Elana Levin

“Stimulus plan must aid jobless”

In case you don't live in New Jersey (and while many many people do live in New Jersey, most of us do not, regardless of what their traffic problems might indicate) be sure to take a look at Amy Traub from DMI's oped that ran in the Star Ledger today.

From the oped entitled "Stimulus plan must aid jobless":

The good news? It looks like the Senate may step in to set things right. Senate leaders recognize that without provisions for the unemployed, the stimulus deal passed by the House yesterday is incomplete. It includes positive measures, like providing rapid income tax rebates to working Americans. This would supply an economic jolt by getting money into people's hands relatively quickly.

The House deal's other provision, which Bush insisted on, is less helpful: Doling out incentives for businesses investment has an uncertain impact and would likely work too slowly to make a difference when the economy needs it most.

In his State of the Union address on Monday, the president expressed satisfaction with the House stimulus package and called on Congress not to "load up the bill," supposedly out of fear of delaying its passage.

But unemployed Americans are the ones who can least afford to wait. Expanding unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective policies available, helping those who need it most. The Senate is right. The president and the Congress should bring it to the center of their stimulus plans.

Read the whole piece online here.

Elana Levin: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 11:07 AM, Jan 30, 2008 in Tax Policy
Permalink | Email to Friend