Tag Archives: Recovery Plan

The Fruits of Our Labor

Quick.  Below, which company would you want to own?

52 Week View Range: $0.06 - $5.10

This is one Company.  See the second one below.

52 Week View Range: $1.50 - $9.14

Is it even close?  One company is taking off.  Not hard to do, the market has come back by some 60%.  However the other company, even in one of the best markets we have seen in years, is tanking.

The first company is Government Motors.

The second one is Ford.

Go Obama!

California: Part I

I think that I’m gonna keep a running tally of the crap that’s going on in California.  It is possible, very likely, that the State is going to have to go bankrupt or beg for and receive a bailout from the Federal Government.

Part I:

California is known for its car culture. But it turns out those wheels are rolling over some of the worst roads in the nation. A recent study ranked California 49th out of the 50 states for the quality of its pavement. New Jersey came in last. But California has the distinction of having the nation’s worst roads in urban areas.

I should be happy that NPR is saying anything negative on the darling of the left.  But then again, not one single reference as to why the roads are so bad.  Not one mention as to the shrinking revenues, the mounting debt and the tendency of California to drive out both business and the wealthy.

A guy can dream?

Adult Talk in the World

This assessment should shake up team Obama:

BEIJING — China’s top banking regulator issued a sharp critique of U.S. financial management only hours before President Barack Obama commenced his first visit to the Asian giant, highlighting economic and trade tensions that threaten to overshadow the trip.

Liu Mingkang, chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said that a weak U.S. dollar and low U.S. interest rates had led to “massive speculation” that was inflating asset bubbles around the world. It has created “unavoidable risks for the recovery of the global economy, especially emerging economies,” Liu said.

The situation is “seriously impacting global asset prices and encouraging speculation in stock and property markets.”

I LOVE getting schooled by China!

schools in session

Freddie and Fannie: Just the Beginning

I am convinced that Fannie and Freddie were the causes that led to the current recession.  I am sure that when incentives were created to give people money who had no or little ability to pay that money back, bad bad things were going to happen.

But somehow all of that got lost in all of the fall out.  What we heard was how evil those greedy corporations are.  What we heard was how Wall Street doesn’t look after Main Street.  What we heard was that it was Big Corporations that are somehow “Too Big To Fail” that brought this country to its knees.

What we didn’t hear was the story behind Fannie and Freddie:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Freddie Mac, the second largest provider of U.S. residential mortgage funding, on Friday posted a loss of $5 billion in the third quarter and predicted it would need more government support amid a “prolonged deterioration” in housing.

And why is the company losing so much money?

delinquencies worsened on loans it guarantees.

Well, heck, what can ya expect?  The little brother of Fannie Mae is surly the runt of the litter and can only look on as big sister excels, right?  Right?

Its larger rival Fannie Mae on Thursday said it would need $15 billion from the U.S. Treasury after a whopping $18.9 billion third-quarter loss.

Whoops!  Didn’t see THAT one coming.

But hey, Fannie and Freddie–ya know, they are players but really, they aren’t THAT big; are they?  Or are they?

Results at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are widely watched as a barometer of the U.S. housing market since they own or back nearly half of outstanding mortgages.

Jeepers.  By golly, they ARE that of a player in the market!  And maybe, just maybe, when those two players begin to change the way in which they do business, the rest of the market attempts to adapt?

In other words,  I guess what I’m saying is that when Fannie and Freddie, backed by good Ol’ Unc [that’s the USofA to you and me], begin too incent market forces to provide mortgages to people who can’t afford mortgages, you end up with a bunch of:

horse.shit

But hey, what’s $51.7 billion between friends?  Or even $60.9 billion?  At least your good for it, right?

Starting in 2010, the company will begin accounting for $1.8 trillion in mortgage-backed securities it guarantees on its balance sheet to meet new guidelines. This will increase interest income and interest expenses, and could have a significant negative impact on net worth, it said.

