The Economic Stimulus Package
By Bill Willard on Mar 13, 2009 in Feature, Issue of the Week
The Issue
Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus package on February 13, 2009. The measure passed in the House with no Republican votes. Three Republican senators, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter joined the Democrats to pass the bill, by a vote of 60-38, in the Senate. President Barack Obama, who originally drafted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, signed the bill into law on February 17, 2009.
What I Think
We’re hearing people say that the states should reject any and all money from the economic stimulus package. I join them in that view.
What Do You Think?
We’d really like to hear what you think about the Economic Stimulus Package. Please leave a comment below to share your views. Have you subscribed?
Bill Willard is a freelance writer in Clearwater FL. He has been a high-impact writer and editor for over 30 years. In addition to his byline pieces, Bill’s beat includes ghostwriting and editing for businesses of all types and sizes, professional practitioners and individuals, and is a www.thefreestyleentrepreneur.com Contributing Author. Visit his Website: www.writergazette.com/WillardAssociates.shtml. Or contact him at billw15@tampabay.rr.com
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John Ingrisano | Mar 13, 2009 | Reply
If you’re broke, how in the name of common sense will borrowing a pile of money and spending it like a drunken sailor (my apologies to drunken sailors)fix the economy? The stimulus cannot succeed. However, the businesses that survive this recession and government assault on common sense will come back … in spite of the stimulus package.
Jeff Hunsaker | Mar 13, 2009 | Reply
Have we learned nothing from the Great Depression? FDR’s “injections” and constantly changing regulatory and legal landscape caused the issue to drag on for years. Without WWII, we might never have broken free. Obama’s plan to build some roads and heap taxpayer dollers on social causes is even worse.
Have a read of “The Forgotten Man” (Amity Shlaes). Get government out of the way and innovative, creative business people will get this fixed fast.
Bill Willard | Mar 13, 2009 | Reply
A Few Billion Here, A Few Billion There…
Alluva sudden, Barak Obama has declared that the national financial crisis is “not as bad as we think” and that he has seen public opinion seesaw without logic. A very little bit of good news this week and suddenly everything is doing great. This, after having mortgaged our great grandchildrens’ futures…yet somehow managing to avoid benefiting small business.
Michael Bina for Gene Nicolet | Mar 13, 2009 | Reply
Stimulus not Titillating for Business Owners
3 days before the Stimulation Legislation gets stroked by Obama’s pen is word that CEOs and Business Owners on the Frozen Tundra are, well, cold to it.
Conducted two weeks ago, the Nicolet Bank Business Pulse found that 57% of Business Leaders are flat out, stone-cold Opposed to the Stimulation; 23% are Hot for it; 20% are Not Sure if they’re coming or going!
18% said they were Very Familiar with the plan; 35% said Moderately Familiar; 42% said Somewhat Familiar. Opposition was highest (83%) among those who are Very Familiar with the plan. Support for the plan is highest (34% Favor) among those who are only Somewhat Familiar: I don’t know anything about it but, I hope it works…HELLO!
A majority (57%) want More Tax Cuts/Less Spending; 20% want Equal Tax Cuts/Equal Spending; 6% want More Spending/Less Cuts; 17% say It’s just about Right the Way it is.
The 83% of the CEOs who are Very Familiar with the plan say it should have included more tax cuts, and less spending.
SELECTIVE STIMULATION HIGHLIGHTS: 16% thought the $19 Billion earmarked for “science and technology, university research facilities, biomedical research and wireless/broadband expansion” was Very Important; 24% thought, Not Important;
The $68 Billion for “education, classroom modernization, increased Pell Grants and early childhood education” was Very Important to 13% / Not Important to 30%;
The $80 Billion to “help state governments facing budget shortfalls” was Very Important to 5% / Not Important to 33%;
“Create new jobs with infrastructure spending was Very Important to 29% / Not Important to 14%;
“Speed up the depreciation of capital investments made by businesses, allowing 50% of these investments to be written off immediately was Very Important to 56% / Not Important to 4%;
“Allowing businesses to claim tax credits or past profits dating back 5 years instead of 2 years” was Very Important to 37% / Not Important to 12%;
“A $500 tax cut for individuals; $1,000 for couples earning less than $200K was Very Important to 24% / Not Important to 22%.
17% of the CEOs surveyed have absolutely NO Confidence in Obama or his economic team; 9% have a Great Deal of Confidence; 45% have Only a Little; the rest are at a Moderate Level.
The data on the Tundra shows little excitement, but hope, I guess, springs eternal – as always.
surveillance camera systems | Mar 23, 2009 | Reply
The package could have been important nor contrary. Some small business could benefit what it offers. Due to some people file for an unemployment, many seems to have a crisis in their lives. It causes a dramatically worse outcome if no one acts boldly and swiftly.
elly | Dec 14, 2009 | Reply
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