Comments on: What's in the $780 billion stimulus?

By: ttchaz

ttchaz — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:56:12 +0000

Chill out poeple. This is complicated.
Think before jumping on a political or emotional bandwagon.....
Alot of this stuff is stimulative if spent in the right way..
That's the question...will it be spent in the right way?
I am assuming the difference is tax cuts, which by the way don't help those without a job!

By: Ned

Ned — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:25:03 +0000

The President is desperate to get this liberal spending bill passed before the country realizes what is in it. This is really just a payback to the special interests that helped him get elected. He has resorted to hysterical fear rhetoric about the economy and that is making the economic situation worse. It is a shame that he is putting the special interests ahead of the best interests of the country...but he is not the first politian to do that.

By: Al Michaels

Al Michaels — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:30:30 +0000

Could CNN post the full list of items on the bill? I just finished reading it's 647 pages; every American should do the same.

There are items of pointless nature on the list that CNN is not telling us......WHY?

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:44:21 +0000

It 's to bad that that governors don't have a vote on the stimulus bill.According to Moody's,the quickest stimulus spending will come from states.(unemployment benefits,food stamps an infrastructure)Republican governors are President Obama's best ally rite now.They have to deal with our economic situation daily.Republican congressman and senators should take notice of this. *Dave

By: Eunice Tasser

Eunice Tasser — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:36:49 +0000

As a teacher in California who faces losing her job because California's gov't can't get a budget passed for the life of them, I'm holding my breath awaiting to see if this stimulus package gets passed. My small school district amongst every other in California is facing letting teachers go (increased class sizes), cutting music teachers, librarians, etc. It has really put a damper on our morale. All I want to do is go into work each day and give my students the best education they deserve, without having to worry if I will have my job next year.

As I read through this list, like many other readers, I too think..."What do they need all that money for?" However, the reality is is that if it saves jobs from being lost/creates future jobs then it's worth it. The Special Education Funding and Title I Funding will definitely save lots of teaching jobs, mine included. I'm tired of Education in this country taking a back seat, it's time to put our most valuable resource first.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:49:13 +0000

I have a question..WHY DO THE BANK CEOS STILL HAVE THEIR JOBS?
WHY NOT FIRE THEM AND USE THEIR SALARIES TO SAVE AMERICA'S JOBS?

By: Barry

Barry — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:07:49 +0000

Someone needs to Remind Mr. Obama that bragging about winning an election against a senior citizen is not bery smart. There is another one in just a little under 18months. Ask Bill Clinton how dangerous those mid term elections can be. If the peaple get fed up with the arregance and attitude of the democrats, thay could find themselves with another Republican congress. The popularity for this Stimulas Package is weak, Mr. Obama #'s are also on the down swing. Mr. Obama, a word of advice. LISTEN TO THE PEAPLE NOT NANCY POLOSA, HARRY REED. THEY ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE FOR PRESIDENT. A registered Independent

By: Joe Keller

Joe Keller — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:47:06 +0000

As a non working/retired senior citizen, I am interested in knowing if there is anything in the latest Senate version of Stimulus Package that pertains to my situation?

By: bryan

bryan — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:43:09 +0000

Looks like Ron Paul was right all along.

By: Joe Keller

Joe Keller — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:42:40 +0000

Is there anything in the current stimulus in the Senate to benefit non working/retired senior citizens?

By: Roberta McNemar

Roberta McNemar — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:39:55 +0000

Can the money previously approved for the financial institutions be used to get help for people unemployed, losing homes, etc? What is in the stimulus bill for people on social security like me? Will I get a check or will it show up in the monthly check or what? Where can we see the entire plan on the internet to see what affects each of us?

By: Rick G., Brunswick, GA

Rick G., Brunswick, GA — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:37:23 +0000

What! Cut enery efficient federal buidlings! I work in a federal building that is probably the worst energy efficient building I have ever seen. AIr conditioning running during the winter and heaters running during the summer.

By: Robert McKissick

Robert McKissick — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:33:34 +0000

I have been trying to get Countrywide six months to lower the interest rate they raised to 10%...going to lose my home. Wonderful...they are offering 15k for new homeowners to buy my home...great country we live in.

Someday....all this sh..t is going to end...someone / group is going to have to do something..

Getting tired of all of this..

