Comments on: Obama signs stimulus plan, touts clean energy

President signs massive government stimulus package, saying it's a start to a cleaner energy infrastructure. But analysts still see real hurdles to transforming the energy business.

[Daves1221]

Well our so-called patriotic politicians had President Obama sign into law the Stimulus package, without any protection for American Workers? About time the US Chamber of Commerce dropped their disguise and honestly stated they are Foreign Government Chamber of Commerce. One again the average American Worker loses out, because certain corruptible politicians have killed E-Verify, so millions of illegal aliens can steal our jobs. ENACT E-verify as it will have a positive impact on all America.

They also conspired to drop 'BUY AMERICAN'. $Billions of dollars will be once again exported and not going in American Workers pockets.
We still have time to back Senator Sessions and other honest lawmakers before the deadline this March? We need E-Verify with its mandated success rate of 99.6 percent in perpetuity, not just 5 years? Jam the Washington Switchboard at [phone] MAKE THEM SWEAT!

OH! YES! AND BUY AMERICAN!

[Commander_Spock]

Re: "OH! YES! AND BUY AMERICAN!" Agreed... Simply put... USA first (self first); and, later for the rest!

[Endbringer]

Protectionist policies only hurt America in the long run. Buy American and only American is a stupid idea that hurts our economy even more. Learn economics before spouting off your nonsense.

[Commander_Spock]

Re: "Protectionist policies only hurt America........................................................................ Learn economics before spouting off your nonsense".

So, just how much "economics" do you yourself know anyway!!! Besides in the long run - "They All Come To America"; and, do ya really know what is it that is being thought about here for you to appear to be sooo.......... upset with other people's thinking.

[Endbringer]

I'm just upset with ignorance. When people say "Buy American only" their ignorance is showing. I can't help it if other people rely on the their government indoctrination (I mean education) and don't research subjects. Protectionist policies, along with the Federal Reserve, expanded the depression of the 1930s to 10 years instead of the 3 or 4 it should have been. Europe's depression then was only about 4 years, while the US lasted 10 because of government interference with the market system. There is no real way of controlling an economy, especially one as large as ours.

By imposing "buy American only", you restrict the available supply, so the demand is increased and the costs go up. It's basic economics. So, in a recession, you want to decrease the supply of goods, cause the prices to go up, and that will somehow help our country?

[ausernamenoonehaschosen]

Based on my "education" you are absolutely correct Endbringer.

[sciontcya]

Awesome Obama!
While you fly AF1 and all the other support vehicles to Colorado to sign the Stimuless (yes, less) bill.
Seems you and AlGore are simpatico.
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!!

[James7777777]

Oink Oink, never seen so much pork. Way to go Obama, passing more of the same old thing.

[USDecliningDollar]

In Denver leading up to or following Obama's speech there was much talk of Namaste Solar - they provided the solar panels in the background.

Namaste received lots of free publicity, but ... if you were to become a "co-owner" aka "employee" of Namaste Solar, you would qualify for low income housing in Boulder, CO where the company is headquartered. HVAC technicians in less affluent areas than Boulder actually make more money than employees at Namaste. I hope that these are not the jobs which the "new energy economy" has to offer.

[Commander_Spock]

This article stated inter alia; re: "The stimulus act gives the Department of Energy control over billions of dollars in loans and spending on research and development projects--more than the department's annual budget. But the Energy Department has not dispersed money in the past few years because of its slow approval process, which Secretary Steven Chu said he intends to speed up..."

How about the government setting up a "Development Bank" (that will report to the Department of Energy) to deal with the processing and approval of these renewable energy loans.

Additionally, have the Development Bank also deal with all developmental projects related to this American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Question, Question, Question.... How will "international competitiveness" be determined; and, how will these "international competitiveness issues" be dealt with!!!

Been there, done that!

[Commander_Spock]

Re: "How about the government setting up a "Development Bank" (that will report to the Department of Energy) to deal with the processing and approval of these renewable energy loans...." The "BRAINIACS" at the banks are the ones that got the world's economy in the present state that it is in. And, if they wish to ride around in sleek corporate jets (that are not paid for by tax payers money...) then they have got to first pull the world's economy out of the recession that it is in.

