Update: The Senate version of the bill has passed a significant procedural hurdle by a slim margin of 61 to 36 votes. A final Senate vote will come tomorrow.
President Obama has a lot of convincing to do in his prime-time press conference tonight. Some economists and many Democrats worry that the bill is too small and includes too many tax cuts, while congressional Republicans pretty much think the exact opposite.
In today's pregame show, President Obama kicked back into campaign mode, stumping for his stimulus bill in Indiana.
At the town hall meeting, Obama criticized Republicans for clinging to their failed philosophy, while also spelling out details of the plan specific to Indiana, including a $500 tax credit for 2.5 million residents, healthcare, unemployment benefits, and job training for the unemployed.
But if you missed the town hall meeting, don't worry. Barack penciled you in at 8 p.m. EST tonight, when he'll sell his stimulus plan directly to the American people.
If you're watching, be sure to share your reaction right here!
Herve Leger
Hasn't it already passed in the senate? Or did I misread the CNN headline.
1Vote tomorrow in the senate, then a conference with the house.
2I'm just waiting for his next mistake. I gotta give it to him though, at least he admits them!
3Never mind, I cleared that up...sorry. (this was like the pretest)
Oh and it says it will cost $827 billion, I thought the compromise was to cut out 100 billion? This is the same number we started with, isn't it?
4I'm listening at work and calling my congresspeople.
5It's estimated at $838 billion, but it's probably more.
6I "HOPE" everyone calls their congresspeople, and tells them to vote NO to this spending package.
7I'm not watching. I have no desire to watch Obama plead and try to work his mojo on the public. I'll just catch the recap on the internet or every major news network after it is over.
8I'm watching. I'm excited there are questions, and not just a speech.
9Interesting speech, watching right now.
10watching.
11"I've inherited a nearly trillion dollar debt, and I want to double that in the first quarter that I am in charge."
Ok, it's not an exact quote.
12And Japan tried to spend themselves out of their recession, and it failed. Why can't we realize that?
I lied. I'm watching. I didn't realize it was a Q&A instead of a speech.
13Watching...not impressed, but at least he's taking questions.
14Loosing up credit? Isn't that what got us into this mess to begin with? Sheesh.
15i didn't realize that tis was on until earlier today, and i have to say - that for someone (myself) who wasn't a HUGE obama supporter before, he's really speaking well and being clear and decisive about his goals
16*Loosening
17Good point starangel. I was going to say the same thing. I'm glad he acknowledged that the TARP overpaid by $85 billion, now tell me exactely how are you going to keep this from happening again, given that the same people will be in charge of the oversight?
18He just said bellicose
19Is that a drinking word?
20Can we add nuclear to the drinking list?
21i wonder what the long hesitation at the beginning of his answer was about though. it's like he wasn't prepared for the question, but we all know that he knows who he's going to call on and what they are going to ask.
22I thought it was because someone had to feed him the answer.
23jk
I've been thinking the same think ilanac. Oooh... good question Chip.
24I thought the same thing...and what does our relationship with Iran have to do with the "economic recovery" (lol) package?
25I think he was just trying to carefully choose his words
26exactly, he probably wasn't expecting that question tonight. I think the drinking word should be overtures
27*thought the same thing about the Loosening Credit, starangel
28although now he's not speaking very self assured about the stimulus package
the one thing that you know for sure is that after he watches this tape, he's going to change how he does these. he's not talking to the camera at all - i don't feel like he's addressing me. he's just talking TO the question asker.
29He talks about having members of the opposite party in his cabinet as being unprecedented, but I thought Nixon did that as well.
30I still don't understand how this stimulus package is going to create 4 million jobs. What is his plan for creating those jobs? I mean, companies are laying off left and right. It's not like other companies have the capacity to take in those who are laid off.
31pwned by Chip on the false bipartisanship!
32I agree with you ilanac. He's lost his mojo. Or just isn't implementing it tonight.
33starangel...the other thing that i wonder about is the industry/sector that will get those jobs. he was talking about how they would be in manufacturing and things like that - but a LOT of folks that lost their jobs aren't trained in that - and they would be starting from square one. i'm not sure that he's really clear on how he'll be able to help the people in the financial sector get jobs....or those in media/advertising etc
34They speak out of both sides of their mouths in regard to the job creation as a result of this package. One moment they're saying there's no way to know for sure how many/if any and in another they're giving us numbers...garg...
35starangel, if private companies are laying off the only job creator possible is the federal government. Investments in science, infrastructure, health care, and more should create 4 million jobs according to some economists.
36And those companies that have made those layoffs aren't going to be financially in a position to turn around and rehire everyone they have laid off.
37i'm a homeowner - i want to see how this talk will help me. i pay my mortgage, so does that mean that i don't get help or no? i'm still not clear on that
38So now it's creating OR saving 4 million jobs...how can they even tell if it saves 4 million jobs? There's no way to check on that in a few months
39ilanac - I know he's talked about upping unemployment benefits, but that doesn't help anyone. And you bring up a really good point about the industries affected. If it is manufacturing, yes people can be trained, but those are the industries laying off. The industries hiring (like healthcare) people don't have the training.
Oooh, new drinking word: wasteful spending.
40The problem is that how many of those people who have been laid off are going to be qualified to work those new jobs?
41unDave - you're 100% right...the companies that had to let go large % of their employees are still floundering and will have MASSES of debt to pay off before they can re-staff
42I agree with a lot of the points he is making right now
43La Crosse, WI hospitals and health care system is paperless. It can be done.
44healthcare has always continued to grow though - hiring in hospitals and having any kind of medical Tech job. it's just other stuff that i'm still so confused about.
if i worked in an office and got laid off, i'm not going to want to work at building a school - that's not going to be something that i'm capable of. i'm not a manual labor person
45I like Chuck's question.
46YAY - consumer spending isn't the problem!!
47Banks taking wild risks based on Democratic overatures and pressure.
48Love Chuck's question. And I have to disagree a little there. Yes, the banks got crazy with loaning money, but the consumers lost some of their responsibilities too. Don't buy a house you can't afford even if the bank says they will give you the money.
mydia - love the avi
49ilanac, I think tomorrow when Geithner announces Obama's plan for banks addresses the mortgage crisis more.
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