ec·o·nom·ic - stim·u·lus

Of or relating to an economy - Something causing or regarded as causing a response.
Combined: Some action causing a response to the Economy (my definition).

OK, so the Congress passed a Stimulus Bill, which they (and the Administration) claimed would save jobs and make the Economy better. They also said that without the Stimulus Bill, unemployment would go to 8-1/2 percent, which would be disastrous! The American people (for the most part) did not want this Stimulus Bill or at least wanted it slowed down enough for Congressmen and Senators to read the entire bill, allow we citizens to read the bill, and perhaps suggest some changes for the better. As we all know, that didn't happen.

So, what has the Stimulus Bill done for you and I, Mr & Mrs Average American? As best I can determine - nothing! Yes, it may have helped fund some Federal or State projects that were already in the works or on hold but most likely they would have happened even without the Stimulus Bill. Nearly 1 trillion dollars ($1,000,000,000.00) - a lot of zeros.

The biggest problem we, as American Citizens face is that the people (mostly lawyers) that we send to Washington don't seem to have a lot of "street" sense! Giving money from one Government Agency (the Federal Treasury) to another Government Agency (the States) means that THEY set the priorities as to where the money goes. When was the last time you heard an elected official say "We need to look at what we are providing and determine the value to our Citizens". For example, if the Government spends $1 million dollars to cover health care costs for 1,000 citizens per year; that amounts to $1,000 per person. Is that a reasonable amount? Where is it going to come from? What is the average amount that an average person spends per year on Health Care? If the answer is less than $1,000 per year, then the Government is overspending. If they want to create a new Web site that costs $100,000 in initial costs and an additional $50,000 a year to maintain, but saves the average Citizen $50 per year, then it would mean that 3,000 Citizens would have to utilize it just to break even.

The Government - Federal, State, County, and local do not operate like a normal business (although they should). They just keep adding costs that NEVER go down and in a lot of cases do not provide the benefits that were initially cited. Economic Stimulus is only as good as what it provides to the non-Government entities that pay taxes, create jobs, and help support local communities. That means you and I, as well as the companies we work for. In every instance where taxes have gone down, there has been an increase in the amount of money collected by our Government. Rarely, if ever, does that surplus ever get back to we taxpayers. Each level of Government finds new and creative ways to spend it. What we really need is a simpler, more open Government that listens to us taxpayers (we did put them there to represent us). We need each Agency in the Federal Government (as well as State and local) to justify the benefits of a new program against the costs and where cost exceeds benefit - STOP SPENDING!

So, how do we stimulate the economy? First, since the Government has no money and is in debt up to their ears, cut programs where the cost exceeds the benefit (by the way, Government has no money anyway - it's OUR MONEY). Second, stop creating new laws that hinder growth (Cap and Trade, Environmental studies for impact to snails, toads, flowers, birds (which have no value to the human society), Licensing restrictions on drilling for new oil, building new refineries, building nuclear power plants, placing wind turbines off Cape Cod (if we need new energy sources, don't place undue restrictions on them). Third and most important, YOU! Yes, you. You must pay attention to what is going on. Stop watching stupid TV shows, dumb movies, and plugging your i-pod into your ears! All of the problems we are now having did not occur overnight. The Politicians (both parties) did what they wanted because NO ONE CARED! The fringe groups (left and right) were organized but those of us in the middle (yes, myself included) brushed it off thinking that things would go on pretty much as usual - no one would listen to those idiots on the left and right. WRONG AGAIN! Now we must get organized and we must have our voices heard. Hope and Change, but this time in the direction we intended!