by Carla G.
Member since:
September 19, 2006

Stimulus Plan and Transparency: Check out www.recovery.gov

February 07, 2009 08:41 PM EST (Updated: February 07, 2009 08:43 PM EST)
views: 306 | comments: 40

I went to a neighborhood community meeting today to talk about the Obama plan for recovery and the stimulus package. They showed this video:

http://my.barackobama.com/recoveryvideo

I encourage you to watch it, as it talks about what is in this package.

Also, talk about transparency...as soon as this act is signed, a web site will go active where you can actually see where the money is being spent and when. Here is the web site:

www.recovery.gov

Talk about a great idea!

At the meeting, we shared our personal stories of how the recession has impacted our lives. Everyone in that room had taken a hit one way or the other. Many had lost most of their retirement accounts. Others, like my husband, had lost jobs and were unemployed. One man had moved in with his 90-year-old mother since he'd lost his job. Another woman had cancer and was afraid she couldn't afford the health insurance since she'd been laid off from her job. This recession is devastating the lives of many people, and my hope is that the Republicans will stop playing politics and get moving on this bill. Every day more jobs are being lost and people are falling into the abyss. My husband's unemployment is scheduled to run out on March 1. Extending unemployment benefits is part of this package. We need to contact our congressional representatives and make it clear that we want action. NOW!

Here is a link: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

link to this page
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Comments: 40

Beth G. Feb 7, 2009, 8:51pm EST
I think the Republicans are absolutely right to protest the pork that had previously been added to this package in this case. Save it for another bill, but this should be saved strictly for the economy. Why put ourselves further in debt than we are going to be? Not to mention the real fear of inflation on top of everything else that is going on. I sure hope this works, but I am personally skeptical about it.
Carla G. Feb 7, 2009, 9:01pm EST
Beth, what one person calls pork, another calls stimulus. Stimulus packages are about spending--whether it's building roads or museums, bridges or paying for unemployment benefits. It happened back in the Great Depression when Roosevelt took over from Hoover. Hoover was against the spending too, but if it hadn't been for Roosevelt and his New Deal the depression would have lasted longer. All the major economists say that stimulus is important. It's just in dispute for what. The problem is, the longer they wait, the worse the problem gets and the harder it is to recover. More and more companies are going out of business and the jobs are disappearing. We have to put people to work. That is what the money being spent will do.

My question would be, did the Republicans ever protest the $10 billion a month that we have been spending in Iraq for an illegal war that was started based on lies? Where did that money go? It didn't help this country, as much as they would like us to believe it. Much of it went to the Halliburtons and other companies that overcharged and didn't deliver. Instead they caused the electrocution of soldiers who showered in a bathroom that was wired wrong.
Kerrell g. Feb 7, 2009, 9:02pm EST
One person's trash is another person's treasure, girls!
Claudia (kitty-cat) K. Feb 7, 2009, 9:30pm EST
Pork, beef, chicken, it all looks the same on the plate.
Leah Christensen Feb 7, 2009, 9:34pm EST
Thanks for posting this.
Col. George W. Feb 7, 2009, 9:41pm EST
I really don't see the point in having a public meeting on the bill before it is finished. There are changes yet to be made.
Col. George W. Feb 7, 2009, 9:42pm EST
"Much of it went to the Halliburtons and other companies that overcharged and didn't deliver. Instead they caused the electrocution of soldiers who showered in a bathroom that was wired wrong."

Carla you just brought back an interestion point to me. I think I feel an article coming.
Larry H. Feb 7, 2009, 9:57pm EST
thanks for sharing.
Ron (in complete sheeple overload) W. Feb 7, 2009, 9:59pm EST
"Much of it went to the Halliburtons and other companies that overcharged and didn't deliver. Instead they caused the electrocution of soldiers who showered in a bathroom that was wired wrong."

Not to mention moving their headquarters out of the United States to Bahrain, or someplace, to avoid taxes on the billions they have fleeced us for, adding insult to injury.
Karen E. Feb 7, 2009, 10:03pm EST
I did see the video and feel that we better take some action soon. The raging unemployment will continue to spin down our economy further.
Marilyn M. Feb 7, 2009, 10:28pm EST
This is not stimulus.
lea and... c. Feb 7, 2009, 11:03pm EST
I think the GOP are digging a rut they will never emerge from. Just think of all the republicans who voted for McCain suddenly becoming democrats and begging for the recovery pkg.
I think their ideology makes them look cold hearted and inane when it comes to the economy.They could care less about a recovery, all they can do is blast the president for reminding them who got elected and why. They have no clue. The strange thing was McCain speech, in one breath he says tax cut do not stimulate the economy in another he says we need more tax cuts. He is clueless.

Carla check my post I have brought back from september of last year, it includes a good article written long ago about deregulation and the effect on the economy, what foresight!
lea and... c. Feb 7, 2009, 11:06pm EST
By teh way it does not take a genius to figure out, you give people job, they have money, they buy stuff, the business benefit, they hire more people and the economy keeps building up.
libramoon C. Feb 8, 2009, 2:58am EST
It is absolutely appropriate for the Republicans to dig into this bill and point out what they don't like, come up with possible alternatives, debate. That is their job as members of Congress, or out here on the street their jobs as members of a democracy. What puts me way out of wanting to negotiate in good faith is their misusing this time for talking points, talking trash, and talking without making sense.
Brian T. Feb 8, 2009, 3:15am EST
The only thing the GOP is offering is more trickle down economics and the exact same thing that put us in this boat in the first place.
Brian T. Feb 8, 2009, 3:17am EST
BTW I lost about 40% of my retirement account and I'm not in the mood for more of the same.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Feb 8, 2009, 3:18am EST
Sigh. Many of the people whining about pork didn't even know pork existed before John McCain blabbed about it, constantly and dishonestly. And they still don't know what they're talking about. It's frustrating.
David K. Feb 8, 2009, 3:27am EST
"Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot."

