:edit: Jafro, I agree with the majority of what you posted, and it is BS that the president will get pinned for anything that happens, regardless of whether he had a hand in it.
Originally Posted by
Jafro
on corporations and special interest groups with the stroke of a pen.
But I do take issue with this statement. I just had a meeting with the mayor of Broomfield (a nearby city/county), and he was contacted over a month ago by the Obama administration (well, transition team at the time) to prepare a list of projects that are ready to go if funded. I can only assume similar contacts have been made across the country. I know Broomfield has a lot of "to-do list" projects, and builders and construction workers are the hardest hit group of people in this part of the state. I couldn't think of a more direct and positive effect on job creation than that. That said, congress will have the same opportunity to fuxor this up, just as they did the last one.
I also question whether sending a check to every American is an effective economic tool. We all got $600 last year, and it didn't do jack shit. Now that times are tight and the markets are uncertain, people would be more likely to save that check than spend or invest it. That provides no short-term boost to the economy at all. The idea of drastic tax cuts and hand outs also doesn't sit well with me at a time when we're spending more money (by a significant margin) than we ever have.
This bill doesn't sit right with me, and neither did the last. Either it'll work and we'll get out of the slump and spend the next decade or two paying off our credit card bill, or it wont work and I'll move to Mexico. Either way, not an ideal situation :hsd:
Holy political thread, batman
