No deal in Senate on stimulus

It's time to pull out all the stops. The Fed discount rate is zero bound and its balance sheet may triple. If these fiscal conservatives cannot make up the whole in spending with government investments then expect a Japanese recovery of ten years or more with high unemployment as far as the eye can see.

The democrats have enough votes to pass it themselves! Why all this blame on the republicans? Just pass the damn bill.

Is there a different agenda here? I don't know.

Joe

If the democrats think it is so great why don't they just pass it? they don't need republican votes to pass this. Go ahead take credit for sinking us into 900 billion in debt. Each of the 3 million hobs this spending plan is supposed to create is costing almost 300,000 each. Do the math - and of those a good % are gov't job that will take from tax payers for years to come.

Ask youself where the 900 billion is coming from and what it will do to inflation the coming years. You cannot keep injecting more cash out there and not have it come back as infaltion.

Why don't the Democrats call the Republican's bluff then? Create a bi-partisan stimulus package that isn't loaded with pork. One that truly creates jobs now, in 2009, and doesn't saddle the U.S. taxpayer with out of control spending well into the future. Let's create the kind of bill that President Obama promised and see if the Republicans support it.

ps. I doubt anyone really knows what is in this package. That is what they are calling it, a package. Like it's Christmas or something. A lot of people are blaming the economy on a single party. This too is a huge mistake. This means that for the past 8 years, the Democrats were unable to blow the whistle and discover crooks like Bernard Madoff, Nancy Killefer, and Timothy Geithner, Tom Daschle. Why wasn't the liberal media reporting that Rome was on fire and why are you the general public so quick to spend your children and future children's money?

The Republicans will be blamed no matter what happens. Never mind that the Dems control the House the White House and are close to controlling the Senate. If the Stimulus gets passed and fails to fix the economy then the Repubs are to blame because they didn't spend enough money. If it doesn't get passed then the Repubs are to blame because they obstructed Obama's great vision of Utopia. IMHO,Obama is an empty suit from the Chicago political machine and he is tinkering with this countries economic and social future. To all that voted for the great master's change be happy you got what you wanted.Unfortunatly many of you never stopped to think that change isn't always a good thing.

More of the same--people are very focused on the Oaks vs the Elms but aren't looking at the forest.
How productive will laid-off office workers be at construction jobs? Why would the results of these projects be any better than the disastrous buildings government contractors put up in Iraq? And if building green energy wasn't commercially worth it before, why would it be now? What will happen months down the road when the additional cash this generates deflates the purchasing power of our dollar, won't that hit the poor the hardest?
And battle cry always is: "We must act now, we don't have time to think!"

It kind of makes me wonder how capitalism ever worked if we need a bailout AGAIN after the TARP money was distributed. Let me make this very clear, whoever votes in favor of this bailout will not recieve my vote when the next election comes. Our economy is only considered "good" if it is running on debt (money we don't have). What that means is that our economy wasn't as good as the smoke and mirrors put in front of us made everyone believe. How do home prices double in some areas while wages barely budge? People got suckered. Get over it. Take the loss like a responsible human being and stop asking for the handouts.

Squell...squell. Nothing but pork..full of big spending liberal programs designed to make Americans more dependent on BIG government and cement one party rule. God save our country from these lunatic radicals.

When did those a-holes in Washington ever listen to we the taxpayers ? Maybe when running for office but once elected they continuely ignore us and do what they feel is best for $$$ THEM ! $$$ They are WALL STREET ! We Have Them To THANK FOR THIS MESS ! Sorry to say but it sure looks like America's Days Are Over ! Amen !

It kind of makes me wonder how capitalism ever worked if we need a bailout AGAIN after the TARP money was distributed. Let me make this very clear, whoever votes in favor of this bailout will not recieve my vote when the next election comes. Our economy is only considered "good" if it is running on debt (money we don't have). What that means is that our economy wasn't as good as the smoke and mirrors put in front of us made everyone believe. How do home prices double in some areas while wages barely budge? People got suckered. Get over it. Take the loss like a responsible human being and stop asking for the handouts.

Failing at becomming Commander-in-Chief, apparently John McCain has decided to become Fiddler-in-Chief -- as in fiddling while our Country burns.

Shameful and patently un-American, John. Your theme song should be "My Country Be Damned," because that's clearly the song you are singing.

Your vanity -- as you admit, yourself -- caused you to get yourself stuck in a north vietnamese prison, where you repeatedly dishonored yourself. Then you spent years mining honor from your dishonor. Shameful.

Now is the time, John -- the first time, but better late than never -- now is the time, John, for you to stand up and do the right thing, John. Do it now -- before it's too late.

In Robert Reich's and Obama's world, here's how we stimulate the economy:
*Fund every one of the porkbarrel spending projects that have been sitting in politicians' bottom drawers for a decade, most of which don't generate jobs
*Get a million people working on roads and bridges. Not qualified construction people, mind you, and certainly not white men (yuck!), but the chronically unemployed, minorities, and women, all of whom are chosen not for their skills at building, but because of their category. Remind me not to drive on these bridges.
*Give a couple hundred dollars to poor people, who they're counting on are dumb enough to immediately spend it instead of saving it. Yay Keynesian economics!

It continues to be obvious the only way this country will be saved is to obtain the 60 vote super-majority and apply whatever pressure is needed to ensure every single Democratic senator votes for it. Obama was naive to think Republican politicians would ever seen beyond the interests of their plutocratic sponsers and obsolete and obviously failed conservative dogma. Enough time has been wasted trying to gain their cooperation and as the ever more dire employment news proves there is not much more of it to spare.

