iVillagers to Obama: Show Us the Money

Teachers and Police offers should get help but the rest of nothing? Why are they so much more important than anyone else?
No wonder we're in such a mess!

As a realtor, it'll be interesting to see if the families I am trying to help avoid foreclosure see any benefits. The banks have consistently made poor decisions on accepting offers to avoid foreclosure and in some cases walked away from a bunch of money while paying the CFO's and CEO's big bonuses! We'll see...

I am getting more and more frustrated by people who keep saying "people bought more than they could afford". Let me tell all of you something:

I bought a 55K foreclosure. I was told I could "afford" a 110K home. I chose to go to the low end. I fought like hell for this house, and now I am on the verge of losing it. Why? Because I have a subprime loan. I was concerned about the terms but was told in a year I could refinance. When that year came I tried and I was told that because I had purchased the house, it would not be a positive effect on my credit for 13 years. 13 years. Now, 2 years later, the rate had reset, and Countrywide is doing what they wish with my payments. Apparently there was a term in there that said if I was deliquent they could charge me fees for apprasials, and such. The thing is I was 1 payment behind, I called them and asked for help and was told to keep paying behind. I am at my wits end with all of this. I was told by them, in no uncertain words, that all of the payments I have made and will make will be applied to my account as they see fit. So now that they have begun doing that, I am 2 months behind. (it was 3 but I got another one in this month).

How is it I did something wrong? How is it that people like me continue to be made to feel like we are the scum who have caused this entire mess.

Please everyone realize that not everyone made stupid decisions, some of us actually tried to make good, sound judgements.

People pray for your President! Don't put your total trust in Man. We are Humans, & with the Lord Jesus Christ strength he will pull us through, but you have to trust in the Lord! MATHREW,3:16

I am hopeful that the stimulus package will stop the layoffs and help the people. I will take the small reduction in taxes -- every little bit helps. I am grateful that President Obama suceeded in getting this package passed.

I do believe that there must be tight oversight. I am fearful that the benefits will go to State government, and they will not pass it along to the locals. I am also fearful that the companies will get the tax break, and not hire. The money trail has to be from beginning to end.

Greed is the the name of the game peoplpe were playing. Greed is what has happened all over the world. Now we are ALL PAYING for it!
We need to take stock {no pun intended} in what is happening,learn from this and go forward.
It is just unfortunate that ,we who want to retire, cannot, We, are holding the jobs that should be passed to the next generation.
What a Mess!!
.

This stimulus plan is horrible - our children and grandchildren will never be able to get out of debt for sure. Where do these people think this money is coming from. He wants to raise taxes on everything. I'm so tired of this "bail out" mentality of so many people - always holding their hand out for MORE from the government. People need to realize they need to be responsible for their own lives and not depend on the government to support them. America is the best place in the world to live with all the FREEDOMS that other countries don't have. If the government keeps bailing out everyone with our tax dollars who is going to have the freedom then. We will be OWNED by the government. Wake up America - see what this horrible excuse for an administration is trying to do to us. They want all the CONTROL and they don't want us to have any!!! Personally I don't want to live in a Socialist society.

How do you get out of debt by borrowing MORE money? Enough said...

I think that you people who voted for CHANGE are getting it!

I own a small business with my husband. We are an S chapter Corporation. At the end of the year if the company net profits or loss is added to our gross income. The last couple of years that has been in the negative. We have been everywhere trying to get a loan. Our business has work, our customers are slow in paying. I know we will get absolutely
nothing from this bill except to have to pay more taxes....

Our health insurance is going up 400.00 a month. Every vendor has slapped a fuel surcharge on the bottom of bills.
Small Business Administration says I have to deal with local bank. Local bank declined our loan. We have no savings, and on payday if we do not have enough money WE DO NOT GET PAID...
As many think a small business is not rolling in dough. We actually are more broke than anyone else. Where do I go to get bailed out

People wanted their kids to have it better than they did - so they spoiled them with trying to give them what it took a lifetime for them to build up to. The "credit generation" did not understand saving - they weren't taught. Greed took over and now everyone is suffering. We will be living in a country that owns everything and it will end up a 2 class country - the rich and the poor. They are willing to close the "Big 3" in order to give to the greed of Wall Street. It is sad our country has fallen to such a low point where lack of integrity and no morals are the standard. We need to put God back in our country and have some values and not let the almighty dollar be our god.

remember, the $13/wk will be taxable income due to non-adjustment to the tax code.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THIS HELPS IS THE PEOPLE THAT HELPS IS THE PEOPLE WHO PUT HIM IN OFFICE.

REMEMBER THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE KING AND LORD OF ALL
WHATEVER HE WANTS WILL HAPPEN, EVEN IF THIS COUNTRY IS TO FALL LIKE THOSE BEFORE IT.

