Democrats and Republicans Can Collaborate February 23, 2010

Five Senate Republicans (including newly elected Senator Brown from Massachusetts) joined Democrats in moving through a new jobs bill in the Senate.  Here are few key highlights of the bill:

-       Exempts employers from Social Security payroll taxes on new hires who were unemployed;

-       Extends a tax break for business that spend money on capital investments like equipment purchases

-       Expands the use of the Build America Bonds program, which helps states and municipalities fund capital construction projects

Update: 2009 Stimulus Package – Is There Transparency in Reporting? October 25, 2009

So – for people who think I only criticize Obama, when it comes to gay issues, here is a post for you.  Do you all remember the $787 billion 2009 Stimulus Package that Obama passed early in his administration?  Do you remember Obama stating that his administration would be accountable to the reporting, i.e. outlays and outcomes, “every dime” of how these dollars were used? Well, Mr. President – if the recent report that your adminstration released is any indication of accounting for “every dime” there is a lot to be desired.  Here are the highlights:

• The reporting for the amount of jobs that are created/saved as result of the stimulus package are full of errors. 
• The government expects the recipient’s of the stimulus money to correct mistakes
• It appears that government agencies do not have the power to alter statistics for which it disagrees with the recipient.

Anyway, read the last link for more details.  Side note – doesn’t it seem like this type of story should be on the news as opposed to this ridiculous balloon story?