Nothing Like a Little Stimulation

It's Sunday night.  Like many Americans, I like to spend my Sunday nights relaxing and tonight is no exception.  I write this while I am relaxing on my couch watching the Grammy Awards.  However, my thoughts, like those of many citizens, are on the economy and the fact that we are experiencing an economic downturn unlike any in recent years.  Much of the recent talk with regard to the economy has focused on the stimulus package that Congress is debating.  One thing that is very clear to me is that Congress needs to pass a stimulus package.  History has shown that in times of great economic trouble an active government is necessary to get the country moving again (think F.D.R. and the New Deal).  Much of what is contained in the current stimulus plan (both the House and Senate versions) is directly related to job creation and putting people back to work.  However, what I am opposed to is spending in any stimulus plan that is "pork" spending.  This is not a time to advance an agenda--this is a time to get the economy back on track.  I commend President Obama for meeting with Republicans and am dismayed that getting some type of stimulus plan passed seems to be so difficult.  The Republican opposition to the stimulus plan was largely based on the belief that there were not enough tax cuts in the plan.  However, this is the basic flaw with Republican economic policies.  Tax cuts alone are not the answer.  If tax cuts worked, we wouldn't be in this economic mess.  What is needed is a combination of tax cuts combined with spending to foster job creation.  Let's pass some type of stimulus and get this country moving again.