IF WE DON'T RETURN TO HIM AND KEEP ALLOWING QUEERS TO MARRY EACH OTHER, KILLING OUR UNBORN, AND KEEP OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST OUT OF THE GOVERMENT OUR COUNTRY WILL FALL WITH OUT A DOUBT

Absolutely not. I'd be in so much trouble if I'd run my household finances by spending and borrowing. God help us all!
carol

Now that all of Americans have decide by vote to become socialist and allow a useless stimulus package do everything except for what it nneeds to do......I guess most of us who make more than the norm are expected to pay for it???? Don't bet on it....the movement is out of here...live elsewhere...we've always paid our responsible share...but not anymore...when its wasted on the lazy...

we are headed straight for a depression if were not already there, Obama is driving our economy into the ground. China is not going to bail the U.S any longer. China, Japan and Europe are in worse shape than we are.

It is apparent that President Obama is adamant about taking away any right given to us by our forefathers. Stimulus is ridiculous way of screaming "the sky is falling" while patting the backs of those who supported his campaign and beliefs.

I am appalled that he is obviously adamant about taking any rights from us as Christians. Have you seen the latest on those who have religious beliefs in medical field re: abortion? He says tough.

He has his own agenda and I think it is the wrong one.

What many of us feared would happen is happening. Too much government intervention produces several things:
1. A dependency on more government bailouts and handouts.
2. Complacency (Why worry when the government will bail you out if you get in trouble?)
3. Lack of confidence (witness the stock market. In spite of this massive infusion of cash, consumers have no confidence).

Obama was overconfident when he took office. His plan was unrealistic and wasn't properly researched (He had only to look at the past. History can teach us only if we are willing to learn from it). In an effort to do too much too fast; in an effort to try to keep a lot of promises that are impossible to keep (which many pointed out during his campaign), President Obama is taking us at record speed into socialism.

I think the government has made this more complicated than it needed to be. The simplest thing to do would be to give every American adult over the age of 18, a nice check for $300,000, and make them pay income tax on it. Immediately the government would get $100,000 back in taxes. The American people, the majority of whom are hurting financially, could pay off their mortgages, student loans, and credit card debt. We could also wipe out poverty! Imagine that--poverty would be eliminated. The banks would get loads of money, the economy would boom, and most of all, the suffering for the taxpayers would end. I would be happier if we were doing something concrete for the average American rather than dumping billions of dollars into banks, etc. that are run by a bunch of low-life crooks and incompetent idiots.

I think the government has made this more complicated than it needed to be. The simplest thing to do would be to give every American adult over the age of 18, a nice check for $300,000, and make them pay income tax on it. Immediately the government would get $100,000 back in taxes. The American people, the majority of whom are hurting financially, could pay off their mortgages, student loans, and credit card debt. We could also wipe out poverty! Imagine that--poverty would be eliminated. The banks would get loads of money, the economy would boom, and most of all, the suffering for the taxpayers would end. I would be happier if we were doing something concrete for the average American rather than dumping billions of dollars into banks, etc. that are run by a bunch of low-life crooks and incompetent idiots.

I think the government has made this more complicated than it needed to be. The simplest thing to do would be to give every American adult over the age of 18, a nice check for $300,000, and make them pay income tax on it. Immediately the government would get $100,000 back in taxes. The American people, the majority of whom are hurting financially, could pay off their mortgages, student loans, and credit card debt. We could also wipe out poverty! Imagine that--poverty would be eliminated. The banks would get loads of money, the economy would boom, and most of all, the suffering for the taxpayers would end. I would be happier if we were doing something concrete for the average American rather than dumping billions of dollars into banks, etc. that are run by a bunch of low-life crooks and incompetent idiots.

I fear for my children and grandchildren--I want them to live in a land where we can persue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It seems it will no longer be that. From the top down, it seems as though we are run by those with no morals. Tell me ONE goverment program that has ever been run efficiently and we're going to turn the healthcare, transportations, banking, environment, etc. over to them. God help us all . . .

I would love to believe all that the President is saying and doing is going to correct the mess our economy is in. Unfortunately, what I see is spending more money we do not have. No apparent realistic view of what the long term effect will be, even if there is a short-term fix, it will not correct the underlying problems.
What ever happened to not spending more than you earn? The stores were swamped this holiday season - with people spending cash and writing checks. Profits are down. But many are making a profit - that used to be good. If we as citizens and our government do not get a handle on our greed, and start being grateful for what we do have, I beleive we will loose a great deal. Even those of us who do live within our means will suffer the consequences.
Add to that the Presidents plans for citizens rights, foreign affairs, etc..... the future is not looking very promising.

I think it's ridiculous how the Dems think it's ok to spend, spend, spend and then tell the American people it's going to get worse. That we better cut back and taxes are going to go up. Then Obama has the nerve to have parties at our whitehouse for Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, who's paying for that? Now they've put our children, grandchildren etc in debt for the next 30yrs. I find them all deplorable.