Sherlock Holmes
Jack E. Feb 8, 2009, 8:54am EST
Any federal stimulus package should benefit the entire population not just a small area. Pork should not be included in any bill let alone a bill that is supposed to stimulate the economy. Tax cuts to the rich do not benefit the public and should be on the top of the list to be thrown out.

On one side you have the porkers and on the other side you have corporate cronyism so what does anyone think they have gained. The GOP is still stalling on everything but tax breaks to the wealthy and the democrats are still playing Porky Pig and in the meantime we have one leg over the cliff and dropping into depression.

Obama campaigned on getting rid of the wealthy tax breaks and not allowing pork in legislative bills and he should start keeping his campaign promises that gave so many people hope for the future.
Elsie C. Feb 8, 2009, 10:55am EST
I find it quite amusing, and very horrifying, that 2 groups of people can read or listen to the same thing and come up with 2 entirely different interpretations. I found no pork in Obama's message. He explained his rationale for everything he is requesting. Yet, some of the educational portion has been cut, and other reasonable items which the "uneducated or uninformed" senators took out.

Politics is such a disgusting game. Winning votes is more important than taking care of this country's citizens. Obama is living up to his campaign promises in a big way, despite all those trying to sabotage everything he attempts.

Listen to the video!

Thanks, Carla. Another great post.
Carla G. Feb 8, 2009, 11:13am EST
Catherine, yes, there are HUGE egos at work in all this. I don't mind the Republicans looking through the bill and working WITH the Democrats to come up with a workable solution, but they have made this a political game and have been unwilling to come to the table with options. They just object to the spending. Well, that is what a stimulus bill is---SPENDING. You have to spend to stimulate the economy.
Carla G. Feb 8, 2009, 11:15am EST
Elsie, I don't believe that some have even listened to Obama or bothered to learn about the act that Obama is trying to pass. They are listening to the talking points of people like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly.

Listen to the video, folks, and then comment!
Ellie !. Feb 8, 2009, 5:37pm EST
Good for you for going to the meeting. I think that is a great thing that is happening. There is one that's about a 3-minute drive from my house.

They say $1 in tax cuts puts 75 cents into the economy...$1 in spending puts $1.50 into the economy. Boy, I sure hope they are right. I don't like watching so many people lose their jobs...and their health care. Even with this stimulus package, the dominos will continue to fall for a while. I think we are in for some more unpleasantness before things get better.
Robert G. Feb 8, 2009, 6:15pm EST
The GOP is showing how and why we are in this mess.
They just don't have a clue.No answers just the hope of failure.
Kelly T. Feb 8, 2009, 6:24pm EST
Dear Carla, thank you for keeping us up to date and informed. I appreciate your efforts along this line tremendously. I support Obama, but have a question regarding the economic stimulus package. Maybe you can help clarify for me. Why does he want to modernize 75% of federal buildings? I'm guessing his reasons would be related to energy savings as a result and I'm certainly not against better work environments in general; however, I am not sure why this particular project is favored. Thanks. Again, thanks for the info!
rachel b. Feb 8, 2009, 6:34pm EST
ill take some money
Lisa Frost Feb 8, 2009, 6:46pm EST
transparency is a good step to me. I think they have made a clear case for every step they are making.
Brian T. Feb 8, 2009, 7:23pm EST
So far so good. I'm not sure if this plan will work or not but I am sure that we can't continue to sit back and do nothing. I will take a try over not doing anything any day of the week. And the GOP thus far are only offering more of the same that put us in this boat.
Carla G. Feb 9, 2009, 10:59am EST
Kelly, at this point, anything that puts people to work is stimulus--no matter what the job. But the infrastructure of this country is in bad shape and has deteriorated over the years because it was not perceived to be important. It's also about energy savings.
Carla G. Feb 9, 2009, 11:00am EST
So far, the Republicans have wanted to cut out aid to the states for education. Our schools are in bad shape. Of all things, one has to wonder why they would choose that?
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Feb 9, 2009, 11:47am EST
It's time to work around the Republicans. They squandered their political capital when they attacked Iraq for no reason and have since proven they are totally incapable of making any reasonable decisions. They are insignificant, other than to be a thorn in the side of every person who is trying to bail this country out of the hell hole they put it in. Ignore them and work around them, or we are doomed with them.
Eric T. Feb 9, 2009, 12:00pm EST

It's time to work around the Republicans.


But, the good news about that not happening is certain individuals will now have more trouble proving that the President is a socialist/marxist, or whatever the hell some may wish to call him.
Carla G. Feb 9, 2009, 2:20pm EST
Sandy, yes, it seems that Obama is going to have to give up his desire for bipartisanship if he wants to get anything done.
Eric T. Feb 9, 2009, 3:29pm EST

Sandy, yes, it seems that Obama is going to have to give up his desire for bipartisanship if he wants to get anything done.


I would agree with that also, since it seems we are, unfortunately, getting NOWHERE fast!
Carla G. Feb 9, 2009, 5:40pm EST
Thanks for your comment, Eric.
Missy Cline Feb 9, 2009, 7:40pm EST
Go Obama!!
Gail Terrell Feb 10, 2009, 9:04pm EST
I expected Republicans to push for tax cuts and try to eliminate spending on programs they don't like, but I'm astonished at how obdurate and ostrich like they are being. I think when the bill comes out of committee, Harry Reid should let them filibuster. It may add a few days to getting the bill passed, but they really can't be allowed to "win" this battle or they will stop any progress for the next four years.
Carla G. Feb 14, 2009, 5:17pm EST
It's a game they're playing trying to get re-elected.

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