Hmm, something smells in the State of Denmark.

Shares of Freddie Mac were flat at $1.23 in light after-hours trading following the results.

And if you’ll buy shares at a buck 23, I have some fertilizer for your garden…

The Chairman’s Weekly Radio Address: February 21, 2009

Barack Obama’s Weekly Radio Address

February 21, 2009

Earlier this week, I signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — the most sweeping

Sweeping is a word.  Not the one I would have picked, but, hey, who am I?

economic recovery plan in history.  Because of this plan, 3.5 million Americans

How do you know?  Where did you get this number?  3.5 million…..

will now go to work

This is tricky of you Mr. Chairman!  Very very tricky.  You make it sound like these 3.5 million, of which 3.5 million are unemployed, will go to work.  Now.  Gotta hand it to ya sparky, sure got the Chicago style down pat, dont’cha?

doing the work that America needs done.

I’m grateful to Congress, governors and mayors across the country, and to all of you whose support made this critical step possible.

Lot less of them that ya thought, though, huh?  All this hope and change?  Yeah, me either.

Because of what we did together, there will now be shovels in the ground, cranes in the air, and workers rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, and repairing our faulty levees and dams.

Those things, those things should have been being done ANYWAY!!!

Because of what we did, companies — large and small — that produce renewable energy can now apply for loan guarantees and tax credits and find ways to grow, instead of laying people off; and families can lower their energy bills by weatherizing their homes.

Blink.  Blink.  Weatherize our homes?  Next you’ll be tellin’ me to inflate the tires on my car!  Hahahah–wait, what?  You already said that?  Oh my.

Because of what we did, our children can now graduate from 21st century schools and millions more can do what was unaffordable just last week — and get their college degree.

Whoa whoa whoa sparkey.  More money in the schools ain’t what keeping kids from graduation.  You got that!?

Because of what we did, lives will be saved and health care costs will be cut with new computerized medical records.

Awesome idea.  Really really is.  But not stimulative.  Just not.  Write it up in a bill and pass it.  But don’t lie to me.  Change my ass.

Because of what we did, there will now be police on the beat, firefighters on the job, and teachers preparing lesson plans who thought they would not be able to continue pursuing their critical missions.  And ensure that all of this is done with an unprecedented level of transparency

Cough  —bullshit— cough.  You didn’t even let Republican LAWMAKERS in the room when this was written.  You SAID daylight.  5 days.  For us to see.  Transparency.  “I don’t think that word means what you think it means!”

and accountability,

Right.  Forgive the disbelief.

I have assigned a team of managers to make sure that precious tax dollars are invested wisely and well.

Right.  Forgive the disbelief.

Because of what we did, 95 percent of all working families will get a tax cut — in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign.

This one you keep?  THIS one?  Awesome you “non tax cutter”

And I’m pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks — meaning that by April 1st, a typical family will begin taking home at least $65 more every month.  Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans.

But as important as it was that I was able to sign this plan into law, it is only a first step on the road to economic recovery.

Aaaahhh, here comes the punchline.

And we can’t fail to complete the journey.  That will require stemming the spread of foreclosures and falling home values, and doing all we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes, which is exactly what the housing plan I announced last week will help us do.

Serious?!?  Are you F$%#ckin’ KIDDING me?  Do you read the papers?  Do you READ what is going on?  Do you have a CLUE as to what got us in this mess?  Home ownership?  Come on man!  Stay out of the way.  Let the market clear.

It will require stabilizing and repairing our banking system, and getting credit flowing again to families and businesses.  It will require reforming the broken regulatory system

Google “Mark to market” you regulatory guy you.

that made this crisis possible, and recognizing that it’s only by setting and enforcing 21st century rules of the road that we can build a thriving economy.

And it will require doing all we can to get exploding deficits

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  Breath.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.

