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Final Stimulus Bill Must Be Better Than What House Passed

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 30, 2009

There's little doubt that the economic stimulus plan that made it through the U.S. House Wednesday will barely be recognizable after the U.S. Senate gets through with it. That's great news, because there's plenty to dislike in what the House passed. We hope before the bill goes to President Obama, it's a much better plan.

The House stimulus plan has plenty of good stuff in it, but it also has plenty of pork that will do little to stimulate the economy. Money for the National Endowment for the Arts needs to be removed, as well as re-sodding the National Mall and other expenditures that don't pass the smell test of most Americans.

Republicans voted against the House bill as did a few Democrats, but it still passed. It now moves to the Senate before both Houses haggle over final wording.

It's amusing to watch Republicans act indignant over the bill, considering the money they've wasted for their own special interests the last eight years. And they keep up with their mantra to cut taxes on just about everyone and every thing, even though we're running massive deficits.

House versions of bills always are full of all kinds of silly stuff. With so many members and points of view, and representatives facing re-election every two years, it's something like a preschool. The Senate, on the other hand, is supposedly more collegial, deeper thinkers and more sensible. It's where a lot of nonsense is either stopped or at least tamed. That's often the case, thank goodness.

Obama needs to make it known right now, before the Senate even considers the House bill, that the most controversial parts of the bill need to be removed. Any stimulus plan has to make sense to an average American. Wasteful spending into government bureaucracy does not stimulate the economy, it only makes politicians feel all warm and fuzzy.

Every dollar spent must be targeted for putting people to work, protecting people who have lost jobs and getting businesses going again. Forget pet projects of Democrats and Republicans, this is only about one thing - the economy. Fix that and everything else takes care of itself.

Tax cuts for middle income folks will put more money into the economy. The same isn't true of other tax cuts. It might make wealthy GOP contributors happy, but trickle down economics doesn't work. That's been proven every time it's been enacted. The rich just get richer and we have to bring in revenue as best we can to pay the bills. But even conservative and liberal economists agree that right now we must deficit spend to get out of this mess. Still, we must be responsible with the money we spend.

Obama will never get a perfect stimulus plan, but he can get something much better than the House sent to the Senate. It won't please everyone and critics will love to point out every flaw, but a better plan can and will make a difference. All that's needed is common sense and determination to keep politics out of this bill as much as possible.

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