Are good government Democrats questioning the stimulus plan?

[BrightKnight]

Are there any other good government Democrats with concerns about the $900B stimulus plan? I don't question the need to spend money to prime the pump. There should be something to show for every line item.

A uniform set of metrics should applied to every line item. Them metrics should include:

1) The number and quality of jobs created.
2) speed of execution and duration.
3) projected financial financial return and speed of return to the Treasury and to tax payers.
4) short and long term social benefits.
etc.

Apply the metrics to all line items and choose the best ones. If it is not possible to to spend the money responsibly it should not be spent. A percentage of the bill should be allocated to longer term stimulus. Government should act but it simply cannot solve all problems.

In short there should be a clear, responsible and transparent framework for stimulus spending. I know that metrics can be manipulated and that unrelated things will be attached to the bill but most of the money should be spent this way. If nothing else it will provide some political cover.

[endarkenment]

1. How many months do you want to spend getting that data?

[Still Sensible]

4. Actually, you are right. So I Would just use the first two and

maybe some needs test. All of that can be figured out quickly. Much of it would be apparent. JMHO.

[BrightKnight]

5. Does it really need to be that time consuming and costly?

A quick and dirty set of numbers might be adequate given the time constraints.

[endarkenment]

6. I believe the CBO does exactly that.

[terisan]

2. So right.

[Still Sensible]

3. Personally I think only the first

two--plus "does this meet a current need" should matter right now. And there are a number of things that the house version of the bill included that wouldn't meet those three, assuming that speed of execution would have to be about 18 months.

For instance, if DHS is functioning right now in current facilities do we need to build and furnish a new headquarters? Same for NIH.