Thank you.

under control as our economy begins to recover.  That work begins on Monday, when I will convene a fiscal summit of independent experts and unions, advocacy groups and members of Congress, to discuss how we can cut the trillion-dollar

Pssst.    It’s now well over 3 trillion on it’s way to 7.

deficit that we’ve inherited.

It was the Senator YOU that gave this heapin pile of shit to the Blessed Leader you that is now talkin’ about it!  Dude.

On Tuesday, I will speak to the nation about our urgent national priorities.  And on Thursday, I’ll release a budget that’s sober in its assessments, honest in its accounting, and lays out in detail my strategy for investing in what we need, cutting what we don’t, and restoring fiscal discipline.

No single piece of this broad economic recovery can, by itself, meet the demands that have been placed on us.

This I agree with.  Nothin you do is gonna do the trick!

We can’t help people find work or pay their bills unless we unlock credit for families and businesses.  We can’t solve our housing crisis unless we help people find work so that they can make payments on their homes.  We can’t produce shared prosperity without firm rules of the road, and we can’t generate sustained growth without getting our deficits under control.  In short, we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all.  And that is exactly what the strategy we are pursuing is designed to do.

None of this will be easy.  The road ahead will be long and full of hazards.  But I am confident that we, as a people, have the strength and wisdom to carry out this strategy and overcome this crisis.

Careful.  We elected a no name Senator with zero experience and a past history of foolish policies.

And if we do, our economy — and our country — will be better and stronger for it.

Thank you.

I Wish We Had a Cool Governor

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I don’t have the same feel for the Good Gov’na Purdue that I have for Obama; not even close.  But how nice it is to listen to some of the best conservatives in the country talk about the stimulus package:?

http://www.wral.com/

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a likely 2012 presidential contender, has said he would reject a portion of the money aimed at expanding state unemployment insurance.

Notice the level of detail intimated by Jindal.  He is not rejecting all of the money, just that money that speaks to unemployment insurance.

Gov. Haley Barbour, R-Miss., said he was considering a similar move. Taking the unemployment dollars, he said, would force his state to eventually raise taxes when the stimulus money runs out, putting in place what he called an unfair tax on employers.

“There is some (money) we will not take in Mississippi. … We want more jobs. You don’t get more jobs by putting an extra tax on creating jobs,” Barbour told CNN’s “State of the Union’ on Sunday.

Again, very detailed analysis of the package.  These guys know the good from the bad; almost as if they–you know, READ the bill.

Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm said there are other states that want and need the new money: “We’ll take it. We’ll take your money.”

States with unemployment rates significantly differ- ent from that of the U.S

States with unemployment rates significantly differ- ent from that of the U.S

Guess who’s state is that highest bar, just left of center?  Yeah, that’s right.  The Great State belonging to Gov. Jennifer Granholm.  That, by the way, is not an accident.

At issue for Jindal and Barbour is a provision in the stimulus bill that could allow people ineligible for unemployment benefits to receive them anyway. That could eventually force a tax increase on employers, both governors have said.

Nice.  So even if the state doesn’t want the money, the Federal Government forces them to take it anyway.  And they have to raise taxes as a result.  How is this legal?

Some Democrats took a harder line at a press conference arranged by the Democratic Governors Association to praise Obama for his leadership on the stimulus. DGA Chairman Brian Schweitzer of Montana and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley dismissed GOP detractors as “fringe” Republicans eager to score political points.

“All of us are committed to working with President Obama to pull our nation’s economy out of the ditch that George W. Bush ran it into,” O’Malley said. “If some of the fringe governors don’t want to do that, they need to step aside and not stand in the way of the nation’s interests.”

Sorry, but when you complain of “fringe” Republicans and then say “pull our nation’s economy out of the ditch that George W. Bush ran it into” you lose some all credibility in my book.

The line drew a rebuke from Sanford, the Republican Governors Association chairman.

