So is the vote today? Word has it that President Barack Obama's recovery plan is on track for final votes in the House and Senate. I hope so. I truly do. It's been a dizzying week (month, actually). Here are some of the benefits and who gets them in this version of the bill: There is more at this link from the AP. I am sure as the day goes on we will find new details. I like reading things like '$47 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cuts in state aid to school districts, with great flexibility to use the funds for school modernization and repair; $25 billion to school districts to fund special education and the No Child Left Behind law for students in K-12; $17 billion to boost the maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $5,350; $2 billion for Head Start.' Someone is finally thinking of the children!

Some of the provisions will be liked, some won't. At this point, I don't care. Whatever isn't in the jobs and recovery package can be addressed in the Annual Budget which - incidentally - we have not gotten to. With so many people losing their jobs, and the fear of losing gainful employment, this stimulus bill had to happen, simply to inject money into people's wallets and give them confidence back. When one person loses a job, they stop spending money. When that person stops spending money at businesses and for services they would normally use, those companies stop taking in money... thus the people working at these businesses people have less money and confidence. Suddenly that business shuts down, and now more people are out of work.

Now multiply that by all the jobs lost this year. It is a true downward cycle that we are in and the "Tax Cuts Only" meme wasn't going to to help. If the past 12 years have proven us correct, it would have only hurt us more. There comes a point when you can't treat a cold with rest and sleep. The thing is you have to realize you have a cold and treat it, and the previous administration did not do that. At this point, America doesn't have a cold, she has pnuemonia. America needs money and needs it now.

We also need new jobs, and a return of our old jobs. I hope companies take the cue from the CEO of Caterpillar This is the kind of confidence we need to see again. People need to know that their jobs are still here in America and that companies WANT to keep their workers.

It is frustrating me to no end that our President and Congress were put in this position in the first place. This was not what Barack Obama was thinking about when he spoke of hope and change. This stimulus package was not part of his campaign platform. That said, I am grateful that we have a president who is actually able to adjust "as the facts on the ground" change.

Now let's get a HHS nominee going, let's get our Labor Secretary nominated so we can get America OUT of it's sick bed and back to work!

:peace: and :heart:
Raine