Congress and the stimulus plan
Yes, the democratic process is slow and cumbersome, but we're hanging on by our toenails while these guys grandstand for the local audiences and their lobbyist financial supporters to craft the finest possible stimulus plan.
Sure, we don't need money to re-sod the mall, or fund psychotherapy for pets or whatever little goodies are tucked in there. Normally, we'd all be against earmarks and sweeteners, but sometimes that's the necessary juice that gets things passed, Congress being what it is.
Remember Terri Schiavo? They passed that bill in about fifteen minutes, and W. even quit clearing brush and flew all the way back from Crawford at a cost of $10,000 per minute to sign it in person.
So here's an idea, Congress (Democrats and Republicans alike): Think of America as a comatose patient, and the stimulus plan as a feeding tube. Pass something, pronto.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
Congress doesn't have an incentive to speed things up. They get to bicker about the pork they need to add and all the while they collect their salaries and benefits. I think they should cut their pay so they can share the pain of the taxpayers. If they struggle some themselves, maybe they can understand what the people are going thorugh.
Posted by: Donna | February 4, 2009 6:40 AM
You are making the totally unwarranted assumption that Congress doing something is better than Congress doing nothing. As long as it is dominated completely by only Democrats and Republicans I wouldn't be too sure that "something" would ever be better than "nothing".
Posted by: Tom | February 4, 2009 9:26 AM