We Don’t All Need $2,000 Checks

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Oddly—or so you may think—I’m more OK with $2,000 checks for everyone than $1,000 checks for everyone. I still think this is a bad way of helping those in the most need and a bad way of stimulating the economy, but at least $2,000 is enough to make a difference for more than a couple of weeks.

So here’s a thought. I have no idea how to implement it, but maybe someone else does. There are lots of us who don’t need these checks. I certainly don’t, and I’d be happy to endorse mine over to some organization that will transfer the money to those who have lost their jobs or part of their income because of coronavirus restrictions. Details of how to do this are left as an exercise for the reader. But I want the recipients to get the cash, not some sort of in-kind charity. Just match up donors with donees with maybe a bit of vetting so donors feel comfortable they aren’t being ripped off.

In my case, a $2,000 check would get deposited straight into savings, where it would do no good for anyone. Who can help people like me do something better with it?

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And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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