I don't agree with the bail outs and neither does Wall Street or it wouldnt be getting ready to crash like it is. I don't agree with the abortion amendment he's getting ready to sign either. He & all his followers will ruin this country for yrs to come just like Carter did. Change, they wanted change, is this the kind of change they truly wanted. 13.00 more dollars in one's paycheck? Please give me a break, what is that? Those Dems are laughing at the public, laughing all the way to the bank with their big paychecks. Congress should be fired and we should be talking about an impeachment for highway robbery of the American people. That's what this bail out is, robbery so they can spend on pet projects.

Generally, the people in Washington (the Elite) will not be touched by this situation the common folks are experiencing. They have so many perks that the day-to-day affairs of you and me are not even in their thought waves. Obama is so sheltered for life that he and his family will never experience any pain or deprivation. He is playing with other people's money so it will not be a concern to what he experiences. How about if he took a salary of $1 a year? How about if all the congressmen/women did the same. They can live off the fat of the land..... their perks for being in Washington. I am 64.

Given, that Bush spent 11-plus trillion dollars on the war in Iraq and continuously denied that we were in a recession; thereby, doing absolutely nothing to ward off the recession, kudos to President Obama for at least attempting to help citizens of America. As I muse over the comments about his stimulus plan, where was the outcry when Bush's spending was out of control on the war in Iraq, and he filled the pockets of his buddy's company, Haliburton, in Iraq without even going out to bid for the most responsible low bidder. Then, when a whistleblower reported this illegal behavior, she was fired! So, I say again, kudos to President Obama, for at least acknowledging out problems and trying to lend a helping hand. Of course, the plan will not please everyone. But, if we work together, we can restore America to the number one country in the world!

I find it interesting that the politicians actually started this mess with the regulations requiring banks to make bad loans to individuals under Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ostensibly because every American DESERVES to own a home, and now it is the lenders fault that the country is in an economic crisis. I also find it interesting that in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression (Obama's words, not mine), the Senate could vote themselves a $96,000 per person descretionary fund and the White House can ratchet up entertainment--now having some sort of social event every Wednesday. BTW, just WHO paid for Stevie Wonder to be honored??? Was it the ordinary American taxpayer who is in danger of foreclosure?

Last time I checked, one cannot borrow themselves into wealth. How can a government think they are any different. Basically, why dont we quit our jobs and then go out and get about 3 million dollars worth of credit cards. Now we are multimillionaires and live the good life. The problem is, we have no more income and continue to live off of those credit cards until they are maxed out, then we get more. At some point they are going to quit giving us credit cards and then we are in trouble. We as a nation have outsourced our industry, basically we have quit out job on a national scale. And we have a wallet full of credit cards (on a national scale). How do people think that this is going to fix anything. If not being fiscally responsible on a personal level does not work, why do we think it can work on a national level. I guess as Americans we are simply to lazy to think anymore or especially to hold anyone accountable or to realize that the failed policies of the past are the cause and probably be done away with. Lets start looking at the cause of this problem and not simply the symptom.

History people - This stimulus package is just putting off the inevitable. Americans need to wake up. We must remember there are 9o% of Americans still working and paying their mortgage similar to the Great Depression. It is hard to say but if we look at history, it was the world war that got us out of the depression by increasing manufacturing and having a bit of protectionism for jobs. Not printing more money, having Government give us legislation, and making the dollar worth less. Taxes will go up, we will have less money to spend and invest and that begins the snowball. Why would I work when the Socialist will take care of me. Sure my standard of living will go down, so what - gov't will bail me out, all I have to do is ask and no oversights! That is like leaving the door open to your house to come in an rob you! My recommendation would be to vote ALL current members out of Congress who voted for the stimulus bill, remove the Clinton administration (appointees) which were the good ole boy members, and have a good ole Boston Tea Party. Can you imagine if the IRS was done away with!

I think the government has made this more complicated than it needed to be. The simplest thing to do would be to give every American adult over the age of 18, a nice check for $300,000, and make them pay income tax on it. Immediately the government would get $100,000 back from every $300,000 given out, in taxes. The American people, the majority of whom are hurting financially, could pay off their mortgages, student loans, and credit card debt. We could also wipe out poverty! Imagine that--poverty would be eliminated. The banks would get loads of money, the economy would boom, and most of all, the suffering for the taxpayers would end. I would be happier if we were doing something concrete for the average American rather than dumping billions of dollars into banks, etc. that are run by a bunch of low-life greedy crooks and incompetent idiots.

I did not vote for this man. Those of you who did, we tried to tell you that it would not be good. Just don't make the same mistake again, please!

This whole administration is a joke. I mean the guy needs a teleprompter to do ANYTHING. Most people know what they feel,think and believe, without needed it in written form. This administration is going to run this country into the ground. Government cannot create jobs!! Employers create jobs, if you tax the hell out of them, the cut jobs to make up the costs!!!

