The House narrowly passed the Democrats’ massive $1.9 trillion COVID relief/stimulus bill, which will not survive the Senate entirely intact (the Parliamentarian has already ruled that a $15-an-hour minimum wage hike is major legislation that can’t be included in a budget reconciliation bill that only requires a simple majority vote.) But it’s likely that without a filibuster threat, the Senate will pass something quite similar, stuffed with non-COVID-related wish list items, bailouts to mismanaged blue states, giveaways to entrenched Democrat interest groups like teachers’ unions and Planned Parenthood, and pork, like a bridge for Chuck Schumer’s state and a subway for Nancy Pelosi’s district (will people hide from the virus in the tunnel?)

Not that it will do any good, but freshman Republican Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan calls the current bill “an institutional abomination” and he’s offered an alternative bill. It cuts out the non-COVID-related spending, increases aid to those who really need it (including $2400 to lower-paid Americans instead of $1400) and still costs $1 trillion less.

Rep. Meijer says he hopes that once the Senate kicks the bill back to the House, “my Democratic colleagues will refocus and direct money where it matters.” I fear he hopes that because he’s a freshman. I have a feeling that by stiffing working Americans who voted for Trump and funneling tax dollars to their donors and cronies, his Democratic colleagues think they’re already directing money where it matters.