President Trump Threatens to Take Action on Stimulus Plan

Over the weekend, President Trump signed four executive orders after coronavirus stimulus talks in congress failed to gain any traction. One of the orders included a memorandum that will provide as much as $400 in enhanced unemployment benefits to citizens. The other three actions signed included a memorandum on a payroll tax holiday for Americans earning less than $100,000 a year, a memorandum on deferring student loan payments through December 31st, and an executive order on “assistance to renters and homeowners” who have failed to make their monthly payments as a result of the pandemic. However, there are stipulations to the memorandums. For the unemployment benefits, states must pay 25% of the tab for each resident. Many states say they do not have the money to do so after depleting most of their financial resources over the last few months. There are also concerns the orders aren’t constitutional. Furthermore, the president has been criticized for leaving out important benefits such as assistance to schools, food banks, and impending evictions.