I read the following quotation in a CNN article entitled: Are you ready for the future?
“The future of the human race is too important to leave to politicians and corporations,” says Reed. “A scientifically educated global population will help us focus on the truly important problems, such as energy – arguably the most important crisis we as a species will face – instead of wasting efforts on petty squabbles for short term economic and political gain.”
From this quotation, I began to think of the article I read yesterday regarding Obama’s new economic stimulus proposal.
Before I continue, let me say that I try to craft my opinions as an objective analysis based on facts and strategy not on party or individual allegiance. Capiche?
With this said, here are a few questions and concerns I have:
1. What is the purpose of this stimulus package? Is it because we need more money to run properly running and efficient programs, or do we need smarter budgeting and the elimination of wasteful spending?
2. Where is the money coming from? How many of us are aware of the financial control foreign countries have over the U.S. because of the amount we have borrowed and owe. Do we want to let other countries have this type of control over our economy? Could this situation actually be good for our country?
3. Obama wants to unite the Democrats and Republicans… All House Republicans voted against Obama’s stimulus bill – this is a problem. Additionally, Senate Democrats don’t have a filibuster-proof majority – this is also a problem.
This analysis is barely skimming the surface of the entirely of the situation, but what do you guys think? Yay? Nay? Thoughts? Facts? Opinions? Ideas? Solutions?
In terms of #1, is the money we’re giving these companies going to be used more effectively than the money they earned on their own? Part of me feels that the companies should just go in to bankruptcy and figure their stuff out. Or, if the government is going to give them this money, it should have some say in how things are run for the short-term future. Frustrating that we’re giving money to managers who couldn’t take care of business.
I think it is unfortunate that congressmen and congresswomen are taking advantage of the federal system to attach bills to the stimulus bill so they can promote their pet projects (pork barel).
This is not surprising since in the last couple weeks we saw the new secretary of treasury, Tim Geithner,who is in charge of the IRS, who “forgot” to pay his taxes. Also the new nominee for secretary of health, and human services, Tom Daschle,who also forgot to pay his taxes. Not to mention governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico who withdrew his nomination for secretary of Comerce, because he is under some sort of investigation to do with money matters.
There is one standard for politicians and another one for the rest of us.