This bill is bad news. It is not timely, targetted or temporary as Obama originally said he wanted. It is pork pure and simple. Obama is such a rookie that he just wants a win and does not realize the costs in inflation that this pork mess will cause. America elected the wrong guy - an empty suit

The Republicans will be blamed no matter what happens. Never mind that the Dems control the House the White House and are close to controlling the Senate. If the Stimulus gets passed and fails to fix the economy then the Repubs are to blame because they didn't spend enough money. If it doesn't get passed then the Repubs are to blame because they obstructed Obama's great vision of Utopia. IMHO,Obama is an empty suit from the Chicago political machine and he is tinkering with this countries economic and social future. To all that voted for the great master's change be happy you got what you wanted.Unfortunatly many of you never stopped to think that change isn't always a good thing.

The United States government should:
1. Get our armed forces out of all other people's countries.
2. Stop spending our money as if it were their money.
3. Start leading this nation with ideas that work.

The citizens of the United States should:
1. Stop hating each other.
2. Do not vote crooks into office.

The Democrats have the majority in the house and senate they do not need a single Republican vote to pass this bill, they just don't want it hanging around THEIR neck when it fails!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Republicans will be blamed no matter what happens. Never mind that the Dems control the House the White House and are close to controlling the Senate. If the Stimulus gets passed and fails to fix the economy then the Repubs are to blame because they didn't spend enough money. If it doesn't get passed then the Repubs are to blame because they obstructed Obama's great vision of Utopia. IMHO,Obama is an empty suit from the Chicago political machine and he is tinkering with this countries economic and social future. To all that voted for the great master's change be happy you got what you wanted.Unfortunatly many of you never stopped to think that change isn't always a good thing.

OBVIOUSLY..46% of AMerica did not vote for the kind of "change" the dems think is going to fix everything. The ONLY thing that will very quickly start a process of economic turn around is to cut Payroll taxes by a large amount (for you people who don't understand..employers also PAY payroll taxes on us, as well as we are taxed) so employers can KEEP employees working... cut other federal taxes, and get right to the housing mess Clinton insisted become law..RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. Obama is grandstanding for his agenda, not any kind of feasable "stimulus. VOTE THESE LOONEY DEMS OUT IN 2010.

If Obama and the Democrats truly care about working class Americans, why are they opposing the inclusion of the E-Verify system in the Senate's stimulus plan? All E-Verify does is verify if a worker is legally authorized to work in the U.S. Obviously, any jobs created through the taxpayer-funded stimulus plan should go to U.S. citizens and not illegal immigrants! Call Kerry and Kennedy and urge them to protect U.S. workers and support E-Verify.

Obama has put together a pork package that will increase the collapse rate of the United States. I am so proud of the GOP for standing up to him. There are so many Obama followers that could not pass a high school physics test, so they have no idea why the economy is collapsing. I wish that the GOP could somehow let it pass without signing on to it. That way they can run against the socialists during the next election. We need a modern version of Reagan or we are going to collapse completely.

"TheY are going to saddle generations of Americans with debts that will only crush our economy once again. How can Congress and two administrations have done so much damage in so little time."

I assume you're talking about 2 George Bush Administrations: his off-the-book wars, Medicare expansion (under Republican-controlled Congresses that shut Democrats out of discussions), and tax cuts are responsible for the almost doubling of our deficit to 10 TRILLION! Let's face it, trickle-down is a bust. When the rich get tax breaks they don't seem to be stimulating the economy.

looks to me Obama lacks the experience to understand what his stimulant package can do the united states we need more manufacturing without unions so we can manufacture and afford product here in the united states we would like to buy american and can'teven find there product. we need to give tax breaks to all businesses and mostly to manufacturing.

This partisan bickering on BOTH sides is why Congress had an approval rating lower than Pres. Bush's and it appears they are going to fight their way to an even lower rating, even if it means taking the country down with them. I am so absolutely fed up with the lot of them.

In order to find the right path for our country to take it requires us to look in our country's past to determine what worked. To believe that it was the Republicans' doings that caused the great depression shows how pathetic our history classes and mainstream textbooks has done to growing minds. It is no secret that in '33 FDRs policies threw our country in 6 more years of depression. It sounds like it would be to easy for our country to turn on the printers and make more money to solve our problems. I hope at this point, common sense has kicked in and you begin to realize that than our dollar's worth drops. This is our 13th recession since the GD and we are still here. I would recommend that we let capitalism work. If you believe that a limited government is just a foolish thing that only worked in the 18th, 19th, and 20th century, consider moving to a country that has more egalitarian views. I recommend Cuba.

Has anyone noticed that these Republicans who are holding things up still have a job, and a home to sleep in and food to eat? Why then are they making it worse for most Americans especially the Americans who have lost their homes and are out of work? This sure does not seem fair!

Not since Jesus was dragged, in the middle of the night, to an illegal trial, has there been such a flagrant miscarriage of justice. The Republic has been hijacked by the criminal banksters with SS operatives Geithner and Obama presiding. This is not a fix of the economy but a rape of the American people.
As punishment, the DOW will drop another 500-700+ points tomorrow as the FED insiders intimidate the Republican vestige of decency. Just watch the outcry on tomorrow's news. The bill is LIE. There should be ZERO bailout, Zero help for the Banks. H.R 833, the repeal of the Federal Reserve is what Congress needs to act on NOW.

Unbeleavable! Look at what is in the bill. If it will produce jobs go for it! If not eliminate it! Both parties can work on their pork barrel spending on another day! This new administation is not impressing me so far.This is not the time to grease the skids of the special intrests. God knows they will have time for that!

Thank God for an intelligent person at the helm. Republicans: Since you can't lead, get the "blank" out of the way.

The Democrat comments here expose the absolute ignorance of the portion of the electorate that put this pseudo simian socialist in the white house. If the Democrats are so sure that this is a good bill let them vote it into law. They have the votes in the house , senate , and they have the Presidency. The problem is they are looking for cover under the guise of "bi-partisanship" I hope the Republicans stick by their position and make them take credit for this monstronsity. The people can then judge this "change' for what it does>

Have never seen such spineless people who lets government lead them around by the nose and all of the time whining about whose fault it is! Can't think for yourselves or fight for your freedoms so sit on your duffs, let these politicians finish off this country and know that it is no ones' fault but your own and then live with it!