[Michichael]

I've heard about supposed tax cuts in this "stimulus" bill.. how's that affect folks that have already filed their taxes?

[ausernamenoonehaschosen]

You will see it on your 2009 filing, so 14 months about. Fast and decisive, ehh.

[Endbringer]

Oh yeah, $13 more a week is the kind of stimulus Obama must have been talking about. The tax cuts the democrats in Congress put in and Obama pushed for are not even worth it. All you'll get is $13 more a week. Hey, that'll buy a new car and stimulate the economy, right?

[HeavyJim]

I would be happy if they just called this bill what it REALLY is, an increase deficit, pork, party favor bill.

[C_G_K]

I feel bad for my kids. Most of the so-called stimulus is really just a payback to all the groups that support the democratic party for their help getting Obama elected. My kids will be picking up the tab for this a generation from now.

Using borrowed money for dead-end, make-work projects accomplishes nothing in the long run except getting us deeper in debt.

[Commander_Spock]

Why worry "C_G_K"! If it was not "assumed" that President Bush's Administration was bad for the USA then there would have been no President Barack Obama.

How about if we call this "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" - Mission Accomplished - Again!

[Endbringer]

Our local government will be getting $600k from this "spendulus" bill to build....get this.....a multi-purpose path on the side of town where no one uses a bike or walks. It'll take 4 months to design and build this thing and that's supposed to "create jobs"? The democrats have wasted our future on unconstitutional bills and I feel sorry for our kids.

[sanenazok]

Well Obama promised that "every penny" of this spending will be accounted for. I can't wait to see how they'll weatherize homes for $5K a piece. I guess they'll find out that 5K only buys a couple of the six or seven mandatory government inspections. "Up to a million" homes is correct. They'll do 200,000 installations of storm windows on investment properties of various union officials and call it a day.

[mike_ekim]

Our system is fundamentally flawed because it opeates in a way that we don't want it to. We are interdependent-capitalists.

We are capitalists - fine with me, I have a well paying job and god job security (for now). Keep in mind, capitalisim includes risk and reward; there will be ups and downs.

The problem is we are also interdependent on each other. Completely. Few people can feed themselves without money. The family home seldom gets handed down, or if it does there are huge tax liabilities, so most people have a substantial housing bill.

Food and housing are our most basic physical needs, and our economy is set up so these economic 'domino effects' can completely disrupt lives. Many people are in debt, have to work to scrape by, and live in fear of loosing their jobs. Loosing a job means loosing you home (even renters i.e. eviction) and going to the shelter for a cot and a meal.

We are virtual indentured servants to our economy. We are working for our economy; it's time we make our economy work for us.

Why not a 'security package' instead of an 'economic stimulus package'? Why not get people to be home owners (instead or mortgage- or rent-payers) and give people a tax break for having a productive vegetable garden and (in the north) a wood stove for heat? Why not break this dependence so an economic downturn isn't a crysis?

We can build a society where loosing your job means you can't buy new clothes and yoou get really sick of carrots, corn and potatoes, but welfare would cost a fraction of what it does now because people would need less. There are better ways to do things.

[HeavyJim]

Endbringer, the towns around my area that have built these walking trails, whether from old rail beds or abandoned roads, have made great areas for drug deals and bums to hang out. crime in and around the trails is out of sight.

[benjizellat]

Have wanted to go green in my home for years and just recently read that Obama?s new stimulus package includes several tax rebates for going solar. Found a website that carries solar powered attic fans and a solar powered garage light that stores up the energy of the sun and lights up as soon as you walk into the garage.

Go to http://www.greenhome.com/ and find out for yourself:
To find out information about exact details of energy incentives in stimulus package go here: http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:2csbY4rit1wJ:www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/washfunding/fedfund/Stimulus%2520Summary_Ene.pdf+outline+energy+stimulus+package&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a