For middle-class families hoping for a reasonable stimulus, there’s more bad news out of Washington D.C. After months of economic devastation and no financial support from the federal government, Congressional negotiators (Republicans and Democrats who might as well be Republicans) are closing in on a stimulus package that would deliver a measly $600 to citizens under a certain income threshold.
That’s half of what was included in the first (also woefully inadequate) round of payments. It somehow both adds insult to injury and is too little too late, a truth elucidated on Twitter in posts that reflected both the anger at the government’s failure to serve anything but elite interests and a caustic sense of humor about the hopelessness of America in 2020. Because sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.
Even AOC, one of the few legislators slamming the $600 amount as laughably inadequate, had to add a semi-joking answer to a poll she posted on Twitter.
Is $600 for a second COVID check enough?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 16, 2020
More typical was this tweet that used a photo of a particularly unimpressed Stephen A. Smith to create a stimulus check meme, pointing out the absurdity of expecting a $600 payment to cover nearly a year’s rent.
The landlord when you give em that $600 stimmy for your $7000 balance due from the past 9 months pic.twitter.com/rudbPHSRUE
— Yes its me (@NTFxGreg) December 16, 2020
Others used pizza—which certainly counts as currency when you’re a kid—to illustrate how insulting the 600 dollar stimulus check is to the millions of people whose lives have been ruined by the pandemic.
BREAKING: Congress has announced that the next round of stimulus will be a pizza party
— Dr. dumbass (@drunkenoprah) December 17, 2020
The $600 stimulus check pic.twitter.com/dbCZCZREIX
— joy kudia (@kudya_not) December 17, 2020
Even more jarring was this funny meme comparing the stimulus check to Chuck E Cheese’s tokens.
just got my stimulus in the mail pic.twitter.com/SE8cMmav9A
— em 🦋 (@uhhmmily) December 18, 2020
A Britney Spears meme was even blunter: $600 won’t help people keep their homes, and people who lose their homes during a pandemic are at risk of, well, dying.
$600 stimulus check inbound to help you pay 9 months of back rent #StimulusChecks pic.twitter.com/p6wcYqHRiJ
— Emil Sayad (@egeek84) December 17, 2020
She wasn’t the only pop star to make an appearance in the meme offensive.
what republicans think $600 looks like: pic.twitter.com/1KzUmYAPe1
— toe-knee (@toekneepraysick) December 17, 2020
We finally discovered what this pocket in our jeans is cut out for.
While stimulus check memes might not have any effect on the legislative process, they can make you feel a bit better if just for a moment. And like a $600 stimulus package check during a pandemic, it’s not enough, but it is something.
