Ok, the D Congress has decided on throwing money at the problem. And, once again, they are buying the neo-con meme - let's spend our way out. Here is the story that should be made:
The American consumer is afraid that their financial security - their jobs, their investment and their future - is riding on the roulette wheel of some CEOs whim. The mutualization of risk that defined benefit pensions, American production capacity and unions represented is deteriorating. And your solution is a $300 spending spree? Get real.
Let's talk about how we make the American consumer more secure and help the economy at the same time - it's called S-Chip.
More below:
If I have kids and no insurance, am I going to be more willing to spend the $300 or am I going to hold onto it for that next ear infection? Duh?
If I know that even if I lose my job my kids will have health insurance, am I more likely to take the risk and replace my car so I can get to work reliably? Well, duh? Yup.
S-CHIP is a piece of the economic stimulus - the economic security package the middle and lower income American wants and needs. (By the way, when will we stop talking "lower and middle class and call it "lower and middle income in the press - ever notice that subtle little MSM meme?).
The D congress leaders have to show that they are willing to spend less than half the corporate tax breaks offered in the stimulus package to support the financial situation and financial confidence of the US consumer. Make Bush either say "screw you economy and American worker" or, better yet, "business is worth twice as much as the lower income American".
Have some guts, people.