“I think in this instance I would humbly suggest that the real fringe are those that are supporting the stimulus,” Sanford said. “It is not at all in keeping with the principles that made this country great, not at all in keeping with economic reality, not in keeping with a stable dollar and not in keeping with the sentiments of most of this country.

Finally, Republicans acting like Republicans.

The Two Best Laughs of the Day

And both are right here:

This has to be the best URL ever!

www.financialstability.gov

LOL.  Serious.  LOL.

I mean, really.  If someone sent that to me in email, I would think it was a hoax.  But the URL is only the second best laugh of the day.  The top laugh of the day is the page display when you actually go looking for financialstability.gov:

financialstability

What 400 Bucks Is Gonna Do

Recently I was part of a small conversation regarding a portion of the tax cuts in the new Stimulus Package.  The subject that got us all going was, well, the headline you see at the top of this very post; what 400 bucks is gonna do….  Now, to be clear, I think that what we were talking about was the portion of the tax cuts that President Obama refers to as tax cuts to 95% of working men and women; $500 for an individual, a $1000 for a family.  At least that’s what I think the reference is, though, to be fair, I’m not sure.  For example, I don’t know where 400 came from, as I mentioned, I though the Obama tax cut was $500…anyway, I digress.  The point is, we had a good conversation.

Here is my case.

The Federal government levies taxes on individuals in the form of individual income tax.  As far as I know, there are no other taxes on individuals that the Feds have claim to.  Sales tax is a state tax, state income tax is, well, levied by the state.  Vehicle, property, city and county taxes…all non-Federal.  FICA and Medicare, not taxes.  These are with holdings that fund programs or specific funds.  They can not be used for other purposes, and if those programs or funds went away, so too, would the withholding.  FICA , after all, is is really just shorthand for Federal Insurance Contribution Act.  In this specific case, Social Security is really just an insurance program.  Anyway, point is–not a tax.

That would mean, for the Federal government to say that it is giving a tax cut to 95% of working Americans, he would have to reduce the rate of the tax.  For example, if an individual is being taxed at 28%, to realize a tax cut, she would have to see her rate go down, say..to 27% or 20%. That’s a tax cut.  What is not a tax cut is when an individual who currently pays no amount of money to the Federal government gets a check from Uncle Sam.  It is something.  And if it’s a grand, it’s not insignificant.  But what it’s not, is a tax cut.

And this is why it’s important.  It’s important because it has clear and critical ramifications, when dealing with a struggling economy.  It is NOT important because of the partisan bickering going on.  We have all heard the arguments going back to the election from the Democrats that Obama was offering a tax cut and The Republicans claiming it was just income redistribution.  That’s not why it’s important.  Where it really really matters is in how the recipients SEE, or perceive, the additional money.

You see, when I am chugging along in my normal economic way, I do just that–chug along.  I buy near the same kinds of groceries at near the same amounts.  I drive about the same kind of car and get it washed at about the as often as I always do.  I go out about the same number of nights and have about the same number of beers.  But now, let’s say that something changes.  Let’s say that I get a check back from my insurance company; my rates went down and they have overcharged me for two consecutive 6-month periods.  I get $500.  How do I spend that money?  It has been shown that the typical person spends it in one of two ways – They pay down debt OR they go on a 1 time splurge shopping spree.  So, VISA gets it or Best Buy gets it.  And then whamo, right back to the normal way of spending money.  Point is, there is no sustainable economic jolt in either paying off VISA or buying that flat screen TV.

Now, let’s say that instead of a windfall [the insurance overcharge check], I get a raise.  This presents me with a new way of looking at the money coming into me.  I view this a sustainable income, an item that I can budget for and count on.  I know it’s going to be there next paycheck and the paycheck after it.  This affects my spending in a much different way.  It sustains it.  I am more willing to up what I buy and/or how often I buy it.  I may not ration myself to a 6-pak.  Perhaps I can up how often I get a new car, or new jeans or new whatever.  Further, because it is not presented to me in a lump sum significant amount, the chances that I sink it into debt reduction is less; I actually spend it.  In this case, the economy is better off.

