Aren't we already severely in debt? Where is this "economic stimulus" coming from?

God this whole system is completely ridiculous. Deliver us from ignorance.

Sent by Jody Sol | 2:47 PM ET | 01-18-2008

1-45, do I hear 1-50?
1-45, do I hear 1-50?

1-50, 1-50, going once!
1-50 going twice?
Do I hear a bid for 1-50?

Sent by Harold | 3:14 PM ET | 01-18-2008

1971-2008 Ron Paul :KEEP THE GOVERMENT OUT OF OUR BUSINESS, LET THE MARKET DECIDE.DON'T PRINT MONEY OUT OF THIN AIR TO SUPPLY THE MARKET WHILE YOU ARE IN DEBT.

Sent by resimc | 6:08 PM ET | 01-18-2008

A tax rebate is only a placebo for the ills of the economy designed to buy votes. Contrary to what the media is saying, the issue is not the housing crisis, that is only a symptom of greater problems. The issue is the cost of energy. For several years we have been paying more and more to heat or cool our homes, transport goods to and from markets, provide transportation to and from work. Like the frog in a pot of slowly heating water, we have not jumped out.

A true stimulus package would include a roll back of tax breaks for petroleum producers, a 2 yr cap on energy costs at year 2000 levels, a charge back to the petroleum producers to recoup the excess profits that they have made by wiping out American savings accounts.

The money recovered would be used for grants to citizens for retrofitting their homes to alternative energy sources, to alternative energy manufacturers to increase production of materials and keep the prices down while increasing employment across the sector. In addition, futures trading on fossil fuels would be prohibitied in the US and imports from foreign producers that trade in energy futures would be prohibitied.

At the end of the 2 year cap period, energy prices would again be allowed to float on the world market, but the demand for fossil fuels would be greatly curtailed, and issues of global warming would be addressed.

To paraphrase Mr. Clinton: It's energy, stupid!

Sent by Max Soucia | 9:23 AM ET | 01-19-2008

No matter how much money is put towards economic relief it just will not do the job. People who can't make there mortgage payments and car payments and credit card payments will all have sub par credit which in turn if you are not making any money along with that poor credit will not be able to get loans from financial institutions that are in peril.
We are at this time in the worst economic down turn in history! Credit scores will have to be relaxed and proof of income will have to be verified this will be the only way to stimulate the economy. But will the financial institutions trust enough people to lend
money to millions who have lost homes cars and credit cards. The question is how do you lend money to people that our not credit worthy? We have millions of Americans who have lost there homes. So how is the stimulus package from the government going to work? The government is talking about giving the sum of about $500.00 per person. Believe me that won't help me. If my credit has been ruined how can I buy a car a home anything! More will have to been done!

For example I could invite a hungry family to my home and feed them for thirty days as part of a food stimulus package but what happens to them after that? they still have to eat. The stimulus package isn't going to work. In very simple terms what the government is doing is putting the economy on life support and everyone knows what happens when life support is turned off_____________________________________

Sent by Jon Good | 9:57 AM ET | 01-19-2008

Don't give fish to the hungry. Teach them to fish. We have lost many jobs: manufacturing, tech, outsourced, real estate related. We need good paying jobs.

I say use that money and think outside the box. Perhaps an incentive to businesses who employ U.S. workers and keep jobs here.

Or perhaps allowing anyone who wishes job retraining or furthering their education to get a better job, that they be allowed to write it all off on their taxes, not just the interest, their entire education.

Education is expensive, but essential to compete in the world. This would not be a grant or free money. You would still have to pay for it, but having it be a write off would be an incentive. People would consider not dropping out and being a drag on society.

Help people help themselves. This stimulus package is an expensive short fix. We need long-term assistance.

Basically the government is saying it's ok to be unemployed. We'll extend it and give you food stamps and some money. And then?!!? Have it be next year's problem?

Don't enable the crippled and wheel them around. Teach them to walk, physical therapy. Whatever analogies.

Sent by Josephine Piarulli | 12:00 PM ET | 01-20-2008

Why is it that if you are a married couple and the wife dosent work ? Does that mean she gets nothing ?That the working husband ,will get the 800.00 and the wife gets 0 because she dosent work .The couple should get the 1600.00.
Last time they did that it was 300.00 for the working man and the wife got the shaft. The wife and husband file jointly on the return,so they should get the full 1600.00.

