 So, even though it feels relatively normal at this time with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic, cases are increasing across the country, but it's projected to get a lot worse come fall. As CNN reports, coronavirus wave this fall and winter could potentially infect 100 million people White House warrants, 100 million people. That's basically one in three Americans give or take. That's horrifying. So obviously we have to do everything to prepare for this. We don't necessarily know if this projection will bear out. I hope that this isn't actually something that comes to fruition, but it's a possibility. Public health experts are warning us that the time to take action is right now to prepare so that way we're not ambushed by another wave. So what is Congress doing to prepare? Well, nothing. Instead, they've chosen to pass welfare for large multi-billion dollar corporations. That's what they're doing instead of passing much-needed COVID-19 relief. As Jake Johnson of Common Dreams explains, on a bipartisan basis, Congress is moving ahead with legislation packed with tens of billions of dollars in subsidies for profitable U.S. tech corporations while a smaller but desperately needed coronavirus aid measure languishes, potentially compromising the Biden administration's ability to purchase next-generation vaccines and hampering the global pandemic fight. Last week, the Senate voted on a range of non-binding motions related to the United States' Innovation and Competition Act, which has been billed as an effort to boost U.S. manufacturing and technological development to compete with China. Different versions of the bill have passed the House and Senate, and the two chambers are currently working to reconcile the bills and iron out specific policy disputes in a conference committee. Where most congressional lawmakers appear to have found common ground, though, is in the realm of corporate subsidies. In its current form, the U.S. ICA contains roughly $52 billion in subsidies for the nation's microchip industry, money that would flow to companies such as Intel. So $52 billion going to these companies that are already massively, massively profitable. Now how much is the Biden administration requesting an aid? Just $22 billion. That's it. It's less than half the cost of Twitter. But they won't do that. But they'll give $52 billion without question to these large, multi-billion-dollar companies. That's where their priorities lie. They'd rather deliver for their donors than actually help the people who elected them. Now Bernie Sanders, bless his heart, has tried to make this less bad. So he tried to put a condition on this corporate welfare and say, let's just not give it to anyone who's a union buster. Any company who has violated labor laws, let's not give them this corporate subsidy. And members of both parties in the Senate overwhelmingly voted that down. Overwhelmingly. So Bernie Sanders also tried to just take out $10 billion that specifically would go to Jeff Bezos for his dick rocket company. And guess what? They voted that down too. This is the second richest man on the planet. And Congress is giving him $10 billion for no reason. Bernie Sanders says, let's not put that in there because it's kind of ridiculous. And they say, no, Congress, they know how to get stuff done. We often hear that Congress, you know, they just, they're gridlocked. They can't act. There's too much hyperpolarization, but make no mistake about it. They know how to get things done. It's just they don't know how to deliver for you. And they exclusively work at the behest of their corporate donors. Now what happens if they actually don't deliver and they don't approve this $22 billion worth of COVID relief? Well, as CNBC reports, US will limit next generation COVID vaccines to high risk people this fall if Congress doesn't approve more funding. In other words, if there's a new variant and you need another booster or if Moderna's new vaccine, which targets Omicron gets authorized, you're not going to be able to get that unless you're at high risk. But I'm sure there's going to be more than enough doses for every single member of Congress. So we're all going to be left high and dry in the event. There is a severe COVID wave this fall and winter. And what are they doing? Nothing. But they're going to protect themselves. I promise you that. Because as El Ron Mexico tweets out, this country will put kindergartners into debt for eating lunch and drill teens on how to fight off school shooters. But if a senator sees sidewalk chalk or a judge hears protesters, the full force of the state rushes to coddle and protect them. And he's exactly correct. Now he's referring to the Senate rushing through a plan to give every single member of the Supreme Court and their family members a security detail this past quickly with unanimous consent. But when it comes to what we need, we don't get it. But when it comes to what corporations need, this happens. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that nearly every Senate Democrat voted with Republicans to restore a tax cut that benefits corporate America as part of the US ICA. Sanders was one of five senators who voted against the motion, which was sponsored by Senator Maggie Hassan. So if it benefits them and their donors, they can get it done. But if it benefits us, they can't do it. Now, if you're wondering who the other four senators were who voted against that, it was Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Cory Booker and Republican Senator Mike Lee, even my Senator, Jeff Merkley, who's usually progressive, voted for that corporate tax cut. So needless to say, I'm going to have some questions next time he holds a town hall. But this is the state of American politics. Anything that corporate America wants, they get like that. But when we want it, they tell us you can't have it. Sorry, we just don't have the votes. Vote harder for us next time. Vote in new people. It's just a nightmare situation and it's predictable. But at the same time, just having it be very predictable and expected doesn't make it feel any better. Imagine if this really does bear out and there are a hundred million COVID-19 cases from fall to winter and there's a new vaccine that we need, but we can't get it. Can you imagine how bad that's going to get? How many lives will needlessly end because Congress wouldn't act and pass a measly 22 billion in COVID relief? It's just it's it's gross. But this is what it's like to be an American. They help themselves and their donors while you get to suffer.