What one thing would you suggest? / myLot

United States

November 24, 2008 2:35pm CST

If the President-Elect were to call you up on the phone and ask for your advice, what one thing would you suggest to be included as part of the economic stimulus packaged he intends to implement once he takes office?

2 people like this

5 responses

jonesy123

@jonesy123 (3948)

• United States

24 Nov 08

Proper oversight is necessary. Don't just hand over the money. The oversight should make sure that the money is used as determined in the stimulus bill. It should also make sure that other wasteful spending is eliminated for a company, if it receives money. He also should give money to the states. They have trouble balancing the budget and a lot of them have now taken to cuts in essential areas or raising tax. If the money would be given to the states it should be ensured that the states indeed spend it on what it is supposed to be used for. I believe that if he doesn't give money to the states, there'll be greater problems down the road as the states right now are pretty much immobilized. Local governments have started to cut police force and other stuff. Prison personnel has been cut, prisoners are on some sort of early release programs and out long before their sentence has been served, schools have to fire teachers.... the problem just keeps escalating.

newtondak

@newtondak (3946)

• United States

24 Nov 08

I am wondering if giving money in the form of bailouts to big companies isn't the same "trickle-down" economy of which the Republicans have been accused. In Obama's campaign, he advocated that we need to put more of the wealth in the middle class (and undoubtedly with those living at or below poverty level) as a reason for his tax policies. Should this not be the same reasoning that is used for economic stimulus?

jonesy123

@jonesy123 (3948)

• United States

24 Nov 08

Well, the big three auto producers will get their bailout as long as they present a halfway representable plan as to how to make it out of their predicament with the bailout money. There are too many jobs at stake not just at those plants but at the suppliers and their suppliers and so on. And not to forget that the UAW greatly contributed to the campaign, lol. Gotta give something back;) Yes, it's using the trickle-down-effect, but the spin they will put on it, will make it look like money given to the middle class. Jobs have been saved, the companies can pay them their benefits they have fought so hard for. Instead upper management will get a cut in pay. What's a 100,000 less, if you make millions... and they have to fly first class commercial instead of private jet... some other luxuries gone... oh, those poor people.. see we took something away from the rich and gave to the poor, haha! As to the job creation that comes with the infrastructure projects, more money to the middle class. Never mind that big construction companies will put a lot in their pocket, too. We just don't mention that... Sorry, point is the spin you put on things. For most of Obama voters it was a this is a guy who'll put money in our pockets, give us a job, and stick it to the rich by taking something away from them. As long as he somehow proves he did that, they'll be happy. Doesn't matter that at the basis of all is still the same old trickle-down mechanism.

oneidmnster

@oneidmnster (1385)

• United States

25 Nov 08

Part of his plan is to create 2.5 million jobs.Yet,he also wants to give amnesty to illegals.He can't do both.The easiest way to create jobs is to enforce our immigration laws and punish any one that hires illegals.This includes private citizens that hire day workers. Stimulus checks didn't help the first time and they won't help if they do it again.

newtondak

@newtondak (3946)

• United States

25 Nov 08

The can also use the money they're currently paying for unemployment to pay the people they put to work. Most people don't want to work for the same pay that illegals will - but a low-paying job is better than no job at all! People fail to realize also that if our military reserves are brought home, there will be a lot more people vying for the jobs that are available.

irisheyes

@irisheyes (4370)

• United States

25 Nov 08

Before you do anything else, reinstate the Glass Steagall Act so that banking is separated and investment bankers are not allowed to carry accounts that are FDIC insured, the way it was originally set up in the 1930's. That way people will not put their money in the hands of the cowboys who invest in sub prime real estate and most American savings will be where it belongs in the hands of reliable, conservative retail banks. Those are also the banks that should be given government money to lend. They are more likely to make loans than to make mergers with the money.

eaforeman6

@eaforeman6 (8979)

• United States

24 Nov 08

I would suggest that he send larger stimulus checks out to all of us to really boost the economy. I think the last ones were too small to do the trick. It should be done now and right now. It would lift the retail sales and in turn perk up the economy.