me3
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) December 21, 2020
Hey @SpeakerPelosi, how much of that fancy ice cream will $600 buy me?
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) December 21, 2020
I don’t want $600 dollars...
— Mark Lutchman 🇺🇸 (@marklutchman) December 21, 2020
I want the country open again.
Who feels the same?
Lmao I’m sorry but acting like 1200 instead of 600 is a rallying cry is very funny. https://t.co/K42C0VteEC
— chris person, Game Freak (@Papapishu) December 21, 2020
Social media rage is mixed with bitter sarcasm.
$600 can’t even stimulate my mind.
— khadi (@KhadiDon) December 21, 2020
"Yes, we're racking up a trillion dollars of new debt, and no, you can't open up your business. Don't worry though, here's $600, peasants! Don't spend it all in one place!"
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) December 21, 2020
What a joke.
Kanye West got $5 million. You get $600.
— Rev. Rob Gill (@vote4robgill) December 21, 2020
🤬
$600 is not enough. $1,200 was not enough. We need $2,000 a month, and all monthly payments, like rent, canceled.
— DSA 🌹 (@DemSocialists) December 21, 2020
What can $600 buy you? A roundtrip ticket to Washington, D.C. and 250 cans of soup
— Alex Peter (@LolOverruled) December 21, 2020
Even the Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, expressed indignation over the $600 amount, slamming the sum while referring to "fiat money" - government-issued currency not backed by a commodity such as gold. One user responded to him, suggesting that "other countries are sending thousands of dollars per month to their citizens".
$600… That’s it.
— Bryan William Jones (@BWJones) December 21, 2020
Other countries are sending thousands of dollars per month to their citizens.
Dorsey's reaction, however, was not accepted warmly by everyone, with many recalling how much money the Twitter CEO has.
Jack Dorsey is worth $12+ billion.
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 21, 2020
If he really has a problem with the $600 he could give away the majority of his wealth and still live like a king.
Action > tweet. https://t.co/NYtppjZO78
The most recent coronavirus relief bill was announced earlier on Sunday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. It will now head to the Democratic-led House of Representatives and move on to the Republican-controlled Senate. If passed, the deal will have to be signed into law by US President Donald Trump.
