There are a lot of people concerned about the economic stimulus package that is currently being passed in Congress. It’s big. It’s bold. And let’s face it… it’s a bit scary. We’ve seen it go wrong before – and when you watch politics as usual in Washington, it doesn’t often give you the greatest sense of hope that it’s going to work differently this time. But, the reality that we’re all faced with is that the cost of doing nothing is so much worse than any mistakes we’ll make doing something. And part of what is happening at this moment in time is that we’ve voted for and elected a President based off of the fact that we want things changed – that we want our bridges and roads repaired, our schools made stronger, our healthcare system fixed, and the list goes on – but now we’re being faced with part of the price tag for all of this change, and it’s a big pill to swallow.
The Obama administration put together this video to help begin to answer some of these fears that the American people are having – and to begin to help people to understand what this is all going to mean. Knowing what it all means and how it works is part of all of our responsibility – and it’ll help asuage some of those fears. And having a few answers can sometimes make the medicine go down just a bit easier.
Overall, this video is pretty informative – and I found it to be very helpful. (I do feel that he dodged the question about the deficit – in my opinion, it is the big pink elephant in the room.) The more of us that understand what is being done in Washington, the more we can have a say in what we like, and what we don’t like. The past week in Washington, I’ve seen a return to the politics of fear – senators screaming that this bill “stinks” or that it’s “wrong” for America. Educate yourself. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t. But don’t let the fear mongers decide for you. Figure it out for yourself. Knowledge is power – and having it always feels a lot better.