Obama is an idiot. He simply invented the $800,000,000,000 new massive taxpayer loan to top Bush's $700,000,000,000 massive taxpayer loan. They're both idiots - Obama and Bush. Hopefully, the Senate republicans will save us from this insanity.

"Lying, stealing and cheating their way to socialism the President is trying to distance himself from this disaster by handing it off to Reid and Reid is taking cover by saying he is defending the Presidents goals." - Abu Lafia

I didn't see Obama trying to distance himself when he gave a speech on national television about it today... You must have missed that...

Tax Cuts are not stimulus. Most people will save the money from the tax cuts - That doesn't stimulate. Spending stimulates, and spending on infrastructure not only stimulates but it leaves behind great infrastructure!!!! (Schools, Roads, Public Buildings etc...)

It really seems like the ONLY idea Republicans ever have is to cut taxes. Unfortunately, they got to try their ideas and now we're hurting very badly. It's time to let the people who know what they're talking about, and aren't just trying to give their corporate donors a tax break, a chance to enact policy. We saw these same types of fights when Clinton took office. Republicans said Clinton was going to ruin everything, and then all of the sudden we have an amazing decade of propserity... go figure... get smart republicans!!!!!

Maybe some of you should read what exactly is in this bill, it is mostly pork directed at campaign contributors. There is no stimulus here, making busy work for a few does not turn the economy around but only digs a deeper hole. Republicans and Democrats alike should be embarrassed that this is the best that they can come up with, $355 million for education related to S.T.D.'s, 200 million to monitor Earthquakes and 20 BILLION for food stamps, come on people this money can be put to much better use. Just throwing money at something doesn't necessarily fix it, just look at outcome based public education system that is going down hill faster than public support for this pile of dung

There is something very, very flawed about what is going on with this way of addressing the economic crisis. The public is extremely upset with the way Congress and Obama are trying to rush through this huge spending bill. Obama sounds shrill and I know he is a very wise and good person. So there is something very wrong going on. I hope the Republicans prevent passage so that the best long-term solution is found. I have always believed what Obama has said and what he campaigned on, but he is not completely believable in the cavalier way they are trying to rush $800b in spending when they know the public does not support or understand. It is all borrowed money.

If Bush had tried to push a bill with all this non-stimulate spending in it people would be rioting, but blindly accusing the republicans of wanting the country to fail is absurd. 20 Million dollars for grass? 200 million for STD research and treatment? Why can't the items that do not have a related stimulus rating not be removed from this bill. The items in question are not job creating items they are frivilous and irresponsible extra spending trying to get pushed through using fear tactics why was it horrible of Bush to try to scare people into supporting something but when Obama uses the same tactics everyone kneels before his wishes?

They don't have enough Dems voting for it or else they would not need the votes from the Republicans. Let the Dems take the blame when this spending package blows in their face.

Maybe if the Democrats would actually present a bill that is designed to stimulate rather than spend fake money, the Republicans would support it. This is so stupid.

Have never seen such spineless people who lets government lead them around by the nose and all of the time whining about whose fault it is! Can't think for yourselves or fight for your freedoms so sit on your duffs, let these politicians finish off this country and know that it is no ones' fault but your own and then live with it!

Obviously alot of liberal minded people in here that think its a good deal to recieve a $1000 dollar check and leave their offspring a bill for 100 time that.
All of us are not dumbed down that much yet but I understand the liberal agenda to achieve that level of thinking for everyone.
I am a Republican and think the last administration failed us horribly. Not the war that cost us but the original liberal give away for trying to socialize homeownership with high risk loans.
The complete lack of oversight in controlling the inflated prices of oil and allowing the banking community to leverage themselves into inevitable bankruptcy.
The majority of the post above are completely partisan and disgusting as well as shameful and with total lack of thought.
If you want the confidence back in the people that truly move this country then we need to be arguing about why there is not a breaking news story every evening about another cooperate criminal headed to jail. The banks who leveraged themselves in the oil market and are now arguing about having their salaries capped after raping this countries economy and they are across party lines on both sides.
The undoubted criminal behavior that took place on wallstreet should have hundreds and probably thousands headed for jail.
One thing for certain is that putting jerks that dont pay their taxes while working for the IRS in charge of the treasury is the mast blatantly ignorant and dishonest decisions I can think of so far. It is downright irresponsible and in no way excusible no matter how you choose to twist the story.
Spending billions in a hurry for the wrong reasons is not the answer. It is business as usual on capital hill with but a few new faces if any.
Stand up on your hind legs folks and stop grazing on this crud like the sheeple you are speaking like. We are headed for worlds of hurt if we dont see the change Obama spoke of in his campaign.
The more we stand separated the more control they have over all of us.

banks to lever

No passage? :)
The market be good for me tomorrow :)
I make lot of money tomorrow :)
See you demogods in the funnypapers
Losers

As an american citizen, I don't care at this point about parties, we are done with elections. I truly believe Obama has the modern vision for our country and we need to stick with him, he will try to get us less oil dependent, better infrastucture, handle healthcare costs. Just healthcare costs 2.2 trillion each year and more than 30 % of it used for administrative costs trying get biling done -which I really wonder if average americans realize. I'm impressed this man understands that trimming those healthcare administrative costs will mean cutting our deficits dramatically each year. He has visions of eliminate redundant wastes along with the stimulus bill. We lost 600,000 jobs just in January, close to depression. I can not believe that it is still about party lines here. The democrats could act less pompous and the republicans can be more sensible than just stick with tax cuts as their mantra. Even the smartest man can not do much if they bicker like this all time.

