More than a year later our country is still in the grips of the pandemic known as COVID-19.
Our lives have been disrupted and changed in a way that we will never forget.
After a year of social distancing, panic, worry, declining mental health, infighting, political hemming and hawing like our country has not seen in any of our lifetimes we, as a people, yearn for a return to normalcy, or at least a new and bearable equivalent.

Many immunological and infectious disease experts agree that in order for our country to achieve the Herd Immunity necessary for us to move on that 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated.
While people have been voluntarily seeking immunization in droves the projections make it look less and less likely that we will achieve the 80% mark that scientists feel we need in order to actually be safe.

Unfortunately, there are numerous roadblocks getting in the way of achieving this number.

In addition, our country and its citizens are reeling in economic hardship due to the problems created by this pandemic.

With Congress currently considering a fourth round of stimulus payments, which many Americans are in favor of, this is still a stop-gap measure towards healing our country overall.
It is, honestly, sticking to the analogy, nothing more than a mere band-aid.

Surely there has to be something else we can do to promote a unified attack on more than one front with citizens and our political leaders working together to finally and effectively move towards a more promising future for all of us.

With this in mind, I have a proposal.
First, and obviously the more controversial portion of the proposal, end discussions regarding a fourth stimulus payment.
Considering what is going on currently that is simply a temporary fix and does not address the larger issue.
Second, instead of a stimulus payment offer a $600 "Incentive Payment" to any individual residing in America that becomes fully immunized, as well as our citizens abroad.

This works on two fronts.
First and foremost it saves more than 50% of the money that would need to be spent on another stimulus (the "more than" being the unseen costs of trying to get the payments approved and distributed) and, secondly, offers even more substantial reason for individuals to become vaccinated.

This provides additional funding to individuals that desperately need help right now and becomes a literal investment in our future helping bring us that much closer to the 80% mark.

I also propose that this payment include retroactive payments for anyone that has already been immunized as a sign of equality, fairness, and acknowledgment of the actions of so many so far to ensure the well-being of our country as a whole.

I also firmly believe that, if successful, would eliminate any future needs for additional stimulus checks due to our being able to fully resume living our lives that much sooner than if we waited and hoped for everyone to come around on the idea of immunizations.

So, in closing, please support this initiative and share it so that others might also speak up and tell our leaders exactly how prepared we are to move forward.

Thank You.

Jim Bush
Troy, NY
jimnotjimmy@gmail.com