Now, for the whammy.  If, instead of giving me, a worker bee who concerns himself with just me and mine, a $500 bump, what if 20 people like me DIDN’T get the money but it went to a small business owner who was just thhhhiiiiiiisss close to obtaining the money to hire one more guy.  Or buy that new processor in his assembly line.  What if that 10k went to someone who GREW the money, who took it and turned it into 15k, or 20k AND gave someone a job because of it?

It is because of these reasons that fiscal conservatives don’t like the tax cut language in the stimulus package.  Not because Obama thought of it, or because Pelosi pushed it.  Or because no republican voted for it.  It’s because it’s moving money around in a way that does not grow said money, and it denies the recipient the critical perception that it’s sustained.  And further more, if you want to grow the economy, it’s not putting it into the hands of people who grow money.

The Recession – How Bad Is It

About three weeks ago, I posted a bit on the status of the economy.  I wanna go back to that and review again.

I have a friend who, like  me, is a political news junkie.  I think that we use each other as our own personal foils.  Anyway, the topic of economic indicators came up, and this list came up:

  1. Unemployment
  2. Housing Starts
  3. Consumer Price Index
  4. Inflation
  5. Industrial Production
  6. Bankruptcies
  7. GDP
  8. Broadband Internet Penetration – I don’t agree with this one as a historical reference.
  9. Retail Sales
  10. Stock Market
  11. Money Supply

Let’s review some.

From the top.  Let’s take a look.

Unemployment

Right now, with the January numbers in, we are looking at a 7.6% unemployment rate.  To be sure, that is a historical high; a RECENT historical high.  In fact, you would have to go all the way back to September of 1992 to find a rate higher than where we are now.  And that’s a long way back, really is.  But–it’s no where near, not even close, to as bad as it’s ever been, or even as bad as it’s been since the Great Depression.  Now, the thing about that September 1992 value is that it was in the middle of a run of 21 straight months of 7.0% or higher; 21 MONTHS!  For referance, we are in the middle of, ummm, 2.  Only two!

Way Back MachineIf you dial the Way Back Machine to the year 1980, specifically May of 1980, you will be looking 68 straight months of unemployment higher than 7.0%.  Imagine!  Imagine having to go through the last two months for most of 6 years!  In fact, there were 78 months above 7.0% missing only one which came in at 6.7%  And to make it even worse, at the height of it, the rate stood at 10.8%.  Almost 11%.

Is 7.8 high?  Recent history suggests that it is.  Is it the worst since the Great Depression?  Hardly.  In fact, so far, it’s not even as bad as it was in 1992.  And the run in 1992 really had lasted from 1990 through 1994.  Now, clearly we are not sure where, or how high, we are going with these numbers.  But that’s not the use of this statistic.  These numbers represent what is going on in the nation today.  [Or last month as it were.]

Housing Starts

Without even looking, I think that this one is going to be bad.  In fact, this could be as bad as we have seen it.  And there is a reason for that; the whole reason we are in the place we are in is due to the burst of the housing bubble.  So, while I think that it is worth taking a look at the housing market [if only to act as a guide when we begin to turn], I hesitate to use this as any significant historical model.

And now that I have taken a look, I was right.  This indicator isn’t in good shape.  With data that I have going back to 1969, we are at the lowest level on record.  We reported only 550,000 new homes in December, 2008.  For an annual perspective, from Dec 2007 to Dec 2008, we saw a 45% decline.  This is the highest such decline on record.  To be sure, there have been other periods where we saw declines in the high 30’s, but this level is unprecedented.

Now, as I mentioned above, it is my feeling that it is the housing market that has us in this dilemma to begin with.  That is, there was a housing bubble and we are now contracting that bubble.  I am not surprised to see that we are reducing our output of new homes at just the same time that we are trying to move through our excess supply.  In fact, given our past spending on homes, I would be concerned if housing starts were NOT contracting.  With all of that said, however, we will not truely be able to say that we have come through the other side until this metric turns.

