The American people are facing yet another stimulus package. To a lot of us, it means higher taxes. To some of us, it means absolutely nothing at all. Whatever it means to us individually, the fact still remains that the main headline on every news network is this new stimulus package from President Obama.
In his first words to the country, Obama brought about a message of bipartisan politics, meaning that, in America, differences of opinion should not hinder us from doing the right thing. But, as voting for this new stimulus package draws near, Republicans and some conservative Democrats seem to be pulling the same things that we have seen for the past eight years. The President himself has even scheduled a trip to Capitol Hill to muster support for the package. But Republicans seem as embattled as ever against this package passing. They still seem to be quoting the age old adage that tax cuts stimulate the economy and low interest rates get people to buy more. Normally, I would agree, but how much is too much? The interest rates that the Fed can effectively cut are reportedly closing in on zero. Also, as people rapidly lose their jobs, such as the 40,000 reported on the Jan. 26, they have no money to spend or receive that would allow for them to see the benefits of those tax cuts.
It would seem that the only answer to spending our way out of this mess is to increase government spending on public works and infrastructure to create jobs. This is the basis of President Obama’s plan. It is estimated that the government would spend anywhere from $100,000 to $275,000 per job that would be created. That is a huge sum of money when you look at the fact that the package proposes to create three million jobs over the next two years. When you take a quick look at it, Obama’s stimulus package seems to be the best thing we have seen in eight years. This raises the question “What in the heck are the Republicans thinking?”
Well, let’s look at it for what it is. The Republicans in Congress represent hard working Americans just like their Democratic counterparts. The Congressmen have raised several questions about the stimulus package, and that would lead us to believe that there are many Americans asking the same questions since the Congressmen are elected to represent their constituency. Why should these Congressmen not have their questions answered?
Obama won, I get it, you get it, and we all get it. That doesn’t mean that he just gets to do what he wants. He should have to answer the tough questions, and make compromises if need be. At the end of the day, we should be working for the betterment of all Americans, not just the majority who won the election. I may not agree with all of the controversy that Republicans are causing on the hill, but I will defend to the death their right to do so. Opposing ideas sometimes make a plan better, and sometimes they only make your argument that much more solid. I encourage all not to just dismiss the arguments and questions of Republicans as the rumblings of a defeated party, but instead to listen intently. They are also a part of this melting pot called “America”. Let’s accept the charge of our new President and move towards bipartisanship on both sides. In the words of the 44th President, “For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.”