Its really sad to see the democrats keep pushing this massive spending bill. Usually I lean democrat but this is a collossal amount of money that will fuel more corporate welfare. We're talking about adding over $2200 of debt per person in the US. Not per taxpayer. Per person.
My parents always taught me that you can't spend your way out of debt. Why is congress so reckless with my money? It doesn't help that so many of them owe back taxes.

The problem is that economics is too hard for most politicians and unfortunately most Americans. They want to simplify items down to their catch phrase level; however, they're failing. "Give it to the people," they shout - if so, I'm going to put it in the bank, which means I won't be consuming more goods or services. Simple is not better. Things aren't black and white and thinking to the level of detail necessary to fully understand is often painful and time consuming.

Lastly, I like the idea of investing in alternative energy. Gas will return to > $4 gallon and this is our opportunity to rid ourselves of illegal cartels and crazy leaders (I'm looking at you Chavez).

The Republicans should continue to hold this bill up until the ridiculous amounts of pork, doing nothing except to grow more big government control, are removed. After that happens maybe both sides can agree on a plan which will employ people while at the same time cutting taxes and growing our economy rather than having a badly thought out package of pure big govt. control over our lives shoved down our throats. Anything less is just a rush towards socialism which has been proven not to fare well in any society.

Seems to me the surplus in Iraq and the rebuilding,the bank bailouts,and the large companys come before the American people.If this keeps up the republican party will be nonexistent in d.c. Last time I checked it was our money.Who works for Who?

Why do people still cling to party? Policies that began well before the big government Bush administration casused the mortgage crisis. Both parties are a disaster. There are precious few people in office who have any concept of public service or the representation they are supposed to provide for our tax dollars. Apparently, none feel they are beholden to the people. This disgusting spending plan will be the worst fiasco inflicted on us by our government. Wake up people. We can not afford the earmarks and pet projects, we can not afford to get this so wrong. The economy would recover on its own but each new failed attempt is moving us further away from a sound economy. The plan as written will not do anything to help us near term and will makes things worse expanding government and wasteful spending and saddling us with unfunded debts. Even the architects of this plan say the debt will be untenable but they still drag us kicking and screaming over the edge.

It's simple to point fingers and lay blame at the feet of one side or the other, but only two of the above posts display thoughtful consideration of the issues. A stimulus package should be direct and have quick results. Much of this bill was for ten and twelve years out, and was a way to set up more government, not build infrastructure now or promote spending by cutting taxes. Much of the current economic downturn happened in the Clinton era, which despite it many positive changes, instituted a dangerous lending policy, letting people without the means to buy homes at great risk. Those people bought, the market inflated, more bought, more inflated, and finally, it collapsed in Bush's era. So...If now is the time to change, then let's make it honest, genuine change on both sides, not just a place for pushign agendas and working to avoid checks and balances.

Only an idiot would support this current pork laden spending bill. Why in the hell do the tax payers need to pay for a frisbee park? How many jobs will that create? Why don't they put the entire amount of money into building only roads and our power grid? Those things would benefit ALL of us and put people to work now. The Dems have only themselves to blame for this bill being rejected...they wrote it, they added all of the stupid things into this so called job creation bill (STD prevention, free condoms, etc). They have literally added every social program that they have wanted for years into to this "job creation" bill. Most of the spending will not create one damn job....just more attempts at vote buying.

So this is the "change we can believe in" ... same old pork barrel spending. Tax and spend... tax and spend... tax and spend...
$2,000,000,000 for an inefficient power plant in Illinois... where's Obama from? Oh yeah, Illinois. What a coincidence..
$88,000,000 on a polar ice breaker... just wait a few years - global warming will mean we have no polar ice caps anyway right?
$448,000,000 on a building for Homeland Security ... then another $228,000,000 for furniture for it - must be some NICE furniture.
$400,000,000 for CDC program to screen for Sexually Transmitted Diseases - why is Bill going back to the White House?
$75,000,000 for smoking cessation - what the heck does that have to do with economic stimulus? won't all the quiting hurt the tobacco industry?
$6,000,000,000 to turn federal buildings green... let's see how long that takes to recoup that expense
$850,000,000 for Amtrak - who has never shown a profit
$1,200,000,000 for youth activities

Think I'm going to invest in pork barrels -- there seems to be a run on them.

At least someone (the Republicans) are looking out for us... "Barry" ain't.

It's a shame.When the blundering Bush administration ask for 10 billion dollars a month to fund a war founded apon lies, the republican party had open wallets. While over the last seven years our own country was slowly going down the tubes.And now that our America is on the brink of disaster,the republican party is holding grudges over over the McCain/Palin loss and not standing behind our new leader at all!! All they care about is themselves.While thousands of Americans lose their jobs,their homes,and for some ,their lives.The mentality of it's our way or the highway has got to end!! George bush is no longer our leader !! Stop this division and start bieng in unity!! United we stand-divided we fall.

Wow, Repubs actually being conservative.
Maybe we should be on board with the Dems. If my company was going bankrupt I would take out a million dollar loan. That's bound to fix things.

I cannot believe that after the people, and we supposedly are the government, made their choice to get rid of the Republicans and get some much needed work done in this country, the repubs are still at the same good-ol-boy games. It's time we made it known to ALL our representatives that we will not put up with that type of retoric anymore. We need action now. They are not worried about us, they have their own agenda, as they have had for eight years now. We are so tired of them getting their raises and their perks and the American people get the screw.

I just wanted to add that it is remarkably ironic that Republicans and their supporters suddenly remember the generations to come and are so very concerned about the debt future generations of Americans will have to pay - now that they aren't the ones in charge of the spending. Last year, three years ago, Republicans had NO PROBLEM in spending billions and trillions on the war effort, in the process placing the country into the greatest debt it has ever seen. Is it because they had the final say on what would be spent and who would get the money? Their current behaviour supports such a supposition

The US economy is in genuine distress. I don't think we will look in a year and discover that the millions of people who have lost their jobs really were only on vacation. It's not like those non-existant weapons of mass destruction we all heard about but never saw. This is a REAL crisis, with millions of REAL people's lives and livelihoods at stake.

