Jan 25

Written by: Jim Hansen
Friday, January 25, 2008

So, the President and the US House have come up with a package that is supposed to help people weather the recession. They are patting themselves on the back claiming bi-partisanship but what it really shows is that those interests that already have access and power are the first to benefit. Investments in ordinary people fall far short and the burden is largely shifted to state and local governments to deal with. Glaring omissions include:

• an investment in people who will lose their job (i.e. no money for better unemployment benefits, states like Idaho are not likely to find the money for this either)
• an investment in low income people who must spend a greater share of their disposable income on food (i.e. no money for increases in food stamps - even though states like Idaho tax groceries)
• an investment in infrastructure like building schools, roads, bridges, sewer systems that will provide jobs in the short term and valuable community assets in the long-term (i.e. since states and local governments have to balance their budgets, they will be forced to put off these investments to deal with immediate human needs created by the recession).

The smoke is clearing from the panic earlier this week that forced the President and Congress to make it appear they are being bold and doing something. But they are still in the habit of defining the solution in ways that leave too many people out. Check out Robert Borosage's analysis. It is right on point. So is David Sirota's column

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