Stimulus check update: A fourth payment would be critical for many, study says

Fox 8 News ^ | 10/15/2021 | Jeremy Tanner

[EBH]

(NEXSTAR) – As the U.S. confronts rising inflation, slower job gains and a crippled supply chain, a new study finds that the Americans most in need of a stimulus check at the beginning of the pandemic continue to suffer most.

The three rounds of stimulus checks spanning two presidencies were critical to lower earners, researchers with the Capital One Insights Center found, but didn’t go far enough.

The study started in spring of 2020, with the authors administering surveys to a nationally representative group of Americans every four to eight months to learn more about the virus’ impact, from how they used their stimulus checks to their view of the U.S. economic recovery.

The respondents fell into three annual income groups – less than $25,000, $25,000 – $100,000 and over $100,000. Lower earners were much more likely than other groups to have spent the final stimulus payment on bills, the study found.

Part of the reason for that, researchers said, was the lack of recovery for the nation’s poorest.

A lopsided recovery The study found that while job and income loss was devastating during the spring 2020 wave of COVID-19 in the U.S., how Americans faired in the year since varied greatly depending on several factors.

During that spring, 32%-36% reported income loss – a number that hasn’t changed much for the lower third of earners. For the other two groups, however, the study found that only half of respondents were still reporting income loss. Underemployment was also 12% more likely among Black and Hispanic/Latinx workers than white workers.

Economic insecurity was also a common theme among middle earners

[P.O.E.]

As of now, we're at "Tera"

So there's plenty of room to raise the debt ceiling.

[Oatka]

I recommend seeds and goats.

Desert community. Nothing grows but tumbleweeds and cacti. :-(

[Elsie]

Bad choice! ;^)

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Southwest Desert Native Americans

 

Most Desert Native Americans were farmers, even though they lived in the desert. They grew corn, beans, and squash. They also looked for wild food growing in nature. They would hunt and eat deer, antelope, mice, rabbits, coyotes, and mountain lions. They would also raise turkeys to eat.