NOTE:

Foreclosure rates, on the rise for some time, have dropped sharply in January, with California rates at their lowest in nearly 14 months.  Further, pre-floreclosure filings also dropped, indicating that the falling rate may be sustainable.  Lastly, one of the most interesting aspect of a liberal media bias is that while rising oil prices are reported as horrible news for consumers, the price of housing is reported exactly opposite.  Why is it bad news when the affordability of housing is trending positive.  Right now, the affordability of housing is about 35-40% below the histroic rate.  All of this points to an ending of the housing correction.

The Chairman’s Weekly Radio Address: February 7, 2009

Barack Obama’s Weekly Radio Address

February 7, 2009

Yesterday began with some devastating news with regard to our economic crisis.  But I’m pleased to say it ended on a more positive note.

This must be speech writing 101.  I think that you started out last week’s address exactly the same way.

In the morning, we received yet another round of alarming employment figures – the worst in more than 30 years.

Okay, okay; I’ll give this one to ya.  At least you didn’t bring up the whole “worst since the Great Depression” thang.  So, while this may be as bad as the 90’s, it’s close.  And yes, the last time we saw numbers this bad was in the early 80’s.  About 28 years; so, okay, let’s go with 30.

Another 600,000 jobs were lost in January.  We’ve now lost more than 3.6 million jobs since this recession began.

Right, and 3.6 million sounds like a lot, heck, it IS a lot.  But, let’s take a look.  Since 1981, the last BIG recession, the labor force has grown some 50%.  So, while 3.6 million remains a lot of people, lets put this into perspective.

But by the evening, Democrats and Republicans came together in the Senate and responded appropriately to the urgency this moment demands.

Let’s be honest here sparky.  Every single Democrat – ALL of them– and just THREE Republicans came together.  This is not the partisan promise you sold me.  Actually, I personally didn’t buy ANY of your snake oil, but you know what I mean.

In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression,

I knew it.  I JUST KNEW you couldn’t make it through one of these infomercials with out a worst since the Great Depression reference.  You do know that this just makes you sound stupid.  I guess now I understand how the left felt about listening to Dubya.  Change……

the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face.  That was, after all, what last November’s election was all about.

Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it’s received over the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come.  But we can’t afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary.

Month?  What’choo talkin ‘about Willis?  This ain’t been no month!  You have been in office shy three week.  You know and I know that you are pushing this through before the American people support it less than they supported Dubya!

The scale and scope of this plan is right.  And the time for action is now.

If by right you mean horribly horribly wrong, then yeah, I’m with ya.  Action schmaction.  If you do nothing, just NOTHING, we are out of this in less than 6 months.

Because if we don’t move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe.  Millions of Americans will lose their jobs,

Pssst, over here.  Check it out….when Americans bring down debt -and they should bring down debt-it’s a recessionary action.  We knew this going in.  Okay, back to you.

their homes,

Pssst, over here.  Check it out…..[wait wait wait–do I really have to be the guy to tell you this?] It was those poepl GETTING their homes that caused this whole freaking mess to begin with?  What are doin?  Hey man, don’t walk away from me…..

and their health care.  Millions more will have to put their dreams on hold.

Let’s be clear:

Okay, okay.  Being clear time!  Let’s go.

We can’t expect relief from the tired old theories that, in eight short years,

Clear–being clear.  This is all George W. Bush’s fault.  Got it.  Not even three weeks in and I am tired of you!  Clear my ass.

doubled the national debt, threw our economy into a tailspin, and led us into this mess in the first place.

