Ugh sorry - just wanted to pose a question to people stateside: what's the buzz on Obama's economic stimulus? What are your friends/family saying about it? I can read the news here, but can't talk to neighbors to see how people feel. Seeing the fierce Republican opposition the stimulus plan met in Congress, I feared talk of secession! Why is the US so divided on this initiative after the election that was supposed to unite the rift between the two political parties?
By the way: if my indulgent, brief posts about n'importe de quoi bother you, let me know!
1 comment:
hey ben,
since i live in republican jesusland, i will give you the local take on the stimulus. i attended a meeting with the local congressman (mike pence) who seems to be in the running for republican candidate next round, and was depressed for the last two days after hearing what people were concerned about. we had a room full of angry "christians" who wanted to know 1. why obama reinstated funding for abortion 2. why he is borrowing so much money to fund programs for poor people 3. why are we not dealing with the "terrorist muslims" who want to destroy our country?
this was all very serious and heated, and when i told vicki about it she said that i have to consider where i am; berkeley is on one side and indiana is clearing on the other, so we are hoping there is reality somewhere in the middle.
the meeting (in the City Government official chamber) began and ended with prayers and bible references but in just over 60 minutes, no one asked about the war in iraq or referred to the last eight years and how we got into this mess. the last time pence was here was just before the election and the big issue was "drill baby drill" as we were in an "oil crisis".
fox news and rush limbaugh are calling for a general revolt against anything obama and the democrats propose, so you will not see much in the way of cooperation or concession.
there are very few voices of moderation, and most "news" that is listened to is little more than rant and propaganda.
there is also very little communication of what is going on, or what others around the world think; it is all about US. of a
other than that, everything is just dandy.
love,
dad
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