Republicans need to realize this isn't a game, like the political ones they are used to playing.

Let us not re-write history. The Democratic Party has held congress for over two years. And they widened that majority in 2008. They can pretty much do anything they want, now that Barak is President. Let's be REAL clear. If nothing is getting done, it is because of a few Democrat legislators who are real nervous about going deeper into debt with unpopular pork, and NOT the minority members, who are, in affect, powerless!? Joseph you are most certainly correct--the Bush administration failed us, (just like papa), when he acquiesced to the Demos and Rinos. All I got out of this guy was seven years of no terrorist attacks, and two fine Supreme Court Justices.

There is no guarantee that this "stimulus" bill will do any good at all. There is too much junk in it that will not benefit anyone in the short term. It is a Christmas list for Democratic big government spending. Kudos to Republicans for not going along for the ride in some spirit of bi-partisanship. If they really want to stimulate the economy, help people keep their homes and include something that will give people confidence they will still have a job in six months and they will spend. Adding parks for $100's of millions which create a couple hundred jobs doesn't do it. And before you make the blanket statement that Americans went to the polls in November for change, don't forget that >40 million DIDN't vote for Obama.

Are you guys serious. The so called stimulus bill will do nothing for us. If you look at history you will find that just throwing money on a problem will not work EVER!!!

I am just amazed at how readers here are mostly partisan in their comments - the same thing they are mad at either party for. The real issue is simple math - forgetting simple math is what got us into this problem. I am guessing, but if there are 400 million people in the US and the average family size is 2 (I rounded up for easy math), and we are spending an additional $800 billion that was not budgeted, that leaves an additional $4,000 in taxes per household. But, 25% of people don't pay taxes so that figure is more like $5,000.Who wants to step up and write a check for that? What is done is done. Let's move beyond the past and not towards the idea of, "they had the majority and screwed up, so now it is our turn to screw up".

this figure does not include interest or any spening over $800 million.

This is not the time to blame parties. Where has that gotten us? This is a time for each of us to look at the bill and see if it makes sense. Have all of you done that? I know I haven't, but I sure plan to before I start casting blame.

We need to stimulate the economy without taking on debt that we'll be paying off for years. Every single item in this bill should stimulate. Any other items should be in their own separate bill.

Some of you guys kill me. If this package is so great, why not take all the glory ? The Dems can pass anything they want. The repubs can't stop them. The fact is the Dems do not want to take responsibility for this package. They know its not going to work and do not want to be the only ones responsible for passing it. They need to make sure other people are involved to share the blame.

The Republicans have spent BILLIONS of dollars for the last 8 years to a HOST of problems they created. The debt clock was in the black before they took over. We can give tax cuts to the idiots who put us in this mess, let them allow CEO's to spend $35,000 on a damn toilet, then us my money to bail them out, but we can't help the ordinary American. There is something seriously wrong with giving corporations more money, but not fixing the imbalance in this country. We have done it the Republicans way for 8 years, and people voted for their ship to sail. They are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats who didn't get their way in November. If they don't act fast this will cost more than BILLIONS to fix. I hope they are okay with having millions of homeless people standing in line for their food rations, while they still figure out how to fix a DEPRESSION and not a recession. SHAME ON YOU!

The Republicans have spent BILLIONS of dollars for the last 8 years to a HOST of problems they created. The debt clock was in the black before they took over. We can give tax cuts to the idiots who put us in this mess, let them allow CEO's to spend $35,000 on a toilet, then us my money to bail them out, but we can't help the ordinary American. There is something seriously wrong with giving corporations more money, but not fixing the imbalance in this country. We have done it the Republicans way for 8 years, and people voted for their ship to sail. They are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats who didn't get their way in November. If they don't act fast this will cost more than BILLIONS to fix. I hope they are okay with having millions of homeless people standing in line for their food rations, while they still figure out how to fix a DEPRESSION and not a recession. SHAME ON YOU!

Can't we just have a stimulus package that builds roads, schools, parks, hospitals etc? Why do we have to have a bill that has money in it to prevent STDs and all the other pork spending? We are borrowing this money. Would you borrow money and then spend it on things you didn't want or need in order to stimulate the economy? We've got to either pay this money back or go bankrupt. Either plan isn't too pleasant. If we're going to borrow it and then spend it, let's spend it on things we need. Bridges? How about expanding the interstates in our grid locked large cities? Can't we get a common sense stimulus bill?

AM I the only one that remembers the great economy the first 6 years of the Bush administration, the last 2 years of the Bush years went down hill, let me think here alittle bit, yeah now I remember, THE DEMOCRATS TOOK CONTROL OF THE CONGRESS
What the heck, lets replace the grass on the govt. property in D C, and give condoms to the street people, and build a golf course, and on and on and on our merry liberal way to a place where over half of all americans depend upon the U S govt for their livelyhood

So many of you are such blind foolish followers. You think this spending package will fix our economy. This economy crisis has been developing for years and the walls came tumbling down. At the core of this huge global disaster was the brain child of the Democratic Party. Social Government getting involved with private lending practices. Started with Clinton, backed by all Democrats as the save all for housing in the US. Then the Republican Party did not have the back-bone to stop things when they had the opportunity (majority). They got bit by the cash cow bug too and followed pace instead of what was right for our country. Now we all are starting to pay the price for such ignorant policies of the Democrat (Socialist) Party. Now they want the Republicans to be forced to accept another foolish policy of careless spending at the cost of my future and my children. WELL I SAY NO! At a times like this, the government is suppose to assist, not be the cure all. What the Democrats have put together is not assistance. It is the birth of something far worse....SOCIALISM!

