If you gave 12k to every one of the 260 million american citizens over the age of 17 (adults). It would only cost about 3 trillion dollars, about as much as the last stimulus bill actually. It's right around how much would have gone to each american if the last bill had just flat out done that and nothing else.
I'm pretty sure 12k across the board would do more then all the other crap that money was spent on last time, but I don't really think doing that is a good idea. It just makes more sense then doing other crap with it, at least if you want everyone to stay at home and get rid of the virus.
If you want everyone to go back to work it's a HORRID idea though lol.
To stimulate people gong back to work you should do something totally different.
Extend unemployment and the benefits but at a lesser ammount (+600 total per month, which means a total of $1000 on average per month for people on unemployment....total). Yes it's hard to live on that but it's possible.
Meanwhile give the full $1200 for anyone working jobs that make less than 50k a year (per month), for the next 6 months.
So all those grocery store workers, gas station attendants etc, will get bank for the next 6 months.
People will be rushing out to get those jobs, more so then in the past, because even at min wage they will be getting an EXTRA 1200$ a month for the next 6 months if they work them (more extra than if they were on unemployment).
If your average min wage is around $10/hr, that is almost double pay for the next 6 months, and would highly incentivize people to get back to work, which still costing significantly less than giving benefits to everyone.
Umm, no. I only make between $1200 - $1500/month. I don't want unemployed people making nearly as much as me.