The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 2/6/9
Mississippi Republican U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker have a valid point in stalling the $900 billion economic stimulus plan being pushed by the Obama administration.
When Congress and the White House eventually agree on economic stimulus legislation – and they will – that legislation must strike a responsible balance between actually stimulating growth and jobs in the economy while bailing out sectors of the economy that cannot be allowed to fail.
That’s a delicate balance. Many in Congress, despite President Barck Obama’s calls to the contrary, have not been able to resist the temptation to load the package with “Christmas tree” spending provisions that have little or nothing to do with stimulating the economy and everything to do with expanding or creating government programs.
“Congress ought to stimulate job growth with tax cuts,” said Cochran.
Obama himself asked that at least 40 percent of the stimulus plan be crafted in the form of tax cuts. But so far, only about a third of the package comes in the form of tax cuts.
Magnolia Tribune
