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Selling Stimulus
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Congress, Congress Stimulus, Congressional Budget Office, Economic Crisis, Economic Stimulus, Economic Stimulus Pacakage, Economic Stimulus Package, Economy, Gop Stimulus, Obama, Obama Economic Stimulus Plan, Obama Economy, Obama Stimulus, Obama Stimulus Plan, Republicans Stimulus, Senate Economic Stimulus, Stimulus, U.S. Economy,
Politics News
Later this week, the Senate will vote on the economic stimulus legislation that arrived in their chamber without a single Republican vote. It is unlikely that the Republican opposition will be able to mount a successful filibuster, and it is unlikely, as a result, that the legislation will fail.
But despite the probable success of the legislation, the Obama administration will emerge somewhat bruised from a battle they don't appear to be winning. The message pumping through the media narrative is not about the content and virtue of the stimulus package. Rather, it's that Republican's believe the legislation to be bad, and Democrats believe it to be Obama's.
What the administration needs, and what its senior advisers proved so adept at during the campaign, is a simpler, more compelling, campaign-style message for what this legislation is really about.
What was so exceptional about the Obama campaign was not just its unflinching adherence to a message; it was that the message itself was incredibly persuasive. President Obama's greatest strength is the grace with which he can make a compelling argument. He made such a compelling one at the 2004 Democratic convention that he got himself nominated at the next one. The campaign was able to involve so many in the dissemination of its message, in large part because the message of the campaign could be repeated and argued about by average Americans on average street corners.
If the administration believes that moving the needle on the stimulus debate matters, if they believe that mobilizing the movement they built is a goal worth pursuing, then they should return to that style of argument. The people need better talking points. They may know, for example, that the stimulus intends to create or save three million jobs, but ask them to explain how, and only the most-informed can provide the answer.
The stimulus is about real people and real jobs, a weary and uncertain future for nearly all Americans. The debate about its merit, at least with regard to the general public, should not rest on questions like, "How shovel-ready is this project really?" and "How will bailing out this bank impact inflation?" It should be simpler, more concrete, more real. The administration cannot underestimate the scores of smart, well-read, well-informed Americans who have justifiable difficulty with economic concepts, with relating infrastructure projects to home foreclosures, to credit markets and unemployment numbers. If the president is going to win this argument, then he needs the public to understand his vision.
For that, the public needs a better message.
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Billionaire For A Day: A More Entertaining Economic Stimulus Package
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Palin's Facebook Page: Opposes Obama's Stimulus Plan
We learn on Facebook that Palin has "serious concerns" with Obama's stimulus package. Say what?
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Just imagine: What if McCain Had Won the Election and Obama had Shafted him During the Stimulus Debate?
Um, are McCain's feelings after losing an election the big question on people's minds in the nation? I think the stimulus package is the focus of the country right now, don't you?
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Stimulate Me!
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Where's Ross Perot When You Need Him?
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Rahm Throws Pelosi Under The Bus To Save Stimulus Bill
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Our Twin Crises
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Creating Jobs Is Not "Wasteful"
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Oh, About That "End" of the Obama Honeymoon ...
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Patriotic Extortion
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Steele Crazy After All This Year
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Why the Stimulus is Needed, Part II
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House vs. Senate Stimulus Bills
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A Better Stimulus for the Economy
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The Truth About the Stimulus Package
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Operation Zero Cred
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Stimulating
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Bipartisanship (is) for Dummies
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Pulling the Wool Over Our Eyes
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Our Phone Calls Are Working, Don't Let Up!
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Most Americans are against it, although some are scared into thinking it may be necessary.
Obama is failing to provide direct assistance to US workers as he promised. He is just following along, the old order of business. With this we are losing our independence asa country, our sovereignty, and our liberty. There are no unions, no new trade policies, no coupons for buying US cars - nothing but some cashola we can spend of Chinese goods to resurrect the old economy before it collapsed.
What can be done when the federal government is stiffing the public? There are still the states and the cities. they can block foreign goods they do not want, and they can tax them to stop the dumping that is imperiling their workers. It is a way to begin opposing this foreign cartel and its control of us and our credit.
are you an anarchist or a corporatist?
The one thing I figured out about Obama is you can't figure out Obama, He'll alwys comes out on top. If they pass the stimulus and it works, he's a hero If it fails its because of all the changes the republicans did with their tax cuts, if it does'nt pass than the republicans are obstructionists. I guess thats what you call a win, win, win, situation.
You got it!
It's only 90B$/year.
Pass it!
If you want to sell the stim package . . . he could start by asking Nancy Pelosi not to talk . . .
"Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package 500 million Americans lose their jobs. I don't think we can go fast enough to stop that."
