$5,000 DOGE Bonus: How This Payout Stands Apart from Previous Stimulus Money
- Author: Jenny Wolff
- Posted: 2025-10-14
There's quite a buzz around the idea of handing out $5,000 checks to 79 million American households, a plan initiated by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, dubbed the DOGE Dividend.
Critics fear this move could push up prices across the economy, much like the stimulus checks did during 2020 and 2021. However, James Fishback, the brainchild behind the DOGE Dividend and CEO of Azoria, assures this situation is unique.
Fishback's proposition is designed to boost the trust of American taxpayers by sending these hefty sums out. While some worry this could lead to higher inflation – a rise in prices due to too much money chasing too few goods – Fishback points out key differences between now and when inflation spiked after previous stimulus checks.
Back in 2021, the U.S. was dealing with supply chain snarls, worker shortages, and other economic disruptions, not to mention the Federal Reserve's monthly billion-dollar injections and near-zero interest rates.
According to Fishback in a Fox Business interview, today's economic landscape is miles apart from back then.
He further argues that the DOGE Dividend is inflation-proof. Fishback explains that most Americans targeted by this initiative are those who've dutifully paid their taxes and aren't indebted to the tax office. Survey data supports his theory, showing 70% of the potential recipients would likely use the money to pay down personal debts incurred during tough times under the Biden-Harris administration.
This debt repayment, Fishback argues, wouldn't fuel inflation but could actually ease it. In his view, paying off debt removes money from circulation, contrasting the inflationary pressure of spending on goods and services.
Fishback stands firm on his belief in the American people to use the DOGE Dividend wisely, reinforcing his stance that these one-off payments will not drive up the general price level of goods and services in the economy.
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