Sent by Pat | 5:42 AM ET | 01-21-2008

"The Economic Stimulus Package ??? Smoke, Mirrors and More Pandering"

Almost every time the federal government decides to ???help??? the taxpayers of America, I am reminded of the words of former President Reagan who said: ???Some of the most terrifying words in the English language are I'm from the government and I'm here to help.??? When it comes to the sub-prime mortgage crisis, no truer words could have been spoken for it was the government???s intervention into the mortgage industry that actually led to the sub-prime mortgage crises. Through revised regulations and guidelines, threats of lawsuits and anti-discrimination legislation, the federal government encouraged and even forced the mortgage industry to loan money to people with bad credit histories and who never should have been approved for mortgages in the first place. Many of these borrowers were getting 100% to 105% loan to value mortgages. The result of all this government ???help??? was that many of these people eventually defaulted on their loans, which was not a surprise to anyone in the industry.

Now, the federal government is turning its sights to the US economy. When the $150 Billion dollar Economic Stimulus Package was originally proposed, Americans were told that individual ???Taxpayers??? would be getting tax rebates of up to $800 and married couple ???Taxpayers??? would get rebates of up to $1,600. The cost would be around $100 Billion dollars. Another $50 Billion dollars was to go to businesses to allow them to deduct 50 percent of the costs of purchases of new equipment. Giving a tax rebate to individual and business ???Taxpayers??? so they could keep more of their money is not necessarily a bad thing, although tax cuts would be a better way to stimulate the economy.

In the grand tradition of our federal elected officials pandering to special interest groups and trying to buy votes in an election year, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have agreed to take approximately $28 billion (28%) of the $100 Billion dollar tax rebates originally designated to be given to ???Taxpayers??? and give it people who did not pay any taxes. How can a tax rebate be given to people who never paid taxes? It???s easy, particularly when career politicians are more interested in getting reelected than looking out for the American taxpayer, and when they are the ones designing the program.

Fortunately, for the non-taxpaying people receiving the tax rebates, these rebates will be a gift, not from the government, but from other ???Taxpayers??? in America. There will be no tax implications for this group of people because they pay no taxes. Unfortunately for the average American ???Taxpayers,??? the tax rebates will not be a gift from the government. American ???Taxpayers??? who receive the tax rebates in 2008 will have to report the money they receive as income on their 2008 tax returns and pay taxes it. How's that for fairness.

This $150 Billion dollar government give-away will not create jobs, offer any real tax relief to middle class ???Taxpayers,??? nor help revive a sluggish economy. What it will do, however, is allow members of congress to ???buy votes??? with the taxpayers money.

Although the current proposed House Bill has been estimated to cost American ???Taxpayers??? about $150 Billion Dollars, just wait until the Senators get their hands on it in an election year. Senate Republicans and Democrats are already looking to add the following to their version of the bill: $800 million in heating assistance for the poor, $12.5 billion for an extension of unemployment benefits, $5 billion more in food-stamp extensions, money for low-income retirees who are left out of the House plan and hundreds of millions of dollars for mortgage counselors. Most likely, by the time the Senate gets through with their version of ???pandering to the voters???, the cost of this whole program will be closer to $200 Billion dollars. That???s $200 Billion dollars that America doesn???t have. That???s $200 Billion dollars in more government IOU???s that some foreign country will buy, thereby increasing our national debt way above the 9+ Trillion dollars we already owe.

In contrast, cutting overall tax rates would provide the best economic stimulus, because reduced taxes provide the incentive for entrepreneurs to create jobs and pursue new business ventures. This is how prosperity is created. President Kennedy, President Reagan and President Bush fought for tax cuts soon after taking office. History has proven that when taxes are reduced, total tax revenues increase.
The Bush tax cuts are now set to expire in 2010. The combined cuts are projected to save taxpayers $1.7 trillion over ten years. Reducing tax rates, whether individual or corporate, encourages people to invest in new equipment, plants, technology and hiring of employees, and they also motivate people to work more, create more and take more chances on new ideas. Over both the short-term and the long-term, reduced taxation is the best way to strengthen the economy and create wealth. Government interference and handouts never work.

Sent by John Wallace | 4:00 PM ET | 01-30-2008