Do you get it? Which parts are "spending" bits, which parts are "job generating" bits, which parts are "pork"? One thing for sure is that everyone I know is talking about the Stimulus Package. Everyone has an opinion, and of course everyone is an expert. Almost everyone. I'll admit I'm no expert, but that would never stop me from forming an opinion. Everything I read about the package makes sense to me in terms of rebuilding our country. I'm for it and I trust our president completely.
What's more interesting to me than the particulars is the fact that Americans are thinking about the economy, trying to understand what's going on. Five years ago I doubt seriously that one in one hundred American citizens were focused on the structure of our economy. But right now, right here in February 2009? I don't know anyone who isn't focused on it. We are waking up!
It's so much money that I can't begin to imagine what the numbers mean. My roommate told me last night that a trillion seconds ago was the year 2,000 B.C. Was that supposed to help me grasp how much money we're talking about? How can anyone figure out how much should go to this program and how much to that program? Aren't they just guessing? Who knows?
Meanwhile our spring-like weather continues. Along with the unexpected warmth, Brother Wind has been rushing around left and right, no doubt trying to balance the atmospheric pressure which is as out of whack as our economy. The tips of tree branches are beginning to swell, Jake is feeling as feisty as he can given his advanced age, and I, too, am feeling energetic. Spring isn't here, but it's coming.
No matter the state of the economy, the cycle of the seasons keeps turning. I love that.
Look at all these robins! They, and the squirrels, could give a rat's ass about the Stimulus Package.
33 comments:
"No matter the state of the economy, the cycle of the seasons keeps turning. I love that."
The only constant is change! Love this. And I love Jake.
Hi Reya- I guess one question is "where is this tax money coming from?" A lot of people are focused on that little particular( which, I will note, isn't so little ). And I know of at least 12 million people who are focused on this thing-the ones who've lost their jobs from the economic downfall. We know who's to blame but it won't end, anytime soon. It makes me wish I were a robin or squirrel,at times. No worries.
That's a question I've asked, too, and for which I haven't heard any understandable answers.
I just plain don't see how we can prolong paying more taxes. Are we going to continue borrowing until there is no one left to borrow from? With more & more folks out of jobs the tax base is dwindling and we're having to pay out to help those unemployed. It is a vicious cycle.
Last night I read where in order to appease the Republicans they were taking out health care & education sections of the stimulus package. Pork? I don't think so, but perhaps Earmarks. Were those things attached to "slip" through on this bill? Perhaps health & education will be better served separate bills. Oh yes, I have opinions (being clueless never stops one, does it?), but my main opinion is that I, too, trust our new president. Seems we have to trust someone and I'd rather it be an intelligent, thoughtful person who solicits opinions from knowledgeable people. Wow, what a ramble.
I sure hope that stimulus package works. And speaking of robins, the other day I saw twelve of them all perched together in one tree. Spring is definitely on its way, and it can get here too soon as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, and happy day to you & that cutie, Jake! Aah, the gold puppy.
"I'm for it and I trust our president completely." ...me, too.
"Could gave a rat's ass" is one of my favorite phrases. :^)
question is, can the squirrels afford rats asses? I heard they too were becoming expensive.
Tam you make me laugh out loud.
Cheryl and Willow? I agree with you completely.
Keeping my fingers crossed, something robins and squirrels are physically incapable of.
Nice to look at all those rockin' robins for a moment and be diverted from the rest!
I agree I knwo a few people who claim that this stimulus package is not going to work but sometimes when it comes to the economy it is a "wait-and-see" game especially as we begin to balance out. I am just along for the ride right now and its almost as great as the rollar-coasters at Hershey Park.
Yes, isn't it interesting how so many people are suddenly paying attention to the world around them? Now that politics and economy and so forth are directly influencing so many lives, those lives are sitting up a bit straighter and perking up their ears.
I'm keeping all fingers and toes crossed for the President and his plans and hoping we dig ourselves out of this hole, but I hope that even when things are better, we don't stop paying attention.
Your posting hits the nail on the head for most folks I know as well, and as I am amongst the ranks of the unemployed, things look dicey and scarey, especially for someone who needs medical stuff resolved or managed as well.
I heard Obama speak and he's even visited my state recently, and I was impressed with his explanations, forethought and willingness to talk...
I too, do not see how we all will avoid paying more taxes eventually, and both healthcare and education need to be addressed, but please put us back to work!
Perhaps this will change our priorities and ways of living to something that is more sustainable???
I wish I were a squirrel or a rabbit...
I think the money can only come from us because the government does not, or, in the past has not generated income. It spends. But maybe that will have to also change. It would be so interesting if it had to actually turn its own wheels like a business does. We may be on the edge of witnessing an entirely new governmental frontier.
