On Wednesday, Congress reached an agreement on a $2 trillion stimulus deal to relieve businesses and individuals affected financially by the coronavirus outbreak, and as usual, certain people are mad at all the wrong things.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, loyal Trump supporter and all-around loud and wrong white man, took to Twitter after the deal was finalized to express his concerns regarding the details of the stimulus package. So what’s Gaetz’s problem? Is it the probability that people in need won’t be getting a check until May at the earliest? Nah. Maybe it’s the fact that businesses will get the lion’s share of the stimulus money as opposed to families and individuals? Nope again.
It turns out that what’s got Gaetz’s tighty-whities in a bunch (I’m pretty sure those are still the official conservative white man undergarment) is that a nice little chunk of that money is going to an HBCU.
“$13,000,000 in taxpayer funds could be going to families across the nation struggling to put food on the table in the midst of COVID-19,” Gaetz tweeted like a hater. “Instead, it’s going to Howard University.”
A few people, such as comedian Steve Hofstetter and reporter Gillian Brockell rightfully pointed out that Howard University has a hospital that happens to be a COVID-19 treatment facility.
“Howard University’s hospital is a COVID-19 treatment facility. Either you know that and are pretending you do not, or you somehow inexplicably do not know that. Despite it being within walking distance from your office,” tweeted Hofstetter.
But it was probably former Democratic candidate, Howard alum and current California Sen. Kamala Harris who hit Gaetz with the most thorough breakdown of all the ways he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.
“The bill provides $30 billion to protect students and help schools, colleges and universities combat the coronavirus. This is $13 million,” Harris tweeted. “$13 million = .04% of $30 billion. Why do you take issue with cash going to Howard, Congressman?”
Harris and others who chimed in are absolutely right and Gaetz’s shit-tweet was ridiculous. But the real question is, why single out Howard U? After all, the $30 billion that Harris mentioned is going to be given out to colleges and universities across the country. Why is Gaetz singling out this one historically black university?
This isn’t the first time he’s done this either. In 2015, Gaetz singled out two black senators, Arthenia Joyner and Dwight Bullard, over an emergency lawsuit challenging the House for ending a session early that was filed by a total of 13 senators.
“This lawsuit reads like it was researched and drafted by Sen Joyner ... and spell checked by Sen Bullard,” Gaetz wrote.
You know, I’m starting to think this guy is just racist.
Howard University eventually chimed in with some facts of its own.