Stimulate the Future

I confess I have not read the stimulus package that almost President Obama has crafted, but I have read the many reports as to what it contains and I thought I would throw in my two cents worth as well.

My hope is that Obama makes huge changes to the way our government works. I have proposed many, and there are others. For this package, however, I would suggest a growth initiative rather than a hand out. No one wants a hand-out. They want a future.

Dramatically Expand Small Business Loans for Start-up and Early Stage Companies for all sorts of business ideas, but especially for start-up high-tech, bio-tech and other businesses of the future. Provide money so that those laid-off workers with great ideas can start their own huge new business and hire their laid-off co-workers. Since each small business needs around $400,000 on average to get started, a mere $40 billion starts 100,000 new small businesses. If each business hires 5 people on average, that is 500,000 new jobs. The vast majority of this money will be repaid, with interest, so this is not a sunk cost.

Invest in New World Infrastructure Improvements like a nationwide government owned wireless network that everyone can tap into. Build a system that is compatible with every communications provider and with international systems and rent space to them to eventually recoup the costs. We would train a whole new high tech workforce and allow business people to conduct international business from anywhere. Build it with American made high tech equipment to drive the development of that industry in the US and train even more workers.

There are other things that should be done, but they are too controversial.
The minimum wage is, by definition, an overpayment of our worst workers and this overpayment comes from the pockets of our better workers. It is a nice idea, but in the end it robs from the middle class and gives to the least worthy. Not sure that makes sense.
If we allow freer immigration at low wage rates we would bring back US manufacturing and add higher paying supervisory and management jobs decreasing overall unemployment and help to make the US a producing nation again, which is what builds national wealth.
Reallocate Social Security so that only retired middle class and poor receive it and provide that the tax is on all earned income rather than the current cap which requires the middle class pay a higher percentage. More money in and more money allocated to those who really need it.

President Obama’s plan contains many of the other critical issues, but should focus a great deal more of the total to these.
Alternative Energy Investment.
Bridges, Sewers and other Infrastructure Improvement.
Worker Retraining.

Don't just give us money. Drive forward to build our futures.

I am sure that our wise and dedicated representatives will do what it right. Perhaps my thoughts, if only in principle, will help.