I do believe that President O is the right leader for this. I guess the only other people we can get money from are foreign investors. That is, if we can suck them into to buying more of our debt. But we are not such a pretty package right now and some have already been burned.
Thank you for the lovely comment and back at ya. I answered you on my site. Thank YOU for returning the favor and making ME think this morning. All the squirrels and robins know are the wind, the scent in the air and the satiety of finding food, oh yeah, and maybe a little booty call. Some days that sounds so nice.
Thanks Tam, for the giant belly laugh.
Our family sat together watching the Preidents Press Conference. President Obama gives Hope to my Daughter's generation as well as us.
We are very supportive of him.
Booty call? That's funny!
And yes Janis, I watched the press conference in awe. He actually answered all the questions. I could understand the answers. It was amazing.
I do think we could be on the forefront of something very different. Wouldn't that be great??
I was just thinking the same thing! I saw a flock of swans flying across the Detroit River (Yes, we have flocks of swans in Detroit,) and I was struck by the beauty of the moment - the big, white birds flying over the river full of ice floes - but I also thought about how blissfuly unaware those birds are of the big problems we're currently experiencing in our country and on our planet. It was just a fleeting thought, but so funny then to read your post and that's what you were thinking, too. And I'm sure we're not the only ones. Maybe we're all a little too aware of the big problems these days and could stand to do some bird watching instead of listening to another newscast?
Robin invasion!
I am certainly no expert, but we've seen public spending on infrastructure work to lift us out of economic doldrums before -- so I can only hope it works again. (Or at least moves us in the right direction.)
I love how all the Repubs are still calling for tax cuts. Geez, people, get a CLUE. Talk about a failed policy.
I find the cycle of the seasons very comforting, too. I'm always amazed at how there is always something to look forward to -- and then also something we look forward to letting go of/getting rid of.
I wish that D.C. wasn't so much about horse-trading; it worries me that there is going to be way too much pork.
Reya, I found the butterfly from my blog online. It is a Black Swallowtail. It's actually too early for Monarchs to be in Texas. One autumn I was camping on a ranch just north of Austin and hundreds of Monarchs flew in, landed on the trees, & spent the night. The next morning as the sun dried the dew from their wings they took off on their way to Mexico. One of my favorite books to read to children (I was an elementary school librarian) is Gotta go! Gotta go! It is the story of the migration of Monarchs into Mexico. Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go to Mexico! I just love that book.
The link for the Black Swallowtail is on my blog page.
Thanks for dropping by...
Cheryl
And what was Jake straining to look at? Maybe he wanted to make a dash at all those yummy morsels of robin and squirrel!? LOL
In a couple weeks those robins will make their way up to NYC.
Can't wait to see the first one.
What $$$$$$$ ?
It was amazing to hear the O man speak the other evening. First time in forever I could listen and it was intelligent without any unsophisticated BS thrown in for the hell of it.
Not pre-screened either ; )
Anyway, I look forward to the day where we won't hear about thousands more people every day losing their jobs.
It's depressing.
It's nice to see a park without snow.
I hope spring is on the way and that we don't have to wait a trillion seconds for it!
I wanted Jake to stop and let me take the pic, but he was very determined to cross the street right then.
At times we are at cross purposes. Makes for a nice pic, though.
I don't know what to make of this stimulus mess.
I like that man hole cover. have you ever noticed the patterns on them. Do they vary from place to place?
Each little town I walked through on a recent walk I took in Japan has a different manhole cover design to reflect the town's history and culture.
i think all those robins flew in to wish you a very happy birthday!!!!!!
greetings from tut and mouse up here in cleveland!! hate to tell you but we think some cold windy weather is heading your way.....
thoughts of spring in february....well, it's here today, gone tomorrow
I am totally confused, following closely, and praying the president knows what he is doing. It is counter-intuitive to spend money when you have to borrow to do it, but I really don't know what else we can do. We have to do something, right?
I trust this president, too. And it's been a long time since I could say those words. His speech tonight in Springfield, Illinois was brilliant. He wove the legacy of Lincoln into today and showed why government needs to do what we can't do individually. Wow, what a concept: government on our side.
Dennis says Happy Birthday! 29 again, right?
So true--we're all seeing things with new eyes right now. I guess we've naively trusted for too long. It is true that it's somehow reassuring to know the seasons "go round and round and round in the circle game," as Joni Mitchell put it.
a trillion seconds ago it was 2000 bc, if we pay back a dollar a second of the stimulus package, it'll take 4009 years to pay it off, before interest. YAY!
Actually, a billion seconds is a little over 32 years, so a trillion seconds is over 32,000 years.
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