Slow down ‘stimulus’

Dear Sen. Claire McCaskill,
 
If it is not too much to ask, have you had the opportunity yet to read the $787 billion stimulus bill?
 
If so, may I offer a humble suggestion? Could you and your colleagues revisit and eliminate the items in this bill that are not stimulating and will not stimulate the economy any time soon?

 Perhaps you and your fellow senators can then use this (our) money to offer taxpayers some real stimulation, such as a payroll tax reduction. This should be very easy to draft and require almost no time to read and understand. Even we hayseeds out here should be able to grasp this.
 
Most important, it will actually put money directly back into the economy from the minimum wage earner on up. I know it sounds almost too simple.

James McNeive 
Kansas City

Does anyone besides me think it might be wise for us to wait and see if the $787 billion stimulus package creates any jobs and helps improve our economy before we spend billions more on cap and trade and nationalized health-care programs? Taxation for these initiatives can only further financially oppress Americans at a time when unemployment is at its highest in 26 years.

Also, members of Congress need to take lots of time to read these bills thoroughly so they know what’s in them, and “we the people” need to see them as well.

President Obama promised transparency. Where has it been? The administration needs to slow down and take a breath between agendas.

Barb Hugunin
Lee’s Summit 

Comments

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

$3k tax break for every new employee? How generous.

[Casady]

True Roger. Skeptical but cautiously optimistic was my general attitude. Unlike all you guys who do nothing but whine about an Adminstration that you (nor I) did not vote for, I try to look for the positive.

BTW, when did ATT become a liberal interest group?
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/14/news/companies/att_stimulus/index.htm

They are not alone by the way. Seems pretty smart to me. Like I mentioned in my comments to Jeanette, it's not too wise to let your politics get in the way of business. You miss a lot of opportunity that way.

[Roger Lambert]

Cassady, but I do recall that you were skeptical but argued that unless there were a better plan in place we should support the Stimulus Bill as written. I don't think, particularly, that it was even designed to stimulate the economy. If it were, it would have spent far more money up front and given people actual money to spend of the things they most desperately needed.

The bill was, in short, a giant, inefficient, wasteful payoff to liberal interest groups, all financed with borrowed money. We got screwed.

[Casady]

"In any case, the KSDog and Cassady "stimulus" bill doesn't seem to be working quite as well as expected."

Agreed Roger. I had a feeling that would be the case and I also agree that it should have been heavier on tax breaks although I'm not even sure that would have helped given how the May '08 tax stimulus had little impact. Nevertheless, I'm just pointing out that most anyone can use the Stimulus plan to their advantage if they look deep enough.

[jeanette]

Cassady, I never said there were no tax breaks for small businesses in the stimulus bill.
We did look into several different options. We did not qualify for any of the grant money, so we looked into an ARC loan. As of two weeks ago when we checked with our financial advisor, all of the rules and qualifications for the ARC loan had not yet been finalized.
We're trying to make it through without having to borrow any more money. You borrow too much and even the government can't help you get out of trouble.

[Roger Lambert]

How about no meaningful tax breaks? In any case, the KSDog and Cassady "stimulus" bill doesn't seem to be working quite as well as expected.

Obama promised unemployment wouldn't rise about 8 percent. Well, looks like that flew out the window.

[Casady]

"That's just great, but what if your business doesn't have the money to invest in new equipment?"

Not to be a wise ass Jeanette but couldn't you have gone after some stimulus money if you are in such dire need of working capital? Did you even look into it? Surely there was some program covered by the bill that would have qualified your business to receive funds. I learned a long time ago that one shouldn't let their politics influence their business decisions. You rule out 50% of your options that way.

As for your contention that there were not tax breaks for businesses, wasn't there a provision for a $3K tax break for every new employee or did that not make it into the bill? Nevertheless, I'm not sure it helps your case when you say there weren't any tax breaks included in the bill, then scoff when your statement is proven incorrect just because they were tax breaks that you could not use to your advantage.

[jeanette]

Besides, Kansasdog, my reply was about taxing rich people not tax breaks for small businesses.

[jeanette]

More depreciation deductions. That's just great, but what if your business doesn't have the money to invest in new equipment? Our business is hanging on by a thread and we don't have an extra dime for anything right now let alone new vehicles or equipment. A lot of small businesses are in the same situation.

[Kansasdog]

jeannete, three clicks resulted in....

http://www.smsmallbiz.com/taxes/4_Stimulus_Plan_Tax_Perks_for_Businesses.html

... maybe a little more investigating before typing is in order

[jeanette]

There's no tax cut for the people who start businesses, hire people and meet payrolls. Yes, I mean rich people. They are usually the people that do all those things.

[Kansasdog]

when is a $145 billion tax cut not a tax cut?

[Jim]

"Perhaps you and your fellow senators can then use this (our) money to offer taxpayers some real stimulation, such as a payroll tax reduction."

"James, James, you have used the two most sigificant swear words in the Democrat lexicon, "tax cut"."

The stimulus bill contained one of the largest tax cuts in history, which Republicans voted against. Prof. IggyT got it wrong again. Surprise surprise!!

[Kee]

James, James, you have used the two most sigificant swear words in the Democrat lexicon, "tax cut". Won't happen buddy till we toss them out, again.

[Casady]

"Does anyone besides me think it might be wise for us to wait and see if the $787 billion stimulus package creates any jobs and helps improve our economy before we spend billions more on cap and trade and nationalized health-care programs?"

I'll go along with that. I also do not consider it very prudent to futher run up deficits with Health Care and Cap and Trade legislation when we are already coping with a $1.6T deficit from the TARP and Stimulus Package bills, especially at a time of tight credit markets. My fear is that continued reliance on deficit financing will lead to a crowding out effect where the private sector will now have a harder time raising capital as a result of larger borrowing requirements on behalf of the federal government. However from a political perspective, I can see why one in favor of cap and trade and health care legislation would want to push the legislation through as soon as possible. Chances are that, if they waited a year or two, they would not have the political capital to do so.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

You don't a deadbeat Senator/lawyer believes we the people can make the best decisions for us? These clowns can't even waste money correctly. The stimulus was and is a joke, it has done nothing to spark consumers spending or help stimulate private industry that provides jobs.
You can try applying for a job at your local Social Services office or Planned Parenthood or some other deadbeat government agency.