It is a big mistake to remove the "Buy American" part of the Stim package . The GOP just does not get it ! We presently have the greatest transfer of our money to foreign countries ever . Buying American keeps our money in circulation in our country and makes our money more available in our country . Foreign workers around the world depend on us to continue sending money and the big marketing companies are digging a large hole to bury us in . WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE RUN OUT OF MONEY ? AND AT THIS RATE WE WILL ! The GOP wants to continue destroying our workers income while they and friends continue getting rich . STOP AND THINK ! WE ARE THE BUYERS AND IF THE SELLERS want our MONEY they MUST cut prices if we DECIDE TO SENT THEM LESS . THE GOP IS LYING WHEN THEY SAY buying AMERICAN will start TRADE WARS .
BIGGER STIMULUS THAN STIMULUS!
Banks will do anything for $Billion/$Trillions and defer their incomes!
Banks are in Toxic DEBT at least $1.144 Quadrillion Worldwide and are called "Zombie" in financial press, or $1,144 Trillion and US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $14 Trillion.
$1,144/14 is 81 times our current GDP! It could take DECADES (81 years-worst case) to reduce this debt! Banks are only functioning now with all Toxic Paper, perhaps illegally, "Off-Balance-Sheet" not showing on their Statements, except as note.
It"s impossible to feed Banks enough money without ruining America!
They either survive of go bankrupt on the path they have set for themselves!
_______________________________________________________________
WORK AROUND THEM using a "GOOD" Government Bank of the People!
Obama wants Technology in Government and this is a High Tech Solution to Increasing Competition in Banking:
Spend 1/3rd amount planned for "BAD Bank" on Government "Virtual" Internet Central Bank (ICB) that directly serves millions of consumers/businesses at low Rates and Low Fees!
ICB, competes with surviving Banks to prevent Excessive USURY (Interest Rates and Fees) on Homes, Autos, Credit Cards, and Business Loans while also offering simple "Truth in Lending" contracts to all Americans!
ICB operates through Internet to performs most Banking Functions, uses ATM's for Deposits/Withdrawals and Debit/Credit Cards for purchases. ICB requires no Branches, waiting lines, or high costs.
Once funded, Credit can begin to flow immediately using existing Fannie/Freddie until Interface is completed in 6 months.
We gave the bank derivatives 642T$ debt fund trillion in
one year.
The Invest in America Spending
IS OVER A TEN YEAR TIME!
IT'S 90B$
/YEAR AVERAGE.
There are now other factors influencing the passing of this bill and that is Europe and Canada threatening to turn US into the WTO for fear of "protectionism"...based on the Buy American aspect of this bill. Opinions aside, that is a huge issue, greater than the bipartisan one.
How about
The Back to Work Bill
The Confidence and Jobs Bill
Build Up America Bill
The Bush-not Bill
The American Dream Bill
The Way Forward Bill
If anyone noticed over the last 8 yrs Bush was good at using Orwellian phrases with Bill names like the Clean Air Bill, No Child Left Behind etc etc ,but then he would do the opposite or just not fund it. Obama needs to learn the "selling point names",but then actually follow through. I believe he will,but he doesn't play the marketing game nearly as well as the R's.
How about the"American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill" (It's title from the House), which the republicans have renamed the stimulus bill.
As the article stated, the bill is going to pass. All of the repub political theater isn't going to change that. It only needs 51 votes.
I really dont care how much or what flavor frosting you put on it, but I (and many others) dont care to eat a bill that contains things like - 850 Million for Amtrack... yea the trains that the gov bailed out 20 years ago that still dont make enough money to pay for themselves are listed in the pork bill too
Maybe if we invested in Amtraksot hey could own their own rail lines, it would become self sufficient...
The message 'pumping' through the media IS about the content of this bloated bill. THAT'S why rethuglicans are against it. Look at the falling support from the people. We don't need better talking points, we need a better bill.
I think the problem is more like the one Gandhi had in the religious dispute between Muslims and Hindus. It was never resolved, in other words. While he was able to unite pan India against the British Empire, he was unable to settle a centuries old religious battle.
In somewhat the same vein, the problem with the stimulus plan boils down to the battle between classical economics, which doesn't even believe that "involuntary unemployment" (i.e., layoffs) is possible, and the new economics of John Maynard Keynes, who explained the causes of fluctuations of employment and how an economy actually works which was validated by FDR's handling of the Great Depression.
I think we are deluding ourselves by believing that there can by any accord between these two distinct economic viewpoints. It is going to be a cage match.
Talking point: A CCC-like jobs program for people who need jobs NOW.
Do you really think the 6000 people laid off from Microsoft are going to pick up shovels? The CCC worked in the 1930s when the average person had an 8th grade education. How does this create real jobs that are sustainable over a long period of time?
Talking point: 5% or more individual government investment accounts. We need a place to save that will not disappear and will pay a decent guarenteed return. Stock accounts are a scam. Let the rich gamble with their money, not my grandmother. Is your paycheck still flowing into 401K stock funds? How does it feel? Or don't you want to know?
There are no guarantees in life and goverment. Just like the govt lockbox for social security payments. I'll be responsible for my own money thanx, next talking point please!
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