Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Stimulus Trial and Error

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has an interesting idea. It isn't going to happen but he wants to use stimulus money to eliminate the sales tax for the remainder of the year and issue property tax refunds.

I think it is a good idea. If states or municipalities could use the money as they saw fit, we could learn something from the multitude of likely uses of the money. Some cities would build useless libraries while others would reduce taxes. Some would invest in the stock market while others would build solar powered windmills for their rain gardens.

And then, some years down the road, we would have data. We would know what worked and what didn't. But don't expect anything of the sort from this spending package. It will come with specific instructions from Washington.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am amazed at how Fast they had to shove that "Stimulus" bill thru on Friday night. The world is on fire we need more Gasoline... STAT!; and then after Flying Sen. Sherry Brown from Ohio away from his mothers funeral wake. On a private Jet. To Vote on this O'Bortion only to have to bill sit around all weekend while the Pres. takes his Valentine to Chicago, shoots some Hoops, and now is flying out to Colorado to Sign the Bill to "Save the world"....Now maybe I'm just Jaded..But the worldwide investor class has once again responded to the great O'rator by collapsing the Stock market yet another 2-300 points. and it's only noon.

Ever since it was likely he would be elected, (end Sept. 08) the market has lost nearly 40% of it's value 4-5 Million jobs have been lost in anticipation of his policies and incompetence.

Is this the worst economy since the Great Depression or is it the Worst since Jimmy "The Great Depressor" Carter. So far it's only "almost" that bad.. Let's hope the fact Obama and the Dems followed the lead of Carter, Hoover and FDR and just strangled the very people he needs to rescue the economy.
Will building an 8 Billion dollar Mag Lev Rail to connect Disneyland to Vegas? Is this going to help Harley workers get their jobs back?? And how many cars will that sell for Detroit? Is it ironic that we have decided to Stimulate Disney and Vegas? Fun and games and gambling and prostitutes....I think I see the pattern..1 Percent of this bill is a representative of the entire bill.

Anonymous said...

"Let's hope the fact Obama and the Dems followed the lead of Carter, Hoover and FDR and just strangled the very people he needs to rescue the economy." Will miraculously work this time, although it has failed every time in history.