Last fall there was also fearmongering that if Congress didn't pass the bailout bill there would be a "collapse". So what happened? They passed it and the stock market dropped hundreds of points further, and things have gotten worse, not better. How can Obama and the Democrats be so SURE that this trillion dollar spending spree will have any positive effect? They can't be--- but using fear and guarantees of catastrophe are shameful. Since there is no guarantee, it makes fiscal sense to spend our money wisely.

The democrats have the majority and could just pass it if they honestly thought it would work. The truth is they just want to blame the republicans when the bailout fails (and we all know it will). They blamed Bush for everything they passed during his legislation and now they are desparately scrapping for another scapegoat.

On the flip side, the republicans just want to add tax cuts which obviously don't do anything because the people without jobs don't pay income tax anyways!!! Plus, trickle down has never really given sustained long term growth in the past.

This stimulus plan is no more than payoffs for President Obama's cronies. If this was a true stimulus plan why does it contain so much pork? If congress wanted to get the economy going they would cut business taxes from 35 percent to 20 percent. Provide incentive for companies to bring lost jobs back to the US. Reduce the taxes imposed on working Americans. Big tax and spend programs kept this county in the depression for many years longer than the rest of the world. The country should not be ran differently than we run our households. If I can't pay my bills I don't go and borrow money to buy a big screen tv. I buckle down cut some costs and save for that large purchase.

Saha, Lafia, Mave, Divalenti and Gonzo are all very American sounding names...like Obama...Hmmm

...the republican hypocrisy is mind blowing-- strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, they're so ashamed of the last eight years the only thing the GOP can agree on is to pout, stamp their feet and chant 'no we can't '.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW ANGRY AND DISGUSTED I AM WITH THESE HIPOCRITICAL OBSTRUCTUNIST NO GOOD REPUBLICAN IDIOTS. THEY WOULD RATHER THE PEOPLE SUFFER AND SUFFER SOME MORE IN
PUNISHMENT FOR VOTING FOR OBAMA ! DEMOCRATS UNITE AND SAVE US FROM THOSE NO GOOD RASCALS ! LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR ACTIONS
OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS PUT US IN THE DESPERATE SITUATION WE ARE IN
NOW. WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO ANYTHING THEY SUGGEST NOW ! C,MON
OBAMA ENOUGH WITH THE FEATHER , WACK THEM

Come on, people. Didn't congress show you enough when they doled out billions of your dollars to the morons on Wall Street who played the lead role in getting us into this mess? Look what happened to that money - big bonuses! Yay! Don't you remember last time those geniuses in congress had the "magical answer" to our country's recession problems? Remember how many hundreds of billions of dollars that magical answer cost us? It wasn't that long ago. And the first half that's been spent has done nothing except increase our national debt. Yeah, yeah. I know this plan is of a different flavor, but it's still being written by the same idiots who are trying very expensively to fix something that they don't understand how to fix. And their trying some BBQ pork to make it tasty enough to vote on - and it's dem flavored BBQ pork.

Thank God the republicans are there to block this spending spree.

Why does anyone beleive that an increase in federal goverment spending and the size of our federal goverment is the answer? What proof does anyone have that large goverments perform better than people and business who can freely associate? That central control is better? What did the Soviet Union economic model prove? Free markets work because they are the closest approximation to mother nature: chaos and survival of the fittest....sometimes brutal, cyclical, yet the most efficient system available. Recessions weed out the weak species, just like mother nature.

Both Dems and Reps have it wrong: goverment needs to be reduced, not expanded. The mess we are in was partially induced by goverment intervention in free markes....Fannie Mae.

Our current problems are cultural, not political. People, act your wage! Get yourself out of debt and demand that your goverment be fiscally responsible too! I don't need a Nanny Sate that is going to make everything all better: grow-up all you believers in goverment!

Obama has lost control of the idiots running the House and Senate. Pelosi and Reid have led Congress to a 9% approval rating with precisely this kind of hyperpartisan lardfest masquerading as 'stimulus.' Obama doesn't need the GOP to embarrass him: he's doing a fine job all by himself by kissing dictator @ss, appointing a gaggle of tax cheats to his cabinet, closing Gitmo yet continuing the 'illegal' rendition program, and now playing the fear card to get his way on this porkulus POS. Has a president ever f'ed up more in his first two weeks in office? Hillary has got to be licking her ample chops watching this amateur screw the pooch.

Shame on the fools who are blaming the Republicans. This bill is a disaster being foisted on the American people because of fools who didn't bother to learn history or seek out facts. Fools that wanted to feel good at any price, who judged on words not deeds. Folks who said associations don't matter and corruption isn't catching. Fools that elected Barack Obama. The Democratic congress has brought us here by forcing banks to lend to people that couldn't afford to borrow. They tried to protect themselves by packaging and selling those loans that they wouldn't have made except that they were forced by the Democratic agenda and threats of discrimination suits by ACORN and neighborhood organizers. The loans poisoned the entire financial world.

We will not solve these problems with the same level of thinking that got us into it. I am a moderate Republican and I actually know what Socialism is. Perhaps people should look it up before they toss the term around, Obama is not a Socialist.

I have a big wake up call for you, the people who pay nothing in taxes are the ones that currently receive free health care in this country. Also, chances are the people who support the bailout in general are the ones in a higher tax bracket, therefore they are the ones paying for it! Let it pass, construction jobs will not come back without it

The people's mandate should mean smart decisions are made with our tax dollars.The initial proposed closed door stimulus is a little stimulus and allot of wasteful spending that is going to laden taxpayers, our children and grandchildren with future tax payments for social programs and do little toward recovery. But those screaming the loudest for it's passage no doubt don't pay taxes and are looking for a handout.
For President Obama to tell others to follow like sheep because "I won" is arrogant.

