POLITICS
The Checks Won’t Be Signed by a Narcissist
A small reminder of the big insanity of the last four years
You never quite know when you’re experiencing madness until that madness is over. It’s only when it’s done and it all gets quiet, when life settles down, that you finally get the chance to look around and say, “What the fuck was that all about?” Today was one of those moments, when it was announced that President Biden will not be signing the relief checks that will be sent out to millions of Americans as part of the American Rescue Plan. In any other universe but the one we’re living in, this would not be news.
But it is. Because it is a black-to-white contrast to the former guy. The toxic relationship metaphor continues to serve us well. Life under Donald Trump — living under his warped reign — was like being with an abusive boyfriend. When you’re in it, you just need to get through it. It’s only when it’s over, when you finally summon the courage to yell, “Pack your shit and go!” that you get to reap the reward of your bravery: the calm that follows the door slamming. And then the realization — bam! — of how truly insane it all was.
To be clear, no one actually signs the checks. But a year ago, amidst an international crisis of epic proportion, as tens-of-thousands of Americans…
