[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/23/art.economy1.ap.jpg caption=" President Bush, meets with Congressional leaders to discuss the economy, Tuesday."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Bush and congressional leaders are promising urgent action when it comes to a stimulus package to jump-start the economy.
But the truth is it may be too little, too late, and their definition of "urgent" may be quite different from that of the American people.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says senators are going to sit on their hands and do nothing until the House does something. Reid says when the House passes a bill and sends it to the Senate, they'll address it "as quickly" as they can. Yesterday, Reid said their goal is to get a bill to President Bush by February 15th. That's in three and a half weeks. In the last three weeks, the stock market has lost more than a thousand points.
What we're getting is more government by photo op from our so-called "leadership." Sit at a table, get your picture taken, then go out and mumble some platitudes about bipartisanship afterwards.
President Bush finally admitted the economy is in trouble a week ago - so the time between that and actually seeing some help for the economy could be at least a month.
In the meantime, people suffer, the markets dive, and our politicians talk. Where's the urgency? It's like they're all reading "My Pet Goat" while the country falls into recession and the value of people's investments, retirement plans and houses goes down the toilet. It's worth remembering when we vote later this year.
Here’s my question to you: Why can’t the president and Congress move more quickly on an economic stimulus package?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Patty writes:
C'mon Jack, it's because they have no clue what the rest of us are dealing with. When was the last time one of them filled up their own vehicle with gas? When was the last time they went to the grocery store or to any other store for that matter? They have people who do that for them. Oh yes, and when they retire, they have no worries about Social Security or their 401K plans.
Stephen writes:
Why can't anything get done quickly? D-I-V-I-S-I-O-N! Not the kind you learned in third grade math, but the kind that makes it impossible for Americans on both sides of the aisle to work together. It is the hallmark of the Bush administration.
Delane writes:
There are only two speeds in the Beltway: slow and stop. Well, maybe there is a third: reverse. Other than those, forget it!
Craig writes:
It is simple. There is no immediate gain for them. No pay off, no grateful corporate lobbyist, nothing extra in the old envelope. They would have to work together, admit something is wrong and find a solution every one agreed on.
Ron in Connecticut writes:
As long as we keep electing presidents and congressmen who are in the high-income bracket, they will never move quickly to respond to an economic crisis. They don't know what it feels like to see their measly investments dwindle away to nothing so they don't respond with any sense of urgency to our needs unless we scream and yell to get their attention.
Karen writes:
My medical insurance went up $2,000 this year for my family of three. I'm sick of these people. Take that and stuff it.