Do we need to stimulate the stimulus?

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  Posted by Todd E. Mon Jun 8, 2009 6:10pm PDT

  ILL TRY TRY,IT CANT HURT?

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  Posted by opiniononly Mon Jun 8, 2009 6:32pm PDT

  A good start to getting things moving again. Get back to school NOW...how many of these jobs do you qualify for as a trained applicant?

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  Posted by who me? Mon Jun 8, 2009 7:57pm PDT

  Great help for the college educated person. Those of us who didn't have the opportunity to go to college are still in the trenches. None of these jobs are available for the average joe.

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  Posted by WilliamM Tue Jun 9, 2009 12:41am PDT

  Wasn't needed in the first place, and government interference in the marketplace always runs the risk of falling afoul of the law of unintended consequences.

  And notice that so far most of the "assistance" has gone to heavily unionized industries like education. The unions supported the Pres in the election, now it's time to repay them---with taxpayer money.

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  Posted by Dee Tue Jun 9, 2009 2:41am PDT

  Union nothing. In my town 140 teachers are losing their jobs because of funding. What happens to our kids?. They get short changed and our future as a country looks bleaker. Fewer cops equals more crime. Haven't you seen the desperation of some people? Crime is on the rise. In my opinion Pres. Obama is doing what he can to keep a sinking ship afloat without interfereing anymore than they have in the free market.

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  Posted by Cricket Tue Jun 9, 2009 6:22am PDT

  Dee -- I agree with you completely. For those that blame Obama for this spending need to look a little bit further back in history. Bush was the one who started the bailouts of Wall Street and the Banking industry -- those that put us in this position to begin with. Obama is clearly trying to keep our ship afloat.

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  Posted by Katie B Tue Jun 9, 2009 6:24am PDT

  I wonder how this is all going to pan out.... How are we going to keep jobs in this country if even Microsoft is going to move their operations overseas because of the Pres. proposed taxation plans? GM and Chrysler are not going to be viable anymore because the Government has a modified Midas touch when it comes to business... everything turns to crap... you want an example? Try Amtrak.

  How are we going to fund teachers and other civil services if there are no jobs for people to pay their taxes? The federal government can throw money at problems only for so long before our inflation is out the roof (Can anyone say the old Lire or the Yen?) and China quits lending to us.

  I HIGHLY doubt that this stimulus plan is going to save any jobs... Name one Stimulus package thus far that has ACTUALLY accomplished what it was supposed to. Because I can't even think of one.

  And Dee... when Congress "bailed out" the Big Three and the big Banks they already interfered TOO much. But then I am one of the fiscal conservatives that believes we would have been better off in the long run (not necessarily the short run however) if we just let them all fail, go bankrupt and restructure. I believe that this government interference of businesses is at the very least against the principles of our country that our founding fathers laid out.. and at most unconstitutional.

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  Posted by Katie B Tue Jun 9, 2009 8:06am PDT

  Christine, this has NOTHING to do with who started what... because if we REALLY want to start pointing fingers why don't we point fingers to the President that started Deficit spending?... and EVERYTHING to do with how the President is going to take control of things. I am not blaming Obama for the debt that his administration was handed... I am however, faulting him with using the default pointing of the fingers.... Bush was NEVER a fiscal conservative and I will lay that blame squarely on his shoulders and the Congress that was in session during his administration (because they are just as much to blame as any President for allowing it to happen)... but continuing to use tactics that have shown to not work TODAY is Obama's (and his Admin/Congress) fault as well. By the way, Obama has voted on some of Bush's budgets and approved them, as well as, the stimulus packages that Bush was pushing for... so as a Senator during the Bush Admin he has part of the blame as well. But Again, let's name one stimulus bill that has actually worked the way it was supposed to? I can't think of any...

  This finger pointing needs to stop... it's not going to get this country anywhere... What was done is done now, lets move on and fix this problem that many people and many administrations (which has been linked as far back as the 70's by some analysts) have had a hand in.

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  Posted by WilliamM Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:07am PDT

  "Bush did it, too". Well, that makes anything Obama does just fine, I guess.

  That's called the tu quoque fallacy. It justifies absolutely nothing.

  You want me to criticize Bush, too? Fine, he is at fault as well and should not have gone into the government bailout business. Happy?

  And now, if we can return to the present, we do not need THIS "stimulus" spending, and THIS President looks to be paying off past political support with public monies, and THIS particular policy is unneeded and unwarranted...

  By the way, yes, most of the spending is being directed toward unionized jobs. You really think that the General Motors bailout was about the automobile business? Nope. It was about the UAW.

  Teaching is a heavily unionized occupation, and that's what "save the teaching jobs!" is about. Wringing ones hands about "the children" does not change that, and it also is fallecious logic, the fallacy in this case being the ad misericordiam "appeal to pity".

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