This whole administration is a joke. I mean the guy needs a teleprompter to do ANYTHING. Most people know what they feel,think and believe, without needed it in written form. This administration is going to run this country into the ground. Government cannot create jobs!! Employers create jobs, if you tax the hell out of them, the cut jobs to make up the costs!!!

I think President Obama is doing the best job he possibly can. Especially if you take into account the 8 year mess that Bush made of the economy. Bush's policy was riches to the rich, trash the environment, sacrifice our young Americans in a senseless war, and bonuses to his good old boy buddies. It will take President Obama more than just a month and a half to dig us out from the utter failure that was his inheritance. I support President Obama 1000%..and to all the negative people out there, try to be more positive, we have the best leader we could possibly have hoped for,and we are damn lucky to have him.

I did a little math on the 9 trillion dollar (that's a 9 with 15 zeros) stimulus package and discovered that if you take the approximate population census of the USA ~450,000,000 people, you get ~$200,000.00 per person (every man, woman, and child. I don't know about anyone else, but I could do a great deal with that much money, ie. pay off school loans, buy new car, put property tax for next year in savings, as well as homeowners insurance and still have enough to take care of incidental expenses for quite a while ( I am single, with no dependents). A couple would receive ~$400,000.00; a family of four would receive $800.000.00. Surely, this would be enough to by health insurance and stimulate the economy with purchases, pay back mortgage payments, etc.
By allowing people to make purchases of automobiles, health insurance, make house payments, etc. the economy would be self starting, the automobile companies would be selling their vehicles, mortgages would receive their payments, doctors and hospitals would be paid for their services and
the economy would improve in a matter of months not years.
As for those businesses which would not get a helping hand from the taxpayer, maybe they shouldn't. In years past, if you tried your hand at business and failed, you either tried again with a different plan or went to work for someone else and no one gave you anything but a pat on the back and "Try Again."
It may be time for a little humility on the part of those high rollers who think that someone owes them a "living".
Our parents and Grandparents had to make it on their own, there was very little government help and no credit cards to fall back on. A little food for thought.

I agree with Jeanie.. If the government would have passed a check to we the people it would have made a much bigger difference in the economy than bailing out the big business has. I think the majority of us could pay off all of our debt and them some.

I do not own a home because I felt, as a single mom, I couldn't afford to buy one. Now my children are raised (3 children) and still can not buy one and don't know where to retire to at 76. Why should I pay for the ones that went on vacations, bought new cars and furniture and didn't make their house payment. I have to pay taxes on my social security because I work. This whole program is not fair at all. I understand about the valves of their houses and the neighborhood but still why my tax dollars? They have to get their values straight, to me pay the house payment so you have a roof over your head and then the grocery bill. I feel sorry for my grandchildren, they have to put up with all of this. I believe we have to get back to the old days the way our parents handled money. Can't have anything unless you can afford it.

this may not be a popular opinion, and i am suffering along with everyone else, being disabled, newly divorced, and on a fixed income, but i believe that this crisis should be viewed as half full, rather than half empty.

as a whole we have been living well beyond our means, and living on credit. something had to happen, and those in power were warned enough times, but did not believe it could happen.

well it did. now we have to be realistic. revise our budgets, and go back to traditional, time tested ways of saving money. walking more, using left overs, using washable containers or wash out plastic bags. return the soda bottles. and to think it may go up to .10/bottle and include all water and juice drinks. victory gardens, feed our fellow citizens who are in need. and look outward to/for others instead of inside for our selves.

We have been given a challenge, it is a done deal, and now we have to be realistic. let us not pass on this legacy to our children. let them see us be responsible, giving, loyal citizens of our city, state, country and world. we have responsibilities to them all.

I am a 58 year old mother of six children ranging from 17 to 36 years old. I also have two grand children. My concerns are really for all my children's future. My husband and I do everything regarding our children well being. We paid for their college education without any help from the government. We support each other when one of us is in need. However, we still have our youngest to send to college next year and it is not her siblings job to pay for her education, they have enough to worry about. I don't have a million dollar house, my mini van is 11 years old, and our mortgage has always been paid on time. We had a small construction consulting company and as of the first of next month we are closing our doors. Everything we worked for is gone. I am furious with Obama's decisions and policies! He has no idea what he is doing to the small businesses of America. We have workers who have worked with us who are calling all the time to see if we can give them any leads on job openings. The media better get a grip on the people's day to day reality, because, I really don't give a damn about Michelle Obama's style is or where they go on vacation!All I see is that the Obama's vacation time cost the tax payers 40 thousand dollars a day for their security everytime they leave the White House! I want Obama to FIX this mess in the AMERICAN way, or there will be a March to Washington D.C. and this time it will not be a March to protest on Global warming in the middle of a snow storm! It will be mothers and fathers protesting for their families and I guarantee my family will be first in line!

