I’m only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand. – Unknown

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• Trump Blinks
• There I was…
• Newspapers
• One More Thing

TRUMP BLINKS:

The Associated Press (AP) reported that President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package Sunday evening, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan deal that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown.

The $900 billion coronavirus relief portion of the bill includes $600 stimulus checks, extends two federal unemployment programs, provides an additional $300 in weekly jobless benefits, and adds another round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses. (Yahoo News)

In his signing statement, Trump said the following:

I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill.
I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more.
On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200. Additionally, Congress has promised that Section 230, which so unfairly benefits Big Tech at the expense of the American people, will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed.
Likewise, the House and Senate have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election.
The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud.
Big Tech must not get protections of Section 230!
Voter Fraud must be fixed!
Much more money is coming. I will never give up my fight for the American people!

I doubt we see $2000 payments in the remaining days of Trump. Since he signed the bills, he has no leverage. If he would have made his demands a week earlier, he might have won, but not now. Trump blinked.

THERE I WAS…

A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling a little stiff and sore. I took a shower and went to bed. A few hours later, I could not get warm although the electric blanket was on high. I shivered throughout the night. The next morning my temp was 101.8. An hour later, it was the same.

As Redd Foxx used to say to his deceased wife on the old sitcom, “Sanford and Son” when he was feeling ill, “I’m coming Elizabeth,” I figured this was COVID-19 and I was a goner.

Questions ran through my mind, “How much bleach did Trump say to inject.” (Just joking)

I went to the local COVID testing drive-through facility in Great Falls for a free test. It took five minutes and two days later I was notified via text and phone call that I was negative for COVID-19. So was my wife.

I took acetaminophen every six hours and drank lots of water. In about 36 hours I was back to normal.

NEWSPAPERS:

It’s a tough time in the newspaper business, especially for the small-town papers. I know my local paper, the Great Falls Tribune, has seen a lot of layoffs and the coverage of the local news has been suffering. I still subscribe to the electronic version.

Here are some reasons I read the local paper:

• Obituaries – I want to see who died.
• Dear Abby – I have read her columns for years
• Local sports. Just local. Let the national sports websites handle the rest.
• List the sports that will be aired on local TV.
• Local meetings notices and information from those meetings.
• Local/regional news

Those items are mostly carried in the local paper.

People want to read about bad news. I think bad news sells.

• Newspapers should list all court records (arrests, fines, divorces, and bankruptcies). I don’t think my local paper carries this information much these days.
• Some people like crosswords, puzzles, and cartoons. I could do without.

Put these things behind your firewall and advertise that this is what you get with your subscription, and maybe it will help your paper grow!

Readers – any other ideas?

ONE MORE THING:

I was going to buy my wife a new car for Christmas, but I could not find a big bow to put on top of it, so I decided to just get her a gift card.

Psst, don’t tell her.

I’ve been screwed over by car salespeople a few times in my life, so buying a new or used car is right down there with a root canal or colonoscopy.

Over the holidays, I saw lots of car commercials telling me that I could get a discount like their employees do. Does anyone believe this marketing strategy? Did they jack up the price to include the discount? It may say “employee discount” but I have my doubts.

I will probably be buying a new or newer vehicle in 2021. I’m also supposed to be getting a colonoscopy. Neither event is very high on my list.

## WEAR A MASK ##