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Short-term unity in his Democratic party. In the slightly longer term, together with the accelerated vaccine roll-out, potentially quite a few American souls.
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Joe Biden did it. The US president has kept his first big campaign promise: a $ 1,900 billion package through Capitol Hill sheds to counter the impact of the pandemic on the economy.
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That seems simple – the US president’s Democratic party controls the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate – but it wasn’t.
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Child benefits
Still there was enough food and drink in the 592-page American Rescue Act left to keep that left wing on board as well. The news site Politico notes that the Democrats are well hidden for $ 60 billion in tax increases squeezed into the package. The most important trophy is the effective introduction of child benefits. The tax authorities provide annually – potentially distributable in monthly installments – $ 3,600 credit for children under six and $ 3,000 for children under 17.
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The credit also applies to those who pay no or insufficient taxes. Columbia University figured that this measure can halve child poverty. In principle, the support is only valid for one year, but it is clear that the Democrats are introducing child benefit – and actually a universal basic income – will consider acquired.
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In addition, there will be $ 1,400 incentive checks for Americans earning less than $ 75,000 a year, an extension of unemployment benefits, breathing room for ailing hotels, restaurants and airlines, and $ 350 billion in aid for poor local governments.
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Bromine
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The American debt mountain has meanwhile risen to $ 27,944 billion, 130 percent of the gross domestic product in 2020 (see graph).
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The White House insisted that the stimulus is popular with Americans. In addition to an overwhelming majority of Democrats (94%), even a large minority (41%) of Republican voters are in favor, one says. any other business from the research firm Pew.
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Even the Republicans who voted against in block realize this. So tweeted Roger Wicker, a Republican Senator from Mississippi, is proud of the $ 28.6 billion support for restaurants, even though he voted against the stimulus. “Republicans are voting against while eagerly taking the money,” scorned Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader.
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The Republicans voted against the stimulus package, but eagerly accepted the money at the same time.
Nancy Pelosi
Chair of the House of Representatives
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For Biden, the stimulus, which he will probably sign on Friday, is a new boost. Earlier there was also the accelerated roll-out of the vaccination, for which the package is also investing several tens of billions. The president managed to get two arch-rivals, Johnson & Johnson and Merck, to work together. Result: by the end of May, there should be enough vaccines for all adult Americans.
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Carpet bombing
The important task remains to convince the 330 million Americans of the benefits of the stimulus. Biden remembers all too well that former President Barack Obama in 2009 failed to sell the post-Great Recession stimulus well to the American people, helping to lay the groundwork for the Republican advance in the 2010 midterm elections.
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Now there is one carpet bombardment. Starting with a prime-time speech by the president, followed by an intensive campaign on television and social media.
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It’s a matter of the American to make it clear to whom he owes the check for $ 1,400, the child benefits, the extended unemployment aid and the survival of his dearly loved neighborhood restaurant. Not Roger Wicker.
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