There’s no chance we’ll get a 4th stimulus check in 2021 – here’s what you get instead

Rumors and speculation about a fourth stimulus check are all over the place. To be fair, some Democrats are keeping this pipe dream alive by signing an open letter calling on President Biden to open the national coffers yet again -- or, rather, more like fire up the money printing presses once more -- to distribute what would be a fourth round of direct, emergency payments since the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic early last year.

But make no mistake: It. Is. Not. Happening. This is a prediction, of course, because our government's actions have never been accused of following a straight line of logic for too long, no matter who's in power, and here's the basis upon which this prediction rests. By the way, you'll need to have a little patience with the nuance that we'll try to unspool, because we'd like to direct your attention to none other than ... the fact that a new round of stimulus checks is set to begin arriving in mailboxes and bank accounts less than a month from now.