I agree with Sandy above. You people are playing victim!! quit crying and get up off your butts waiting for someone to help you. Help yourself. Remember President Bush inherited the tax and spend policies of the Clinton Administration, remember the BIGGEST TAX INCREASE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BUSH gave us OUR money back as did Reagan before, this jackass is just going to take it away again. I'll keep MY money, YOU keep the Change!!!

Have you checked out how the stimulus money will be spent in your state and your neighborhood? I think it's important so that we can speak out on the local level and see just how we will be effected. Yes, I'm angry about Wall Street too, but this is not a time to just point fingers but to hold elected officials accountable. If millions are coming to your city and you don't know anything about it, you will be shortchanged. Check out this site. I did for New Jersey.
http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state

I feel that you should give the President a chance. He walked into a mess with this country. Big business has ruled long enough. It shows how big business ran this country down to the ground. How many Presidents have tackled the lobbyist. I think that is something to look at. The government should not cater to the rich but to everyone. I feel give the man a chance he is at least trying to do what he promised. Which is going to be hard with the republicans, who are only for their own agenda. You seen what they did this for country. I also think that having a two party system is another part of the problem. I am not going to knock this man who is at least trying to do what he has promised. I give him a hooray!

Terre Nares -- The bad loans made by Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac were mandated under the CLINTON Administration, not George Bush's. Two years ago, George asked Congress to take a look at the mess going on and the Democratic Congress killed the investigation, with Nancy and that other NY Demo saying "there was nothing going on." Remember, the Democrats came into power in Congress in 2007. So, while I'll admit that no administration is without fault, you really need to do your homework before you start to point fingers.

The whole "stimulus" and Obama's budget are nothing more than pork to line the pockets of the old political "old boys club" in cluding pelosi. If they got rid of all the pork it could have meaning. If we took the pork and had a bar b que it would serve a greater purpose. But it's nothing more than an attempt to fool American citizens into thinking it was for our good and the future. What has the money GIVEN OUT so far. Very little. Screw obama and the democrats. They think we're nothing but complete fools.

I have read a lot of your comments. I feel that whoever was president, everyone would not agree. However, I feel he is the best man for the job. He has created hope for a lot of people when there was none. If not the stimulas package, what? Remember, it took eight years to get in this mess and it won't be taken care of in a few months. It will take a lot of money to take care of this situation and remember he is also saying the deficit will be cut in half in a few years, so hopefully our kids and grandkids will not have to worry about the money. If regulations were put in place when we were all having "fun" perhaps we would not be where we are today. Also, if regulations had been in place, maybe those people who got into homes they could not afford would not have gotten those loans. Also, Clinton worked very hard so that by 2010 we would not have a deficit and we also had a surplus of money and Bush promptly gave it away. Put that with the huge amounts of money towards the war and there you have it. To Sandy, Yes Obama uses a teleprompter but Bush used one and still could not even pronouce the words.

What makes me so angry as I was warning people this would happen & yet people so many were conned by "change" like "he's gonna put gas in my car & pay my mortgage". Did you notice the economy is crashing & they are spending earmarks without even blinking? It is time for all Americans to come together to stop this out-of-control nonsense. Organize & participate in tea parties and rallies against this governmental confiscatory theft! Give the people back their own money to spend as we can do it better for our own family than they can!

We bought an 800 square foot home because that is all we could afford, We constantly fight over the one bathroom but we live within our means, we did not take out a subprime but a conventional home. Now we both lost our jobs and there are no jobs to be found. I almost have my Masters but am willing to take anything if I can find it. Though we live by the rules, we get punished to have to pay for the bad behavior of others. Please join in our revolt or we will wake up & find our free country turn to Socialist Cuba

THIS IS ALL WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.!!!

This is OUR TAX money being given away to companies that constantly failing. If a small business fails, too bad. NO, I SAY NO MORE just giving away money so they can keep it, raise credit card rates, all rates going up, jobs going down, stock market going down, houses going down, all while allowing the banks to just get "FREE MONEY"??? are you serious??? It's no wonder that the regular people and middle class get to "eat it" while the banks just do well, whatever. I no longer care about their so called "accountability" It's hog wash. If the government REALLY CARES, I suggest the following. Give each citizen w/ social security number $25,000.00 to pay off creditors. The same people that issued stimulus can do this. IF you have money left over good for you. If not, at least creditors are paid, credit goes up, debt. goes down. like that.

@Some americans are getting what they deserve. Problem is that the ones who didn't use credit cards, buy an expensive house, take expensive vacations and probably never have, drive an 8 year old car, stayed in the same old house on a 6 1/2% interest fixed rate, never had cosmetic surgery or major dental work and paid their bills on time are always the ones who get f-----. The bankers, auto ex', wall steet ex's, the raping pharmacetical companies, the oil companies, and ever other top ten who live in their multi millon dollar mansions are always the first to be taking care of, period. This is brought on by a bullless congress who are so into protecting their own interest and blown up packages that they hold no one accountable for fear of losing their perks. As much as I would like to see Obama succeed my feeling is he's fighting in vain. Just remember the 1% always win, end of story.

