With a $1.9 trillion price tag, the COVID-19 aid bill passed by Congress this week has some lofty goals. It is providing huge amounts for COVID vaccines and testing, shoving money to cities and schools to help them recover from virus-related losses, extending the $300 weekly unemployment assistance to this August, and sending $1,400 stimulus checks to most Americans to boost their spending and jumpstart the economy.

At this cost, it had better work. There’s no doubt people are suffering, and need the economy to start providing more jobs, which would create more revenue for states and cities.

Republicans in Congress are sure that the job could have been done at a far lower price. But Democrats have the majority, and have their foot on the throttle.