As a part of President Obama's plan to revive the economy, the House approved the historic $819 million dollar economic stimulus plan Wednesday evening. The bill passed 244-188, eleven Democrats and all Republicans voted against it despite Obamas attempt at bi-partisianship. The bill now goes to the Senate where a pricier and more bipartisian measure is forming. Passing the bill is crucial according to many Democrats particularily since the unemployment is at it's highest in 25 years. Republicans argued that the bill contained too much spending, and not enough tax cuts. The bill contains money for job-creating programs like highway construction and mass transit, and for unemployment benefits, healthcare and foodstamps. Billions of dollars will help states to slow cuts on education and law enforcement. Most importantly the bill has $500 tax breaks for single workers and $1000 for couples.
It's safe to say that our country is in some serious economic trouble, and we need to find our way out fast. When many people, myself included, look at the price tag on this bill the only thing they think of is more debt. The trillion dollar national debt is growing deeper by the second already, and who's going to pay that off 30 or 40 years down the line? My generation thats who. Even so, I believe that this bill is entirely necessary. Sitting around wondering if this will be the next great depression is going to get us nowhere. Quick action must be taken, and we have to come to terms with the fact that action is going to have a ginormous pricetag. Besides, I think the people of America deserve a bailout way more than any bank, corporation, or automaker. The middle class is the life and blood of this country. I'm so excited about our new President Barack Obama, and so far he's lived up to my expectations by standing up for these people. It's horrible that he's inherited such a mess of a crisis, and I wish that for once the two parties could join together to get something done for the common good. I think if we give a little more time for the stimulus to kick in, and give jobs and optimism back to people, the future of the economy will be much brighter. Obama is leading us in the right direction.