I voted for Obama, and I think his and his fellow Democrats bill sucks. Bush and Wall Street might be to blame for the mess we are in, but this plan sucks. It doesn't address the issue of real estate that is at the heart of the problem, or the need for better (not new) regulation of banking and the stock market, and most definitely does not represent change which was Obama's central theme throughout his campaign. He might be saying that "we can't go back to the same worn-out ideas that led us here in the first place," but his ideas are not new either. Much of his plan revolves around ideas very similar to those from FDRs presidency which did not pull us out of the great depression. World War II did. FDRs programs did help us to a small degree until we got involved in World War II, and most definitely set the stage for great prosperity afterwards due to our infrastructure being built up so well, but it did not get us out of the Great Depression and Obama's plan will likewise not get us out of the mess we are in. Obama's plan will also not set the stage for prosperity since it is only repairing infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, that is facing less use after people cut down on their use of cars when gas went up to $4 and people then realized they can't go back to their old ways even though the price of gas went back down. He doesn't have anything in his plan for public transportation which more and more people are using, and what he does have in his plan for new or newer infrastructure is laughable. It's just more of the same old same old.

Jeff Black is no more a liberal than Tom Delay.

Well you could see that the republicans are still in the past they just can't move on its over for them and they have only one person to blame and thats BUSH he destroyed this country and he destroyed the republican party .

One of the quickest ways to fomate a feeling of vendication when you have been soundly defeated(as the Republican Party no doubt has) is to do what it takes to cause the victor to suffer and fail. Foot dragging and a spirit of uncooperative and vengeful lack of action is what we are seeing by the vanquished failing to support the first piece of legislation aimed by the President at solving the problem created by a glutenous and self serving group of 'legislators' who have had themselves hedged about and immune to and insulated from the suffering and struggle of the average American. A Republic is a country where the People rule, and a Republic will fall as certain as Rome fell when it placed the "haves" above the 'have nots"

Ironically, the majority of people that head the banks and Wall Street firms, starting with Bernie Madoff, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and working right down the list, were huge Obama contributors/supporters. The stink doesn't only come from one side on this problem. If Obama would actually create a cabinet that isn't comprised of tax cheats and lobbyists as he promised and provided leadership for a stimulus bill that created jobs and not just government paperwork, he'd probably see a lot more Bi-Partisan support. Change is about to be the 3 pennies you have left in your pocket after this piece of garbage is completed.

I am deeply concerned that the Economic Recovery Act, despite negotiated changes, will do little to stimulate economic growth in the private sector, nor stem the growing ranks of the unemployed.
Due to the lack of consumer demand, employers are reducing operational costs through massive layoffs creating a growing supply of unemployed workers.

If the problem with our economy is looked at as a market failure in the supply and demand for labor, the answer is fairly obvious. To be effective, an Economic Stimulus Plan should provide employers with incentives to hire, and disincentives to fire (or lay off ) workers, as a means for cutting costs.

This type of economic policy would require employers to find other ways to cut costs, such as salary reductions (negating the need for a bureaucratic salary cap).

Not only could this approach be easily implemented and immediately effective, it would also be far less costly, potentially even cost neutral, than the proposed spending plan.

The current Economic Recovery Act, provides just $20 billion, spread over 10 years, for “Business Tax Incentives to Create Jobs and Spur Investment". It does not provide any tax penalties or disincentives for layoffs.

If the plan included disincentives, the "economic cost" would depend on the balance between tax credits for hiring, and penalties for layoffs. If more employees were hired than laid off, the cost would be the difference between the tax credits and penalties.

I believe such a plan could get bipartisan support, since it would apply across the board to all sectors of the economy, and would require very little additional government expenditures.

Republicans are ridiculous. I am not sure it is possible to conduct reasonable and thoughtful discussions with the Re-butt-lickin party (anyways, as it exists today). I can understand the sentiment that wishes for a return to the days when honest ideological differences were hashed out without vitriole and bombast. But then again, it might simply be fanciful to pull off that sort of transfomation of the political landscape now. Maybe it is just too late. Dems won. Maybe they should just wipe the floor with GOP butt. I could be overly partisan here, but doesn't the GOP seem out of touch and obstinate?????

The democrats can pass this on their own. If this is so great, let them. They only want cover because they know that the American people are against this scam.

Only 16% of this package is scheduled to be spent in 2 years. Highway spending totals just 3% and investment in green industry totals a mere 2%, but only 1/7th of that will be spent in the next year. It also includes $400M on screening and prevention of STDs, $75M for smoking cessation plans, $870M in influenza outbreak preparation, $650M digital tv converter coupon program, $88M for a new coast guard ice-breaker, $248M for new furniture at Homeland Security Dept, $600M for federal employee hyrbrid cars, $246M tax break for Hollywood producers to buy films, $1B for the 2010 census, $650M for wildlands fire management, $850M for Amtrak... The list goes on, and on, and on.... Is any of that garbage going to stimulate the economy??? Is it any wonder that only 37% of the country likes this "stimulus" package?

I read or heard some place that 'There is nothing more important to a white man than being a white man". They way it looks, these senators ( the white ones) are not about to be out done by a black man whom the people elected to be President.
This is not about the stimulus. I hope the Republicans realize that if the President's plans works we all win!

I am one disappointed democrat. We are being looted. These politicans are no different than the people who smash windows and grab tv's during a blackout. They are "taking advantage of a crisis" as the chief of staff so perfectly said. The reason it needs to be passed so quickly is because it's a bag of garbage. It stinks more every day.

Pork Pork and more Pork, that is all these "stimulus" packages amount to. The amount of jobs that will be created will balance out the jobs that will be lost plus close to $1 trillion in debt. What happened to the free market? We are only prolonging the inevitable. More big government is not the answer. These gigantic spending bills are all Unconstitutional and are bringing our country to our knees. When the inflation hits in a few years, one days work will be worth a loaf a bread here in the US and the dollar will be worth paper. America needs to open there eyes and ears. It is time for a Revolution. Utube Congressman Ron Paul and watch a few videos.

