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You are not being lied to!

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  • MichaelTheGamer
    2020-05-22 09:39:41 PM
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    Hey, there everyone.

    Okay, first: I am not being paid, I am not a Mediator or Admin for this site, and I am doing this because I know how rumors can so easily spread like a brush fire and it changes from the original just as easily and almost always into something worse. Individually, we are very smart and think for ourselves. But together all bunched into a mob, we behave like cattle and take my word for it, cattle (a bunch of cows) are infuriatingly stupid. So step away from the mob, think for yourself and remember that NOBODY is thinking at their best when they are not getting what they want. No check? Actually, you are in the vast majority of the US.

    Think: Of the more than 630 million Americans, only about 180 million have gotten their checks. If all of the adult population was equal to 1 dollar (which is 100%), the people who have their checks already only comes to 28 cents. That's barely over a quarter (25 per cent) and if 4 quarters is a dollar, there's still 75 cents to go (actually it is 72, because 28+72=100) but it is still a huge amount of people who are waiting, just like you. You are understandably upset. But ranting and raving is only going to upset you more, and upset other people who will do the same thing and what started as your opinion (just an example, but what if you say, "I'll bet they are choosing who they want to give the checks to and they probably won't give me the full amount and they probably will totally skip my 2 children and that's $1000 less than I should be getting!" Okay, you know you can't prove any part of that statement. Yes. You know that. It is just a fear that you are not going to 1. Get your fair share, but even scarier, is 2. provide for your children.) Perfectly valid fears. But, say that someone else is looking through all of these posts and reads bits and pieces, and only reads the last few words, '$1000 less than I should be getting.' and thinks that some people are only getting $200 which is $1000 less, technically. But you meant the extra $500 per child and so she is now way off base, and she goes on to Facebook, Twitter, and 2 Reddit feeds she follows. Think about how many people in just the space of 1 hour are going to read that some people are only getting $200 instead of $1200. And in the 2nd hour, half of the people who read the feed/tweet/etc go and tell even just 1 person...each. Now, try going back, having realized that some person misread and so misunderstood what you had said. Once a rumor gets going, it becomes like a stampede. And you didn't even do anything wrong.

  • J.K.Logic
    2020-05-24 03:05:13 PM
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    Thanks @MichaelTheGamer.

    I do agree with you that misinformation is dangerous and spreads far too quickly, especially when it comes to something like stimulus checks where someone was 'promised' money and now feels like they are getting jerked around about it.

    I should point out that while I do agree with your overall message here, your math is not quite accurate. There are only ~330 million US citizens and at this point there has been ~152 million stimulus checks issued. And not everyone in the US qualified for a stimulus. Anyone being claimed as a dependent over 16 years old didn't qualify, and nor did those that made over $99K as an individual, or $198K as a couple.

    So my point is, your message is right that we should avoid sharing misinformation and pointing fingers out of anger, and drawing conclusions with no proof of any kind. But as of now, we are definitely over the 50% mark of people getting their stimulus checks. So a technical majority has gotten paid already. Its unclear exactly what the number is, but it is over 50%.

    Still millions are waiting, and even worse, its those in the worst situations, with the least amount of money and/or options. Those on Social Security, SSI, SSDI, other disability programs and those that don't otherwise make enough for the IRS to have their banking information on file, as they normally don't have to file. Not to mention the likely few million that fell through the cracks with glitches or computer errors, where there checks got lost in the mail, sent back because a number was entered incorrectly or any number of reasons or issues that had their checks delayed unnecessarily for weeks or months.

    Those people do have a right to be upset. But I will say this to join in on your message here -- Trump or the IRS or any other faction or group of the govt in charge of getting you the stimulus is not delaying your payment out of spite or any other hateful reason. This is just what happens when you try to send money to 200+ million people in a way that has never been done on this scale or at this speed before. This just shows how unprepared the IRS was at tackling such a task, and hopefully they learn from this if and when a 2nd stimulus check is approved in the next month or two they will be much better prepared.

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