Democratic legislators in Oregon passed a new bill this week that will issue stimulus payments to families who meet special circumstances. The bill, which easily passed both the House and Senate, will allow for a one-time $600 payment to low-income households with a family member who worked during the pandemic.
At a glance
- Oregon will give away stimulus checks of $600 to low-income workers
- To qualify, the workers had to have worked during the first year of the pandemic
- California earmarked so much new stimulus money in their state bills that they can’t give it all away
Oregon residents will not have to apply for the funds; eligible residents will simply receive a check or direct deposit (based on prior year’s taxes) later this year.
“Low-wage workers are a critical part of our economy and are also the most vulnerable to the rising costs of everyday necessities,” Sen. Kathleen Taylor, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor and Business, said in a statement.
“Cash payments make a huge difference in the lives of individuals and working families. They can help pay a utility bill, buy necessary medicine or essentials like diapers and groceries. Cash payments also ease stress, allowing families some support to manage the obstacles they face in their daily lives. House Bill 4157 is an opportunity to show support to our low-wage workers as they show up to do the jobs upon which our economy depends,” she continued.
The new bill will help combat inflation through stimulus
The bill’s chief sponsor, State Rep. Andrea Valderrama, said the bill will help families adjust to skyrocketing cost-of-living expenses and inflation.
“Right now many Oregonians, myself included, have been struggling to get by. The cost of living has skyrocketed,” Valderrama said in her own statement. “These payments can make a huge difference for low-income individuals and working families. They can help pay a utility bill, buy necessary medicine, or essentials like diapers and groceries.”
This line of reasoning is especially funny considering the one and only cause of these cost-of-living increases is irresponsible fiat currency printing and spending. So, in case you’re keeping score at home, Oregon’s government will address local pricing inflation by doing exactly what they did to create the problem: further inflating the market by handing out free money. Then they will pat each other on the back for a job well done.
“Rising costs disproportionately impact our lowest-wage workers. With this legislation, we’re reaching the working families and individuals whose hard work is essential and makes up the backbone of our economy,” State Rep. Rachel Prusak said.
Other Democratic-led states are getting in on the action, too
But Oregon’s circular logic is nothing new for politicians, nor is Oregon the only state giving away free money to try to combat the ill-effects of giving away too much free money.
In California, the final batch of the $1,100 Golden State Stimulus checks went out to eligible residents recently. Ironically enough, there is already talk of a new stimulus bill being approved in the coming months. Why? Because the state earmarked so much extra free money to combat inflation that there is now a massive surplus.
In a local media appearance, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that “we expect in the May revised language when I update the budget to have an additional rebate” to the taxpayers. And the merry-go-round continues to spin.