Whoo sparky.  “into this mess in the first place.”  Do you read or study?  I mean, you must have, right?  Double Ivy?  I mean, how in the HELL did you make it through?  Let’s review:

  1. Democrats initiated a program that sold people homes they couldn’t afford.  Bad bad bad.
  2. Democrats allowed Fannie and Freddie to go unchecked.  This not only perpetuated the lending money to people who couldn’t afford it, but in fact, accelerated it by creating a market for OTHER banks to do the same thing.
  3. Democrats came in and INCREASED regulation changing basic as well as tried and true accounting principals.
    1. Google Mark to Market

We can’t rely on a losing formula that offers only tax cuts as the answer to all our problems while ignoring our fundamental economic challenges

Things like borrowing and printing money to spend our way out of debt.  Anyone know the rat race that is cash advance from VISA to pay Mastercard?  Would you consul your daughters to do that?  No, then why are you telling me to do that?

– the crushing cost of health care or the inadequate state of so many schools; our addiction to foreign oil or our crumbling roads, bridges, and levees.

Look, we’re with ya on the whole schools, energy and infrastructure thing.  Really, we are.  But we are also not so fookin stupid as to think that they are the same thing as a stimulus bill.  If you want money for schools, get out your Abe Lincoln oil lamp and craft such a bill.  You should remember how to do it from your days in the Senate, right?  I mean, hell, you were responsible for huge and important legislation while you were—oh my, how embarrassing for you.  You weren’t were you?  Huh, well, maybe that explains why you don’t know how this whole thing works.

The American people know that our challenges are great.  They don’t expect Democratic solutions or Republican solutions – they expect American solutions.

From the beginning, this recovery plan has had at its core a simple idea:  Let’s put Americans to work doing the work America needs done.

Except it’s not the Government’s role to create jobs.  Just allow proper conditions to exist and we’ll take care of the rest.

It will save or create more than 3 million jobs over the next two years,

Umm, gosh, this is getting old, but you may wanna, you  know, research this.  Even your own peeps are not so much thinking 3 million

all across the country – 16,000 in Maine, nearly 80,000 in Indiana – almost all of them in the private sector, and all of them jobs that help us recover today, and prosper tomorrow.

Jobs that upgrade classrooms and laboratories in 10,000 schools nationwide – at least 485 in Florida alone – and train an army of teachers in math and science.

Jobs that modernize our health care system, not only saving us billions of dollars, but countless lives.

Jobs that construct a smart electric grid, connect every corner of the country to the information superhighway, double our capacity to generate renewable energy, and grow the economy of tomorrow.

Jobs that rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and levees and dams, so that the tragedies of New Orleans and Minneapolis never happen again.

It includes immediate tax relief for our struggling middle class in places like Ohio,

We’ve been over this before as well.  When you take steal money from me and GIVE it to someone else, that is neither a tax cut or a relief.  All it does is PISS me off without benefiting anyone.

where 4.5 million workers will receive a tax cut of up to $1,000.

Okay, okay, you win.  I agree, Uncle.  Let’s give these people that $1,000.  Just DO it already.  In fact, if you PROMISE to just not talk anymore, I’ll double it.  That’s 9 billion dollars.  Just saved ya about 850 billion.

It protects health insurance and provides unemployment insurance for those who’ve lost their jobs.  And it helps our states and communities avoid painful tax hikes or layoffs

Dude, DUDE!  You SAID you studied Constitutional Law.  It is not YOUR job to reduce State and City taxes.

for our teachers, nurses, and first responders.

Stop it!  Shameless emotional garbage!

That’s what is at stake with this plan:  putting Americans back to work, creating transformative economic change, and making a down payment

What?  Down payment?  A down payment is money that you ALREADY have placed down for money you are going to borrow.  This, THIS is a lot of things.  But isn’t most certainly NOT a down payment!

on the American Dream that serves our children and our children’s children for generations to come.

Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we’re equal to the task before us.  Let’s show them that we are.  And let’s do whatever it takes to keep the promise of America alive in our time.

If only you would!

Thank you.