By: Sam Elam

Sam Elam — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:16:47 +0000

Stimuls = Consumer & Business Spending ONLY

Car purchases = 3000.00 tax Credit for new cars > 20mpg

New home buyers = 10,000.00 tax deduction the 1st year.

Energy Saving Home Improvements = 33% tax deduction (wind solar, geothermal)

Energy Saving Appliance purchases = 20% tax deduction (Energy Star Qualified)

These are things that provide an INSTANT POP to the economy
Tax Credits dont work becauce people will either save it or pay off old bills

By: Ken Deal

Ken Deal — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:11:46 +0000

The current package is at best, a bandaid! While I understand we need to help those loosing their jobs, but If we don't fix what caused the problems in the first place, we are only prolonging the ultimate collapse of the economic future of Americans. While the "Buy American" provision of the Bill was wattered down, I'd like to see a provision that proibits outsourcing any of this money overseas. What good does it do out-of-work Americans to create or support jobs overseas (like manufacturing Solar collectors).

I'm sorry Corporate America, but it's time to put Americans first and profits second!

By: pblasini

pblasini — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:08:08 +0000

Are all of the current 3.6 million unemployed construction workers, bridge builders, and pit diggers or are they IT workers, teachers, sales people, clerical workers and analysts? How will spending on rebuilding infrastructure stimulate this economy and provide jobs for them?

This seems to be about the government spending my money; whatever little there is left...Margaret Thatcher was supposed to have said "The problem with socialism is that eventually the spenders run out of someone else's money". In 5 years, when they raise taxes for the middle class to repay this debt, where will that money come from?

BTW, the middle class isn't spending because folks have wracked up more than $3 Trillion in debt and the banks charge almost 29% interest. Do you wonder why people are using whatever $$ they get to pay off their debt?

By: Joe from Suffolk county

Joe from Suffolk county — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:06:55 +0000

OK, where is the rest of the money going ? This list only represents about 1/3rd of the money. Most of the items on the list DO NOT help the individual or family directly. It looks like the major stimulus promises were removed. Also – is there direct oversight on how the moneys are spent ? Like money going to the states for one Stimulus purpose and then being used for another.

By: Kristina Turner

Kristina Turner — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:56:01 +0000

As much as I hate to admit it, there's some truth to what the republicans are saying – this is not an economic stimulus bill! This bill should really be split into two bills: an economic stimulus bill and a safety-net for the unemployed and poor bill. I may want to see increased health care and education spending, but not sneaked in as 'economic stimulus.' It feels like a sham. Let's call things what they are and prioritize appropriately.

By: Q.

Q. — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:46:40 +0000

I have notice the GOP only care about the rich; they are trying to push there agenda for the wealthy. If I was a millionaire, I would enjoy all the tax cuts I can get. I just assume the wealthy had a tax with the Bush stimulus package (wasn’t that supposed to have create jobs for middle class America. The rich just took the money and ran; lay off the middle class). If you are going to have tax cut it should be for the middle class. Middle class Americans are just searching for work so they can take care of there families; did the GOP get the memo. We already gave to the rich (Bush stimulus package; focus on middle class Americans please GOP). Anything is worth a shot. The GOP does not care about middle class America (how many times I have to say it). How can you make changes and not agree with the changes you made (GOP is just making excuses so they wouldn’t have to give to the middle class Americans). My question is when it comes to giving back to the middle class, why isn’t the GOP on board with that? They are only on board when it comes to giving to the rich (Wall Street, Bush stimulus package). They only come together when President Obama wanted to giving back to the middle class. For the past eight years we gave back to the rich and see what happen.

By: Gwendolyn Stewart Jeffery

Gwendolyn Stewart Jeffery — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:38:49 +0000

Hi,
I am writing about the stimulus deal. What about individuals like myself whom are widowers with several mortgages? I have had three homes forclosed since my husband's death, and in the process of having the home that my children and I reside in to foreclose. What about the bail out for me? I tried to refinace the mortgages, but I was told that due to the prior foreclosures that I cannot. How am I to keep my home? The banks received billions for top executives but no bank will assist me. I am a tax payer as well. Who is going to help me? What am I to do? Your prompt answers and or solutions are greatly appreciated. Or is this another ploy to give the rich and take from hard worker like myself.