Priming the Economy

I think we have to back this plan and get something going, I agree 100% with the theory that sometimes change requires that we compromise the way we look at ourselves. Too many people are being conservative about this matter and thinking only of themselves. We need to support this in a collective effort to better the lives and futures of our children.

The stimulus package appears to emphasize jobs & infrastructure rebuilding with environmental incentives. What I don't see is any direct aid for those who lost their homes in the past 2 years, & the 2 million more who will lose their homes in 2009. This is what triggered the credit crisis in the first place. Singling out these families for a large infusion of immediate cash will help the economy more, and faster, than any additional plan.

So Samuelson believes the key to our economic salvation is a strong export market. The current global economy is not set up for that. First, most the world's people survive on less than $ 2 a day. How can they buy anything that America wants to sell?
Our trade agreements need to be re-written to guarantee decent wages, health care, union representation to the rest of the world. In addition, current global economy is on a track to mass suicide. We need to de-carbonize the atmosphere, create environmentally friendly renewable energy, and recycle our resources. We also need to promote family planning.
In terms of creating exports, we first of all need to spend tax money to restore the Consumer watch dog agencies (manned by tough cops, not industry cronies.) We need to produce safe products and to ensure that Made in America is a warranty - not a warning. We need to invest in R & D for green technology., especially in the form of renewable energy. Apparently Samuelson did not read the article A Bug to save the Planet , interview with Craig Vetter conducted by Fahreed Zakaria. Vetter proposes breeding a special form of eColi bacteria to provide a clean burning replacement for fuel. Another possibility is using algae to produce clean burning fossil fuel. If you check out the blog The Future of engineering, you will find a large number of additional proposals.
America's economic future is green technology. This is a multi-trillion dollar industry which can produce millions of high quality jobs. Currently the carbon dioxide ratio is 385 parts per million. We need to get below 350 parts per million. At our current rate, the polar ice cap will completely disappear within 3 to 4 years. Has Samuelson calculated the implications of this catastrophe.
We desperately need to rethink our economy - and unfortunately Samuelson does not have the mental ability to do this.

Regarding the comments about the average taxpayer getting a bailout, just think about it this way: For decades, we have been consuming more government services than what we have been paying for in taxes, thereby increasing the national debt by leaps and bounds. Now government expenditures will be going up at an even faster rate. So the average taxpayer HAS been getting a bailout in the form of more government services, at the expense of future generations. Now he may say that he does not immediately benefit from those services, which is likely true, but it's nevertheless true that those additional government expenditures are temporarily cushioning the recession. But I don't believe that a problem caused by too much debt can be cured by taking on even more debt. The problem with our government???s use of Keynesian economics is that through good times and bad, government deficits have been high. Keynesian economics says that in good times, the government should be running a surplus. Concerning private debt and the idea that people who got themselves into trouble with home purchases should now have their mortgage balances reduced, that's folly. The lenders can and should lighten the credit terms (e.g., by stretching out payments), but don't asked the government (meaning the taxpayers) to subsidize stupidity and greed.

absolutely right.

What stimulus plan? I am a retired man on disability, we had our social security raise already, so what's for me from that stimulus plan. Maybe my state will get the money. What's my share? probably nothing. You all think Mr. Obama going to take care of the poor, or even the middle class? Answer is no. His aunt is still in government housing, and probably on welfare, beside been illegal. At least with president Bush we got a check. Another example the bail out for the big automakers. They got their money, one CEO bought himself I believe a 40 million dollars penthouse in New York, another company after recieving the bail out, lay off 30.000 workers. I though the money was for to keep workers at work. Mr. Obama will not be any different. Lots of people saw in him a messiah likeness, I saw that he is the first African-American to become president. And that's all. If he fails as president, the race card will come handy for him.

I am with you. If you want to boost the economy why not grease the palms of the AMERICAN people that are suffering. Giving to these big companies is only a momentary fix. It will not put every American on unemployment in a job. There will still only be 1 job for every 30 still leaving unemployment that will eventually run out and then what will happen. State aid can only go so far and states are running out of money because of the poor economy more and more are going to be homeless living on the streets hoping to find a bed in the shelters at night that were already over crowded before the recession. Bailing out big corporate america is only help on a small scale to the everyday worker and keeping the personal accounts of the big guys intact.