@Some americans are getting what they deserve. Problem is that the ones who didn't use credit cards, buy an expensive house, take expensive vacations and probably never have, drive an 8 year old car, stayed in the same old house on a 6 1/2% interest fixed rate, never had cosmetic surgery or major dental work and paid their bills on time are always the ones who get f-----. The bankers, auto ex', wall steet ex's, the raping pharmacetical companies, the oil companies, and ever other top ten who live in their multi millon dollar mansions are always the first to be taking care of, period. This is brought on by a bullless congress who are so into protecting their own interest and blown up packages that they hold no one accountable for fear of losing their perks. As much as I would like to see Obama succeed my feeling is he's fighting in vain. Just remember the 1% always win, end of story.

I'll march on Washington also. We need to throw out all of congress and start over--how do these people get elected? Just wait until the census is gerrymandered to ensure that we have total one-party rule. How long do we blame Bush? Oh yes, I wasn't happy with him either. And now we are going to double foreign aid and--$900 million to rebuild Gaza? I hear it and can't believe it. Our 401 is almost gone. . . but what the hey, let's all party like the president. Do you really think they care about global warming? The name of the game is control. Will they give up their private jets, chauffered limos, big homes all over--please, I just don't think the American people are as dumb as they think. But unfortunately I don't know what to do. I write to my congressmen and senator and get back form letter about how great they are doing and how great the president is doing and to write again.

I don't think that the plan will work very well, overall. Yep, for those unemployed and deeply unpossessed, yep, it might. But for those of us who have struggled to pay bills, struggled to stay solvent...nope. And while we are at it, what happened to the idea of revisiting the illegal alien subject? Didn't he speak on that as well? Was IVillage aware that in the last few times of depression crisis in this country, the times when "works" were set up to help the people survive...those times when people refer back to and say, why don't we do that now?...that the President authorized mass deportation of illegals. Took up to two years in one case, and millions were sent back to Mexico and other nations from which they had secretly come to the U.S. Look up "Operation Wetback" on Wikipedia. The idea behind it was that the immigrants who were *legally* here, as well as Americans, were entitled to support from the government, but not illegals. And the only way the government could support the ones intended to support was to get the others out. So they did. And America went back to work.

So, when President Obama talks about putting everyone to work, jobs for all, etc., is he referring to the same sort of thing that was done before? Will illegal immigration be part of the bailout in the near future?

The current "bailout" is nothing more than corporate campaign financing payback. If our current "president" (yes, i was fooled into voting for his "change" platform) truly wanted to stimulate the economy, then start from the bottom and trickle UP.
No amount of 'oversight' will cause the corporations who are benefiting from the influx of cash will cause them to pass the cash (in the form of jobs) to the workers who actually buy the products and services or re-negotiating of terms on mortgages.
The banks are responsible for the mess. Now they are trying to rape the consumers twice. First, they take the bailout money and pad their own multi-million dollar retirement plans and salaries for executives. Second, they are raising the interest rates on FIXED RATE credit cards to LOAN SHARKING levels. (I am being forced to cancel my small business credit card because the company has decided to raise the interest rate to 39%, and I have never been late making my payment!)
Let's see a stimulus package aimed at reducing the debt of the average consumer and small business owner in a way that helps them return to at least a basic level of living and staying in business. (You all have heard of the essentials, food, shelter, clothing, etc. when you have to choose putting food on the table or buying needed medication, food usually comes first. Especially when it involves our children.)
I feel like I have been lied to. "Change" is in the wind. What change? It is business as usual, tax the poor till they can't bleed any more, then pump up the coffers of government and huge business. I guess it doesn't matter that AIG got a lion's share of the bailout money and is now asking for another $30,000,000,000. "just to stay afloat long enough to sell off some of the smaller business assets."
I say, take that 30 billion and pay off consumer debt.
1. Create a program, voluntary, that provides $25,000 per homeowner, creditcard holder, and/or those with student loans.
2. To participate, the bailout pays off consumer debt with the requirement of cancelation of the credit card.
3. To participate, no new debt for a period of 1 year.
4. REQUIRE banks holding mortgages to work with homeowners by:
A. re-negoating the terms of the mortage without adding to the principal or charging fees to do so.
B. REQUIRE A REDUCTION of the principal by 25% on primary hhome loans (this affects the total interest paid, and lowers the payments)
C. REQUIRE a FEDERALY MANDATED MORITRIUM on foreclosures and negative credit reporting for 1 year with NO negative reporting, if the individuals can afford the new lower payments. (sorry, if individuals were in over their heads to begin with, this may not help)
D. REQUIRE a FEDERALLY MANDATED reduced payment plan on past due payments without fees or penalties. OR re-amortize the past due to the end of the loan. (The banks get plenty of money with the interest, why should they gouge people with their additional exhorbitant fees as well, making it harder to meet the payments.)
TRICKLE UP is the only way the economy will recover, law of supply and demand. People spend money (even without jobs), companies hire workers to make/sell/stock the goods, people now have jobs, people spend money.
The only people who will benefit from the current "bailout" and "change" will be the people who already have more money than they can reasonably spend in their lifetime.

