Saturday, February 2, 2008

My Economic Stimulus Package : End the F#*%ing War!

i don't pretend to know a whole lot about economics or all the troubles that the housing market is in right now, but i'm comfortable enough to know that certain frivolities of society (schools, roads, health care, etc) are feeling a pinch. i also tend to believe educated economists when they say that a declining housing market and general loss of net jobs are sure signs of what they call "recession".

i get a little bit worried when, despite January's unemployment rate being higher than December's, President Bush claims that "for the first time in 52 months, we didn't create jobs." i become alarmed when he says that our economy is in a "rough patch", as though the financial standings of the world's only superpower are a neglected corner of his ranch.

what i DO know is that the occupation of and war on Iraq is costing the United States $720 Million every day of the tax money we're about to send more of. locally, that amounts to $487 Million from Ventura County alone to pay for fiscal year 2007, with FY2008 estimated to cost OUR COUNTY $550 Million. that's a lot of money. how much?

225,932 People with Health Care OR
980,187 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR
10,235 Public Safety Officers OR
8,203 Music and Arts Teachers OR
84,479 Scholarships for University Students OR
42 New Elementary Schools OR
1,647 Affordable Housing Units OR
205,194 Children with Health Care OR
65,285 Head Start Places for Children OR
8,299 Elementary School Teachers OR
7,353 Port Container Inspectors

so President Bush thinks that sending us a little tax rebate in June will help. maybe it will...like i said, i'm no expert. but good thing there ARE experts, and a lot of them seem to be saying that it won't help. or worse, that it amounts to a corporate tax break with little effect where it's intended: among The People.

so i say "End the War", and keep millions of dollars in local economies from the start. maybe we need to act locally and adopt a City resolution against the war like Los Angeles and Santa Barbara have. it might take some convincing that $4,100 per household of war costs and the 15 killed soldiers from Ventura County really are local issues, and that we have both the power and responsibility to do something about it.

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