Don, Send That $5,000. Shit, Thank You. My Vote Ain't Changing.

You could send me $5,000, Don. Shit, you could send me $10,000. I'm gonna take that money, say thank you, and still vote exactly how I planned. That check ain't changing shit.

You've done a horrible job as president in my opinion, and no amount of money is going to make me forget that. I'm voting blue.

Now, don't get me wrong. Five thousand dollars is a lot of money. Especially right now, when plenty of Americans are struggling to keep up with groceries, housing, and everything else life throws at them. I'm not about to sit here and pretend that kind of money wouldn't help somebody.

But that's exactly why I find this whole thing interesting.

During the September 9 Republican midterm convention in Dallas, President Donald Trump promised a $5,000 payment to every adult American citizen if Republicans retained both the House and Senate in November. The White House calls it the “Trump Dividend,” describing it as a return of the country's economic success to ordinary Americans.

That's their argument, and people are free to evaluate it. But I have a different question.

Why is my financial relief being presented as something dependent on which political party wins an election?

If the country is doing as well as we're being told, why should the average American have to wait for a particular election outcome to benefit from that success?

And there's another problem. As of October 12, there still isn't an approved $5,000 payment program. Congress would have to authorize a payout of that size, and analysts estimate the proposal could cost more than a trillion dollars. That's not some tiny detail. We're talking about money that hasn't been authorized yet.

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And don't get me wrong: if the government sends out legitimate checks, I'm taking mine. Shit, thank you. Accepting financial help doesn't mean I owe anybody my vote.

Accepting help from your government doesn't mean you owe that government your political loyalty.

That's where I draw the line.

I judge a president by the decisions he makes while holding office, how those decisions affect ordinary people, and whether his administration demonstrates the kind of leadership I believe this country deserves.

By those standards, Trump hasn't earned my support.

And this isn't a standard that should only apply to Republicans. If a Democratic president made the same conditional promise, I'd have questions about that too. Government assistance shouldn't be treated like a reward for political loyalty.

I don't need to pretend $5,000 wouldn't make a difference in somebody's life to recognize that it doesn't erase my concerns about a presidency.

A check can pay a bill. It can help somebody catch up on rent. It might even give a family some breathing room.

But it can't rewrite the decisions an administration has already made.

So go ahead, Don. Send the five bands. Make it ten if you want. I'm not too proud to accept money that could help my family.

Shit, thank you. Still ain't changing my vote.6ix / 6ixtv

I'll take the check, pay some bills, and keep judging the president by his record. My personal choice is still to vote blue. The money and my ballot are two separate things.

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