News 2 Me

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29179041

Less than a month on the job, President Obama finally has the stimulus bill he believes will help the nation. It did not come without many compromises and dealings across party lines, and even then most Republicans fought against it. The vote in the Senate was 60-38. Three Republicans supported the bill. Even then, it took the vote of late-arriving Senator Sherrod Brown, whose mother had passed away recently, to get that final vote. In the House, the vote was 246-183. All the Republicans opposed it, and were joined by seven Democrats. Nevertheless, Obama has his way.

Time will tell if this bill works. I agree with many of the Republicans, so much spending makes me uneasy. Money does not appear out of thin air, and even if you print more, there are consequences. Besides that, too much spending without enough incoming revenue may leave the nation struggling if a huge catastrophe occurs. Terrorists do not stay quiet for long. And lastly, should the bill fail to really make jobs and stabilize the economy, the problem may have just gotten worse for the federal budget. Of course, we who pay taxes will really feel it then. Still, best of luck to President Obama.

No vote has been made yet, so do not bring out the party hats too soon. According to reports, however, the hard work and negotiations of certain Democrats has succeeded in winning over enough Republicans to pass the bill. A lot of compromises and cuts had to be made to get there. The $827 billion bill should still go a long way in an attempt to aid the economy. The bad news of unemployment rates rising and banks closing must have added an extra kick to some people to work harder, and others to have let their heart soften. The national unemployment rate is at 7.6 percent, and the number of banks that have failed this year is at nine. We are not exactly in mid-May, last time I checked a calendar. These are some pretty scary figures that could push anyone to action.

This has to be seen as a great victory for President Obama, if I am not speaking too prematurely. There are many hard Republicans out there, and they were ready with a brick wall. Negotiations between parties was key and it looks to be successful. This may be another sign of the nation continuing to come together when it is really needed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28931648/

It was obvious that certain things could spell the demise of President Obama’s recovery plan, and that is beyond Republicans. I was thinking about somewhat unpredictable elements, such as more terrorist attacks, infrastructure failures, or how about just nature? Several states still need help after terrible storms hit last week. Kentucky needs aid faster, as costs go beyond $45 million. The National Guard is working continuously to help these people. Many cities and counties have declared a state of emergency already. The federal government has helped, but can they manage to do more?

I know that the economic financial crisis is not directly connected to the financial issues involved here, but if you look at everything in the larger picture, this issue can have huge effects in other areas. President Obama must devote time and thought to these states, as well as many of his aids. Money must be used to get all these things done to help the powerless. This is a test of keeping priorities straight and knowing your resources. Many will say that this is no big deal, and that the country can afford to help the few states that need help and get the the economic recovery package out there. And will these people say that for every disaster that comes along? It all adds up.