What's Wrong With the Proposed Stimulus Package

The President Elect, with respect hereafter 'Barry', called for those who are critical of the proposed stimulus package to offer alternatives. In fact, he says that '...if members of Congress have [a] good idea[s]...that is good for the economy, then I'm going to accept it,' Andrew Taylor AP.

OK, here goes:

'Hey, Barry. How ya' doin'. Kinda stressful right now, I feel ya'.

Me, I'm doin' fine, thanks.

So, Barry, look here, ya know I'm not in Congress, but I got some ideas on me here and I'm goin' to lay them on ya'.

And, Barry, I know you won't take these out of my mouth into your new plan, but I think they're kinda cool, so I'm gonna double-dog dare ya to even mention any two of them. Just so's I know you're listening to real folks.

Ya, Barry, it's a double-dog dare.

First off, here's the hole in your plan. Basically it is trying to fix a roach problem in the kitchen by pissing down a rat hole in the yard. Won't hurt, but won't fix the problem anyway.

See, when I go to the grocery and the gas station I learn some things. Here's what I learn. People are really hurting and sending money to rich folks ain't gonna help me buy gas. You feel me?

I got a cousin at the Community College and here's how he puts it: 'The problem was created as a result of the current system and it will not go away until the system is fixed.

Throwing money at the problem does not fix the system. We need it, but it is not enough'

OK, Barry, here's my laundry list of how to fix the system from the bottom where I live.

Jobs - it's great you want to make jobs, but what if all the jobs go to China? Here's the thing, the fat cats make money from jobs in China. So, fix that. Make it so the fat cats make money from jobs in the USA.

Look, right now we have no rules on jobs in international trade, except we think low wages are better than high wages. So, duh, all the jobs go to low wage countries. Go into a Wal-Mart and find something made in the USA. Good luck with that.

We need to do something, but if we do the Chinese will squeal like a stuck pig. I give a rat's ass if they do, but I know you gotta dress it up. Try this: we can buy as much from China as they buy from us, including T-bills. I even wrote a theory around it, you can see it here: Balanced Trade: Toward the Future of Economics, link: http://www.mkeever.com/essay.html

Even my ten year old niece knows you can only buy as much as you make, so we should know that too.

Banks - we thought we learned in the 1930's for cryin' out loud that you can't trust banks with investments. I want my money in a bank to be safe and not gambled away on some cockamamie horse shit. Their job is to lend money; if they don't do that, take away their license.

And, Barry, I have not heard a single word from you about banks. Ya gotta fix that. And, ya gotta do it right and ya gotta do it quick.

Wages - Any fool can see that the rich are getting way too rich and the poor are goin' down the drain. Why are all the screwy investments around anyway? Simple, there is too much money in the hands of rich people and not enough wages paid to working stiffs like me.

Put another way, the balance between capital and wages is out of whack. That's another thing ya gotta fix. And, Barry, alls I hear from you is 'help the middle class' That's all good, but what about me?

Investments - Speaking of investments, what's up with the SEC sayin' they don't understand an investment? That's just unbelievable. Fix it - no please, just fix it.

Unions - Any fool knows that laws protecting unions have been sold out to fat cats. My cousin got fired just because she mentioned that she wanted an election.

The laws are clear - unions are good for working people. So, Barry, ya gotta enforce them or we might as well move to China or India where our jobs are.

Poisons - We all know that a lot of what we eat, drink and use is poisonous. Our stuff is literally killing us. So, Barry ya gotta fix that. Here's a good place to throw money: hire a bunch of lawyers and scientists to test our stuff and put the SOB's in jail who are killing us. It's not rocket science.

Pay-to-Play - Barry, it's funny that you asked for ideas from Congress when we all know that Congress is corrupt at its core. How in the hell do you expect new ideas from that bunch?? They are all part of the system that makes money from the way things are now. Ya gotta change that and you won't change it if you listen to the people who created the problem in the first place.

OK Barry, I gotta go walk the dog - three point five pound chihuahua and a real kick in the ass.

So, it's a double-dog-dare just to mention the real stuff. 'Cause if you don't fix the real stuff you can't fix the economy. And, if you wanna chew on it, just give me a call.'

Copyright January 2009, Mike P.McKeever, email: mckeever@earthlink.net. Contact author for permission to reproduce in whole or part in printed form, permission hereby granted to reproduce in whole or part in any electronic forum.