I understand what I've been doing wrong all these years. I should owe money and then borrow lots more and then everyhing will be alright. What a salesman! Do you know waht super-inflation is? It's coming. This spending needs to be stopped now.

I hear alot of complaining but no alternatives. I really don't think that doing nothing is the answer. Give the man a chance. I believe he is trying to do the best by all of the people in this country.

What the hell is a whopping $65/month going to get me, besides a tank of gas. Maybe OBAMA needs to try to live off of what many Americans are forced to llive on. STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.

What makes me so angry as I was warning people this would happen & yet people so many were conned by "hope & change" like "he's gonna put gas in my car & pay my mortgage". Did you notice the economy is crashing & they are spending pork without even blinking? Why are they not paying attention to the market, which is crashing before their very eyes, but they refuse to see it? The old adage is give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. This is exactly what these so-called political leaders want, to keep people dependent on handouts, which is no more than a power grab. Even Dr. King said we had to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. I am all for helping those that are unable to care for themselves, but the rest of us cannot be supporting able-bodied people. I saw a lot of abuse of the public healthcare system as I worked in that sector for a long time. It is time for all Americans to come together to stop this out-of-control nonsense. Organize & participate in tea parties and rallies against this governmental confiscatory theft! Give the people back their own money to spend as we can do it better for our own family than they can!

We bought an 800 square foot home because that is all we could afford. We constantly fight over the one bathroom but we live within our means, we did not take out a subprime but a conventional mortgage. Now we both lost our jobs and there are no jobs to be found. I almost have my Masters but am willing to take anything if I can find it. Though we live by the rules, we get punished to have to pay for the bad behavior of others. Where is the relief for people who struggle to pay their bills, but manage to do so because we are responsible Please join in our revolt or we will wake up & find our free country turned to Socialist Cuba.

We seen it coming 2 years ago and now it's slapping us in the face. So what do you do? You do what you have to do to survive. We Baby boomers remembered what our parents did with far less than what we have today. You live within your means and you cut back on the rest until this whole mess pass. For those of us that can pay our way because we did the right thing, I say Great. Don't hate the ones that need help because they made some bad choices. Be proud that you are not one of them and be understanding towards them. This time reminds me of when Marvin Gaye was singing "What's going on". Things back then was a lot worst. We are Americans and we will get through this. Took 8 years to get here and it won't get better over night. I'm behind our President 100%. Let the man do his thing.

Obama doesn't know what he's doing. This whole thing is a HOTT Mess!!! He is gonna ruin this country! We've been so brainwashed with "HATE BUSH" propaganda, we're gonna look back a go hmm...what have we done!! Obama will only last 4 years! Guarantee!

This money is like putting a bandaid on a bad infection. People will use the stimulus to catch up on mortgage, car, credit cards, and other payments; but in another two months we will be in the same boat again. It's not going to do anything other than postpone the inevitable and put our country that much further in debt.

I had hoped the new plan would have help in it for the people who are unemployed but it so far does not help much at all. As for cutting the cost of Cobra for unemployed, thats a big laugh. Unemployment hardly covers the amount of my rent, there is not extra money to pay for Cobra at 725.00 a month for a single person, even if it is cut in half.Unemployment does not even cover basics like food, electric and heating costs. I have had to use a church food pantry just to survive.
If the package had sent us a stimulus check of $1000.00 as discussed in Novembers talks, that would have been a big help to those of us trying to get by until we can find jobs. Also unemplyment should not be taxed, in the past is was not taxed until the government got greedy. I had to pay over 700.00 in taxes for the unemployment I received last year, I could not have the taxes taken out during the year because I could not have paid my rent and would have lost my home. When a person is just getting by, a tax refund would help and would have also helped the country because the money would have been spent and helped save jobs. I think we should just let the banks file bankruptcy and they can start over like the rest of us new poor people. We need jobs more than anything at this time, I understand the housing problem, but if we do not get people back to work, it will not matter how much money you give people to pay there house payment, they will keep losing jobs and not be able to cover the house payment at all then and the Country will continue to go down hill.
I voted for Obama and I support the Presdent 100%, I just hope he will take another look at his plans and please help the new poor unemployed out now before its too late for us to recover.We should bring the jobs back from overseas, the products from these foreign countries have made are kids sick and are of poor quality. There is no harder working people then Americans, we made the best products in the world and would do so again if our jobs were brought home. C.E.O.'s and big Companies forgot the American workers skills and sold out our Country for their own GREED! These Rich people who do not want to pay their share of taxes need to understand that if we loss the middle class, then all thats left is Rich and the poor, and then guess who will be stuck paying all the taxes, (THE RICH), so it would be a great idea to bring our jobs back home and put Americans back to work so the Rich can have the middle class to pay the bulk of the taxes again, and put The United States back on it's feet again as the Wonderful Country it is !!!

