2008 Woodie Awards
To the point
Will the stimulus plan really help the economy?
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Opinions
Aaron Swenson
YES
Nobody has a problem with receiving free money.
There is always a reason why we could use just a little more cash. The stimulus plan gives us the freedom to have a little extra cash on hand. The ways in which you can spend the free money are endless.
Some people can go by themselves a new suit for future job interviews, which puts money into the economy, while also getting yourself employed, which pays you even more money.
Some people say they would put the money in savings, so it can collect interest, which does not do anything for the economy.
This is something that not many people will do.
How much interest can you actually gain on $600 with an interest rate in the 3 to 4 percent ball park?
You will not see substantial gains on your savings account.
People already have money tied up in savings, 401k's and the stock market, so they would be more inclined to spend the money on something fun.
What do people do with their tax refund?
Go for a fun night on the town.
Take a trip. You name it, the majority of people will be financially responsible with this free money.
Who cares where the money goes. It is going into our economy, which is where this country is hurting the worst at this point in time.
Andy Downs
NO
I'm going to enjoy my upwards of $600 just as much as the next guy, but is it really going to be effective in keeping our economy above the recession line?
Some say the ship has already sunk and we've already gone under. So the economy is doomed, but doesn't this sort of thing naturally happen every so often anyway? Like herpes, recessions sneak up on us and make things miserable for a little while. And like Valtrex, this economic stimulus plan only temporarily treats the problem, but doesn't cure the disease.
Sixty-one percent of Americans believe the country is in a recession, the first since 2001. But then again, 61 percent is 10 percent more than the amount of people who voted for Bush in 2004, so that just goes to say more than half of the country doesn't know what the hell they are talking about.
Regardless, the House and Senate both passed this $152 billion with haste, and Bush says he'll sign the "robust" package Wednesday. Independent, low-income single folks will receive checks of up to $600 and couples will take up to double that in as soon as a couple months.
The master scheme is to fork out this dough, hope that we boost the economy by spending it on TVs and cars and material items to make us look like even bigger jackasses to the rest of the world.
There's nothing like teaching fiscal responsibility to the country by giving us money to blow on things we don't need. We already have the largest debt ever, so what will another $152 billion hurt?
With Bush's lackluster spending and investing record, this plan and the economy are soon to join the president's approval rating at the bottom of the ocean.
YES
Nobody has a problem with receiving free money.
There is always a reason why we could use just a little more cash. The stimulus plan gives us the freedom to have a little extra cash on hand. The ways in which you can spend the free money are endless.
Some people can go by themselves a new suit for future job interviews, which puts money into the economy, while also getting yourself employed, which pays you even more money.
Some people say they would put the money in savings, so it can collect interest, which does not do anything for the economy.
This is something that not many people will do.
How much interest can you actually gain on $600 with an interest rate in the 3 to 4 percent ball park?
You will not see substantial gains on your savings account.
People already have money tied up in savings, 401k's and the stock market, so they would be more inclined to spend the money on something fun.
What do people do with their tax refund?
Go for a fun night on the town.
Take a trip. You name it, the majority of people will be financially responsible with this free money.
Who cares where the money goes. It is going into our economy, which is where this country is hurting the worst at this point in time.
Andy Downs
NO
I'm going to enjoy my upwards of $600 just as much as the next guy, but is it really going to be effective in keeping our economy above the recession line?
Some say the ship has already sunk and we've already gone under. So the economy is doomed, but doesn't this sort of thing naturally happen every so often anyway? Like herpes, recessions sneak up on us and make things miserable for a little while. And like Valtrex, this economic stimulus plan only temporarily treats the problem, but doesn't cure the disease.
Sixty-one percent of Americans believe the country is in a recession, the first since 2001. But then again, 61 percent is 10 percent more than the amount of people who voted for Bush in 2004, so that just goes to say more than half of the country doesn't know what the hell they are talking about.
Regardless, the House and Senate both passed this $152 billion with haste, and Bush says he'll sign the "robust" package Wednesday. Independent, low-income single folks will receive checks of up to $600 and couples will take up to double that in as soon as a couple months.
The master scheme is to fork out this dough, hope that we boost the economy by spending it on TVs and cars and material items to make us look like even bigger jackasses to the rest of the world.
There's nothing like teaching fiscal responsibility to the country by giving us money to blow on things we don't need. We already have the largest debt ever, so what will another $152 billion hurt?
With Bush's lackluster spending and investing record, this plan and the economy are soon to join the president's approval rating at the bottom of the ocean.