FIGHTING COVID USING GOV'T SPENDING
How are we doing with the covid money our Congress approved in 2020 for bills intended to help us win the fight against the covid pandemic?
A pandemic is exactly the kind of thing that we need big government to help its citizens survive. If there was ever a time for Congress to pass big-budget bills in a bi-partisan manner, the covid crisis would be it - and YES, Congress did pass bills quickly and in a bi-partisan manner. That’s a good thing, of course.
This post is to frame the effort in the context of the amount of money invested and ask some questions about what we got for our money. I am all for big government if the amounts of money are sane and the application of that money out in the real world generates positive results.
Congress passed the bills in 2020 and most of the money was spent across 2020 and 2021 so January of 2022 is a good time to take a look at this.
It’s hard to picture how much money is involved here but I am going to try to make sense of this.
I’m so old that I still think that $1 million dollars is a lot of money. A large suitcase tightly packed with $100 bills can hold $1 million. That suitcase would totally change the lives for 95% of American families.
So, in this essay, $1 million dollars packed tightly into a suitcase will be shown in this essay like this: “X”
X = $1 million. So, 1000 X’s = $1 billion.
OH SHIT. Whoops!
I would have to type XXXXXXXXXX 100 more times to visualize $1 billion. As you will soon see, that’s impractical.
So, instead:
“X” = 1000 suitcases packed with $100 bills = $1 Billion
I think we can all agree that “X” equals a boatload of money now. If any of us had even just one X, we can be sure that Elizabeth Warren would be attacking us on Twitter every chance she got. LOL!
So, here we go.
On March 6, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. It cost us this much money:
XXXXXXXX
Two weeks later on March 18th, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. It cost us this much money:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Nine days after that second bill passed, on March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES act. It cost us this much money:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
That’s what we agreed to spend in the very first month after we realized that this covid thing was for real. That looks like enough X's to have a big impact. Good on us. Surely our nation would do much better in protecting its citizens from the harm of a pandemic than anybody else, right?
Congress caught its breath, then one month later - with both parties having an eye on election day coming in November - Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act on April 24, 2020. Knowing that us taxpayers would be voting later in the year, Congress generously committed this much of our money for this Act:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
2 months into the government’s response, the government now has flooded us good citizens with 2,916 “Xs” ($3 trillion) of our own money to save us from the pandemic.
After Biden won the election, but with Trump still in office on December 28, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. It cost us this much money:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
All totaled for bills passed in 2020, Congress allocated 3,836 “Xs” towards our fight against the pandemic. Call it $4 trillion but hey, who’s counting?
Most of that money actually got spent on our behalf in 2021. The things in the bills with expiration dates have expired. So, how are things looking as we enter 2022?
2022 ASSESSMENT
Here is a macro perspective:
As I write this on 1/10/22, hospitalizations for covid have spiked 80%. In the past week, the USA recorded 5 million new cases and 11,307 more deaths. Slice the data any way you want, that ain’t good - that ain’t what winning the fight against covid should look like after 22 months and $4 trillion in effort to beat it.
It’s worse than that.
New cases data is kind of a joke at this point. Florida, Iowa and Nebraska have not even reported new cases data since last Summer. They don’t collect it and they discourage testing in their states.
On the other hand, in New York City, for example, adults are testing themselves in their apartments so heavily that there are long lines in front of Walgreens and CVS to buy more tests. That’s a good thing but, if you test positive in your own home, are you really going to call the government so that they can update their statistics? No.
The truth is that we have no idea what the real total cases information actually is - it’s chaos and the numbers are probably double what we are counting - all of which makes watching the hospitalizations data all the more important. Hospitalization data is imperfect but that number is up 80% from one week ago. Even though Omicron is less deadly and 60% of the country has at least one vax shot, hospitalizations are once again pushing many hospitals to the breaking point. Once again, this is a bad time to get in a car accident in many parts of the country because the emergency rooms are swamped.
Total cases might not be the critical data point but I hate it when some folks, especially Republican governors, downplay the value of testing.
And that leads us to the micro perspective:
Because we suck at testing, we are paralyzed in terms of the question about letting our kids go back to school. Excellent testing systems would solve that problem. In America, we can’t agree about masks and vaccine mandates for schools so you would think we’d be really, really good at testing given that situation, but no.
When it comes to our schools, we are good at bickering but how good have we been at leveraging all the money Congress gave us.
Inside the $4 trillion of spending is $10 billion (XXXXXXXXXX) specifically allocated for testing in schools. Even at retail prices, that would be 1 BILLION tests that we purchased for our schools here in America.
From what I can tell, almost 0% of public school students were sent home with covid test kits for their Christmas break. On the TV news, everybody is arguing about whether or not the kids should be allowed to return to school in areas where covid is running rampant. Everybody is arguing but nobody has a clue about how many of the students might be sick. Jesus H Christ - why didn’t every kid get sent home with a test kit with instructions to test themselves on Monday morning before returning to school? - if you test positive, stay home for at least one week or longer if necessary until you test negative. Duh. That did not happen so where the hell did our XXXXXXXX go if not for something this obvious?
Separately, within the $4 trillion, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX was allocated to dramatically upgrade the HVAC systems in our schools. Air ventilation would be upgraded to be more like hospitals in our public schools making them much safer for teachers and students.
If anybody out there can tell me even one public school system in the country that has upgraded its HVAC system in this way, please let me know. If we did spend all of those months when schools were shut and the money allocated upgrading HVAC systems, why are the teacher’s unions still talking about their fears about the safety of our schools even though everybody above five years old can be vaccinated now?
I am not Libertarian, not even close. I think that Rand Paul is one of the most obnoxious Senators and the competition is fierce in that category. And yet I am dismayed at the value that we get from the money our big government spends. It’s truly insane and it should be criminal.
Of course, Congress should rally behind the fight against the pandemic but only in America can that mean spending $4 trillion and a big struggle to figure out what the money for things other than unemployment benefits and stimulus checks got us. The money delivered directly to citizens is a fair debate but in times of crisis, even Republicans approved it. It is the money that is supposed to produce tangible things and benefits that seems to disappear.
Vaccines are an obvious exception. When our government hands the money directly to corporations instead of trying to do it on its own, the money gets used in powerful ways. But, except in times of crisis, and except for things where government ineptness is so obvious, that’s rarely what we do with taxpayer dollars. (A nice example here is outer space projects, now that NASA just pays private companies to handle rockets and such, the USA is back in the lead when it comes to leveraging outer space.)
If you read this far, you are amazing, thank you. Happy New Year.
2022 might bring us another XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in more stimulus spending.
Good luck with that. Don’t spend it all in one place.