President Obama has called upon the best resources/minds in our country to seek advice on ways to cure our economic ills. At least he talks to people which the Bush administration never did. We have to have confidence that American will and ingenuity will win out. We will come out of this -- and be better for it. It is everyone's fault that we have lived beyond our means and this reckoning had to come. While we all suffer in the short term -- we will be stronger and happier in the long term.

The stimulus package is a stinking bag of special interest pork. Most politicians have never met a budget or a payroll. Their focus is simply spending as much money in their respective districts as possible, to get re-elected and this Brobdingnag bill is slathered with drool from politicos salivating with the prospect of spending with no constraints at a rate never contemplated previously, under the guise of “Dire Need”.

If Congress cared a whit about the economy they would have passed a two month payroll tax and social security tax holiday in November and put money in the pockets of all Americans before Christmas right when all of the families, small and large businesses and definitely the retailers could have used it. But no, Congress could not be bothered to interrupt their “winter break”. While the sky did not fall in, the situation did become worse at a time that cannot be recovered. Crying Chicken Little now is meaningless and frankly, the economy would be better off if Congress kept their hands out of it. Just consider the three billion dollars proposed for the criminally indicted ACORN organization - a classic example of a political payoff for rigging votes. No organization under Federal criminal indictment should ever receive Federal funds.

Congress should turn their focus on themselves and government employees who owe over three billion ($3,000,000,000) in delinquent tax payments. It is obviously not uncommon to have tax cheats at all levels, given that four –now fiver or is it six, of the cabinet appointees thought they were above paying their tax bills.

Contrary to the President’s assertions otherwise this is all is business as usual, Congress and the Senate, setting themselves more equal than others and then larding up a bill with pet projects that have nothing to do with economic stimulation and then claiming that the situation is so dire and urgent that the sky will fall in if the bill is not passed. Please spare us the blather; some of us were not born yesterday.

What will work to stimulate the economy is not indiscriminate spending, but judicious tax policy that incentivizes business and personal investment activity. This includes, payroll tax holidays to encourage added employment, accelerated depreciation to stimulate large equipment purchases, business tax incentives to invest in energy saving measures (this should be extended to homeowners as well to stimulate construction) from insulation to solar to ground source heat pumps. With buildings being the largest energy footprint, providing tax incentives to building owners to make conservation measures accomplishes many goals, including energy conservation and stimulation of the construction and building products industry.

Another incentive which could have been significant, a $10,000 -$15,000 tax credit to purchase a foreclosed property. This would have accomplished several goals, moving toxic assets off troubled bank balance sheets, provide an incentive for banks to provide credit to worthy borrowers and stimulate construction activity as people renovate their purchased foreclosed homes. However, instead of having a tax credit for anyone who would invest they set it up to meet a Congressional election cycle, so they could take advantage of it.

Eliminating the capital gains tax could have revitalized the stock market. There are many stocks that are undervalued at the moment, but the average investor is shell shocked and not inclined to invest with out a positive incentive.

Restoring the interest deduction for automobiles for 1040 itemized filers and businesses, would stimulate automobile purchases, and you could even allow a tax credit to folks who purchase American manufactured vehicles. This will not cost the government administrative costs, as it is an accounting function and a tax filing function.

Excessive spending, aside from crippling future generations with debt, will ultimately put the government into competition with businesses for credit and cause inflation, if not hyper inflation.

Food for thought - all of this comes straight out of the Cookbook for Radicals by Saul Alinsky - destroy the market economy, demonize the people who produce goods and services to destroy them (witness the demonizing of the Pharmaceuticals, the auto execs, wall street, all business owners as "the wealthy" as if that was something bad - even though the"wealthy" pay 90% of all the taxes and support everyone), rig the elections and the process for elections - look at criminally indicted ACORN and all its voter fraud, along with Rahm Emanuel taking over (read manipulating to his own ends) the census and the congressional district configurations which are based upon the census. Once the economy is in total shambles, and people are desperate, the totalitarians take over, making sure that the opposition is immobilized (witness the move to ban all kinds of gun ownership).

I don't think a printing press is the way out of a recession,
it's more like the way to a bigger depression.

I think Obama's plan stinks. The people who pay there house payment and other bills don't get anything. And who do you think will pay this back, the working person. Will the goverment bail me out if I have to file bankruphy, like they did the banks? No I am just S.O.L. I think more goverment just takes away our freedom. Jobs made by the goverment are just paid for from the people working and paying taxes. I hate the fact the American dollar is not worth anything now.