The last stimlus package was so out well thought out that the seniors that worked and paid taxes their whole life was EXEMPT from receiving a lousy $300.00 stimulus check, because they no longer pay taxes on retirement social security income, not to mention the diabled, and everyone else that were told they could not have $300.00 because they were no longer important. Washington needs to start thinking of MAIN STREET USA, the "Joe the Plumbers" of America that keep this country alive. I personally do not feel comfortable in my own home because the guy down the street is going to try to keep his family feed any way he can and if I have something or he thinks I have something his family needs he is going to get it anyway he can. Cities are cutting back on Police, Fire and emergency crews due to cut back, who is going to protect us from being violated.

I hope everyone at the Inaguaration Party, that is costing America TRILLIONS of dollars, has a great time for a one day event that was celebrated on election night. Just think how many families could be helped with that money. Oh that is right all the money spent at the hairdressers, the fashion boutigues, the tuxedo shops, limo's, local hotel s, airlines, and all the extra temp Presidential Security are reaping the benefits. Remember 3/4 of the party goers are big corporate america that have to have the big parties to show how important they are. While you are parting try to think of the little guys that are wondering where their next meal, pay check is coming from , will they have a roof over their head next month, will the electric be turned off next month.

WAKE UP AMERICAN STAND UP AND BE HEARD. ARE WE GOING TO LET WASHINGTON BUREACRATES LEAD US INTO THE BIGGEST DEPRESSION IN HISTORY!

They need to stop the bail out of the banks and mortgage companies so they are forced to help the individual homeowners. Right now they dont care if they get another foreclosure on their books because they will just get more money from the government bailout so they dont go bankrupt. The government needs to force the banks and mortgage companies to modify more loans for those that originally and properly qualified for a complete loan (ie: principal, interest and escrow) and for those who should have never qualified in the first place well they should be put in second place for the help because those are the people that even if helped set the percentage of chance of failing again higher. As long as the government offers the banks more money in bailout to save them from bankruptcy then they will not pass on the lower interest rates to the consumers that they now are receiving.

They need to stop the bail out of the banks and mortgage companies so they are forced to help the individual homeowners. Right now they dont care if they get another foreclosure on their books because they will just get more money from the government bailout so they dont go bankrupt. The government needs to force the banks and mortgage companies to modify more loans for those that originally and properly qualified for a complete loan (ie: principal, interest and escrow) and for those who should have never qualified in the first place well they should be put in second place for the help because those are the people that even if helped set the percentage of chance of failing again higher. As long as the government offers the banks more money in bailout to save them from bankruptcy then they will not pass on the lower interest rates to the consumers that they now are receiving.

Do you think if the money was put back into the hand of the tax payers it would create more spending which would inturn create more jobs? I think it would create a ripple affect. I am a miner in Montana and we are struggling to get by. It seems there is no demand for copper, people do not want to go out and buy new cars or have a house built which inturn directly affects the mining industry "no need for copper". If we had the extra spending money to go buy a new car or build a house or even remodle there would be a need for copper which inturn would create alot of jobs. What about the lumber market it is "crap" people are simply not building houses so our northwest mills are shutting down. If the stimulus hit the hands of the people in our country that are struggling to get by cause there are no jobs I think it would be a huge sucess.

Solving the economic crisis through the american taxpayers not through the banks, motgage companies and all other predators who have bankrupt America and americans retirements and homes. At the begginning of the economic crisis
a stimulus package of 20.000 to every taxpayer would have been a greater solution to start stimulating the economy then all this billions of dollars waisted given to predators so they can get more bonuses and more parties until the next downfall and another bailout. With 20.000 dollars I could pay 3.200 back to the IRS, 6.000 in credit cards, save 5.000 for a home , pay some medical bills and spend around 2500. I myself have given money back to The IRS, to the banks and save some money, also spend some money to help stimulate the economy, just imagine what this money could have done to the country if millions of taxpayers would have got this amount of stimulus package. If we were going to overspend billions and even trillions then why not use common sense to where the country would have benefited and help the crisis, ordinary folks are the ones in crisis not the predators. It's a true fact that this country can not survive with out main street, main street has kept up this country, while the predators has disable the american dream and the american economy. We have a cluless and unrealistic goverment, thats part of the problem also and no social justice. A main street folk steals a loaf of bread to feed his family gets 5 years in jail, a predator steals millions, gets double bonus. Wake up America, time is running out.

No stimulus package will do anything except devalue the dollar even more. The only thing that will help is to stop all the waste in Washington (like grounding Palosi's plane for starters) and repealing the federal reserve act of 1913 and going back to a solid money backed by gold and silver.

Substituting a value-added tax (VAT) for the Social Security FICA payroll tax should be a priority. It would tax our $2 billion per day in imports. It would put Social Security on a better financial footing. It can be rebated when goods are exported, making our manufacturers more competitive in the world market.

For these reasons, over 100 other countries use VATs.