Zombie Rush the Stimulus Package...don't read it, just pass it!

There's not that much money in the entire world!

Oh, wait...

 

Well, of course it is harmful over the long haul. If it was helpful in both the short term and the long term, then it would just be a great idea all around and everyone would be in favor of it and we'd have enacted it years ago.

The whole idea of a stimulus package is that it trades short term gains for long term pains. You don't get something for nothing.

barfo

 

Well, that is the question. I'm not necessarily defending the stimulus package, but the theory goes that the government spends a bunch of money which employs people and pays vendors and they spend their pay and the money goes round and round and everyone feels more optimistic because there is money coming in so they stop saving and start buying houses and new cars and pretty soon it is morning in America again. Or something like that.

I'm pretty sure a stimulus package would help. Whether the current proposal would help enough is hard for me to say. If you have a big pothole to fill, putting one shovel of asphalt in might not make any difference. On the other hand, dumping a whole truckload of asphalt onto the road might not be a great idea either. And if you think the pothole is being created by a volcanic vent of an impending eruption, there's no point in throwing in asphalt as it will just be melted and spit back in your face.

barfo

 

What is actually ailing the country? Is it bad housing loans, or is it lack of consumer confidence? Or is it that american workers spend all day posting on internet forums instead of doing productive work?

barfo

 

You'd better get started then

barfo

 

The nature of this bailout bill is "emergency." Govt. is willing to go into hock in an emergency, which is fine.

Strip out all the non-emergency spending and focus this borrowed money on things that will have measurable effect within 6 months.

Tax cuts work for many, it cuts the amount withheld by employers for taxes. It eases employers' cash flow, too. That's not the only effective short-term program. Outright cash payments to individuals (who pay taxes or not) is fine by me, as people will spend on something which would help suppliers' revenues. Unemployment benefits help people who need it right now. Incentives to buy homes or stay in the ones people already own would be an effective tourniquet.

NO earmarks, please! It's not about politicians greasing palms of their supporters this time (business as usual).

Take all of congress' actual spending plans and put them in non-emergency bills. Debate them fully, try and spend no more than the govt. takes in via taxes and other revenues. Roll 'em all up into an omnibus spending bill and vote it up/down, I don't care.