Thank you, jeff black, for putting the best interests of the country above partisan politics. Those of you wanting the Republicans to just roll over and let the bill pass -- do you really have any idea what's in this monstrous pile of pork? Do you realize your children and grandchildren will get the bill for this 30% increase in federal spending?

Go to www.stimuluswatch.org or www.readthestimulus.org to see how your $900 billion will be spent.

With respect to Joseph's comments #6, in fact Rush Limbaugh, great guru of the great unwashed, did state -- and did repeat -- that he hoped for Obama to fail. And Mitch McConnell and John Boehner stated explicitly that they intend to sabotage the President and his plans and hopes for America. Senator Jon Kyl, the other Arizona senator, says that people who don't earn very much shouldn't get tax relief. (Just millionaires and billionaires, I guess.)

The Democrats' bill contains over 6 Billion dollars of construction money to improve housing and hospitals for members of our Armed Forces and to improve VA hospitals; it also contains money to help members of our Armed Forces who have been injured in the line of duty with their mortgages. I hope that the Republicans don't consider THAT pork. But then, there's a difference between supporting defense contractors and supporting our troops.

Talk about sore losers! And people who don't get it.

this bill is sick and fear and intimidation wont make americans vote for it. we are making our stance. chicago politics wont work this time. Democracy will reign and we the people will overcome this intimidation and the bill will either go up in smoke or bring down this administration. either way we the people will win.

I think what I am hearing here is half the problem. Don't blame the right wing for not wanting to waste hundreds of billions more on things that won't work. What, if we keep throwing money at these problems is our country going to be better off than people facing foreclosure? How about record national debt. No problem, right? Just let our grandchildren take care of it. Wow... Nobody will lend to the U.S. and we will run out of bullets. Think, please...

It's time for supporters of this Bill to march on Washington.

I'm seventy years old, married to one woman, my beautiful wife, for fifty one years.
I'm a retired science teacher, served my country in the U.S. Navy for over seven years. It only takes common sense to know you can't rob Peter to pay Paul. This stimulas package is wrong and I mean wrong. When I grew up in the South, lived in an old one room log cabin with no electrical power, no running water, and no bathroom and little to eat. I was white trash to many, but I thank God and give all thanks to Him for this great and wonderful conuntry, and any president who reduces our population by abortion hasn't read his Bible. WE NEED TO PRAY.

Nick, Joseph, and Mave....read this bill. Ask yourselves whether the line items contained therein would likely help create jobs in the near term. Please realize that a fair number of Democrats oppose the bill as it is currently written. Conservatives in both houses should be applauded for standing up against this. It doesn't help their standing with the public opinion polls (your comments I submit as evidence) but they are showing principled opposition to a bill that will hurt more than it will help. Put down the KoolAid and take off your Obama-colored sunglasses and READ THE BILL.

Cutting education out of the stimulus package is shameful! With the lost of tax dollars, many states have severe budget shortfalls and without this money will be forced to both layoff teachers and cutoff programs designed to help bring in new teachers, which would help stabilize and lower unemployment.

I can understand cutting out some of the "pork" in this bill, but don't they get it? I guess Republicans so want Obama to fail that they want our country to go through the 2nd Great Depression. I think without the education funding and help to states, this bill will be a failure and with it it stands a much greater chance of success.

Thank You Obama,

Your job to revamp the Government has taken the first step into the light of destroying FREEDOM everyone in this country believes in. Despite the election, YOU have managed to take a political stand in which the whole world is watching very closely. The HOUSE and SENATE Republicans have VOTED against this FAIL-OUT to bankrupt the USA and all of its FREE assets, to enslave future generations into a Socialist government in which there is NO repair. PLEASE keep up the VOTES AGAINST this economic disaster OBAMA and his Merry band of thugs and criminals and TAX evaders have proposed.
IF you vote for anything Obama wants, you are in turn, giving up the American Dream and the blood of Patriots who fought for the very Right to be free men.
Our forefathers bear the original torch by setting a minimalistic government to regulate and organize a system in which WE CAN BELIEVE what we put into, is what we get back.
Implement the FAIR TAX, let the people who VOTE YOU IN OFFICE, keep voting for the right to have something without the government stealing our money for things that do not exist only on paper to line the pockets of BIG GOVERNMENT and keep everyone thinking that WE OWE more than a lifetime of sorrow for picking this country to migrate to. Men and Women fight and die every day to support our constitution. The price is worthy if YOU DO YOUR JOBS and VOTE NO to this bailout.
The whole world is watching and the pathetic DemonCrats are going to make you look foolish if they pressure you to vote on something you know in your hearts WILL FAIL PERIOD.
Stand for something in your lives MORE than Yourselves and your egos. Remember when you were a nobody in college and how you formed your opinions and took a steady course toward capitalism and freedom of the American way of life and the pursuit of happiness. When you had nothing, YOU had nothing to lose...now that you have a voice in politics, FOR US, the people of the United States, SPEAK LOUDLY and VOTE NO NO NO....to Nancy Pe"lousy" and her liberal "chicken in every pot" democratic failed idea. Conservatism is NOT DEAD. I am afraid that this country is selling itself out and that what our forefathers believed in, is in your hands right now. God fearing men and women of this great Republican party...take true course and aim toward the hearts and minds of this next generation of Conservative Republicans and lets get this new party in order and not lose sight of what Obama stands for and how it will destroy this nation under God!!

GET TO WORK...and earn every dollar and honestly understand your very existence in office is because people research YOU and what YOU stand for and we vote YOU in to represent US in times of greatness and peril. Your word is BOURS!!!!

Very Respectfully,
Bradley David Shuppert, USN Retired