On news today I heard that only about 10% of stimulus $ used and talking of new stimulus

[WI_DEM]

My questions:

1) Why is it taking so long to get stimulus projects going and getting more $ into the economy?

2) While I don't rule out a second round of stimulus I think it MUST be more targeted to people to encourage them to spend it (maybe something like debit cards). How would you want a second round of stimulus $ to be used? and do you think that we should be even looking into a second round at this time when almost $800 billion of the original bill is still waiting to be used?

Finally, I support President Obama and his efforts, but I think he needs to now really concentrate on two major issues this summer 1) Health Care (with a public plan) and 2) the economy. Not only for the good of the nation but if Dems can't deliver progress on both of these areas by election day '10, republicans will take advantage of it.

[Horse with no Name]

1. Because of republican obstructionism

and the fact that the governors are picking and choosing which funds they want to use, ie Rick Perry won't use the funds for unemployment compensation, however, he will use them to restore his governor mansion.
The fact that these funds were not strictly earmarked and put to the states as "all or none" will lead to the failure of the stimulus.

[ThomWV]

5. The greatest failure of the Stimlus Package is that much of it is in the form of tax cuts

Republican tax cuts make up much of it and those parts of the package will never aid the recovery. So right from the start much of the stimlus was never going to have any effect anyway.

[ThomWV]

2. Krugmann answered all of your questions - before the 1st stimlus package was passed

[Johonny]

13. I agree there

[emulatorloo]

3. The "news" is in the midst of an all - out effort to discredit the stimulus and public option

Keep that in mind and take their breatless quoting of Boehner with a grain of salt.

Remember Obama is out of the country and can't defend himself easily.

[Kokonoe]

4. The republicans are busy, trying to steal it. nt

[emulatorloo]

6. See this thread for a related example - "Corporate media at it again. Saying Obama broke tax pledge"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8518247

[emulatorloo]

7. A good chart on the stimulus here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=132&topic_id=8518234&mesg_id=8518332

[Statistical]

8. The so called "stimulus" was crap when it was written. It is working about as well as expected

1) A substantial portion is the stimulus bill is tax cuts. tax cuts CAN be stimulating but not in a fear based enviroment like today. Someone gets a tax cut they save more because they might not have a job tomorrow

2) the majority of the stimulus plan wasn't stimulus. Yeah I know we should never say anything bad about Democratic legislation but a ton of the "stimulus" plan was simply long term (2, 5, 10yr) funding for pet projects. While everyone was freaking out it was an easy way to lock in some revenue for their district and guarantee re-election. Long term spending is like a slow burn. A stimulus or at least a real stimulus needs to be a sharp jolt. Our economy is $14T. You can't keep that afloat long term. It has to grow on its own but you can jolt it. Just like a spark plug can't move a car but it can ignite the fuel in the engine.

3) Even the stimulus portion (which is only about 1/3 of the bill) actual constructions, repairs, building stuff, putting people to work is spread out over 10 years.

The "stimulus" bill was too small, too slow, too untargeted to do much good.
China passed a stimulus bill that based on GDP is 5x ours, it is very targeted, and the entire thing will be spent in 15 months.

The IMF projects China will "only" have 7.5% growth this year (raised from 5% recently) and 8.5% next year despite exports being flat. Why? They are actually stimulating local demand to replace/offset lack of export market. If China can grow 7% on internal demand imagine how their economy will be working once the recession is over and international trade resumes.

Congress failed us on this so called "stimulus".

[emulatorloo]

9. "Stimulus Not Working? Hold Your Horses!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8518491

Which refers to this:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/coonsey/2009/07/stimulus-not-working-hold-your.php?ref=recdc

[redqueen]

12. THANK YOU!

Everyone should read that TMP piece... and stop buying into M$M lies / framing.

[pscot]

10. At least $250 Billion consisted of tax cuts

Those were put into effect right away. Whatever effect they were supposed to have has already been felt. So that 10% figure is flat wrong.

[rocktivity]

11. A: Because the media is on 24-hour news cycle

and our economic crisis is not.

:headbang:
rocktivity