OK. I am not an economist but this is what I think-"COUNTRY NEEDS A RESET"

[glinda]

I know this planet is doomed environmentally. I know we need jobs and money in our pockets. I know homes are not selling and that people would benefit from lower house payments. I know Wars have much to do with poverty, resources and Religious ideologies.

Ok. Having said that. Why can't we have a stimulus plan that is this:

Near half of the money goes to Universal Health care, freeing up people's dollars (lots of dollars!) , Businesses dollars, de-stressing those in need and caps on pay, meanwhile creating jobs in all facets of the Health Care Industry from tech to Drs., nurses, Research (stem cell!), to janitors, Vets and Programs (Art included as therapy also) etc.....

The other portion goes to all and everything that produces Environmental jobs which could be creating factories or retrofitting for solar, construction on pre-existing structures, Parks and site management, retrofitting cars, physical planning for catastrophes, research (bees also) even hiring at lower wages people to rid areas of things like Buckthorn, etc.... at all pay levels.,

Congruently with that, with all the money the Banks have been given, ALL properties but especially homes, should have payments lowered to a rate that accurately reflects the current value of their home. Like for our family, it may mean a $200/mo decrease in our house payments. ALSO, all mortgages should reflect that and I don't know if possible, but have the losses written off by the Government or Banks.

Finally. ALL closing costs on home sales should be cut in half at least. There is a huge loss at buying and closing on a home. Re-tooling this sum would make the ordeal more attractive.

I will admit that I know nothing about the economy but if a package were dramatic and strong and was able to start immediately on some levels than maybe there would be hope.

[autorank]

1. That's why your plan is so outstanding!!!!!!!!!! k*r

This is first rate. You put it all together. I was just going to post on the banks lowering rates with
a political angle to it and I saw this! Great stuff.

[BlueJac]

2. I loved it!

The fools running things are out to fill up their pockets and party in Vegas on us? What is wrong with this picture?

[terisan]

3. Good ideas! I think health care needs addressing now.!!!

[razors edge]

4. I like it.

The bankers won't, but who cares what they like anymore.

Social medicine with a one time fee for new conditions, say 30 bucks, with all follow ups for the same condition at a nominal 5 dollars or so. That would keep the pukes from screaming about the indigent going in for frivolous visits, and still make it possible for every one to get the care they really need. Then we set up a way for the truly indigent to get help with that through charity, SS etc.

[.... callchet ....]

14. Why have any fees at all ?

Only the poorest could not afford $5 and $30. Eliminate all fees.

[Fireweed247]

5. K&R

:applause:

[Grey]

6. Brilliant....

Nothing short of BRILLiANT, Thank you.

Bank loans at 4.5%

[eridani]

7. Universal health care is the one problem we can fix without spending more money on it

The catch is that we must not allow private insurance to keep stealing health care dollars. We are already paying for universal health care; we just aren't gettting it. Don't like paying "taxes" to the single payer plan? Just call them "premiums" instead--exactly like the ones we pay to private insurers, only less expensive.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

8. YUP! We need to INVEST IN the people of this nation rather than the racketeers!!!

Why is that such an audacious concept in a so-called "democratic" nation?

A democratic nation INVESTS IN ITS PEOPLE,...not power-mongers. Totalitarian nations invest in power-mongers.

DUH!

[EraOfResponsibility]

9. I think we should forgive all debts

and start fresh. That's what I think.

[glinda]

16. I think there should be jobs to review people's debts and to resolve them because

there are some "unjust" debts where people have been taken advantage of. I could name plenty of examples of this from Student Loans, to medical bills, etc.... This could then be a leverage to negotiate reasonable payments without threats. Perhaps some could be resolved by the ability of people to work them off in public service somehow. I mean, what is the point in having debt just rise and to get nothing back from it except more debt.

[ljm2002]

10. You may not be an economist...

...but you certainly make more sense than any economist I've listened to lately.

K&R

:kick:

[JCMach1]

11. More like an enema...

to get it moving again of course...

I agree universal healthcare would help everyone but the health corporations that are basically 'helping themselves'...

That's why it was 'good riddance' to Dashchle.

[glinda]

12. Thanks! I realize that our family would save $600/mo. and that is money we can then spend.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

13. Attempts by governments to fix prices *always* end badly.

Trying to interfere in property markets the way you suggest would almost certainly be a catastrophe.


Spending money on free-at-point-of-use healthcare strikes me as a good idea, although I wouldn't tie it to the stimulus bill.

Britain spends about £2000 per person on the NHS each year; to get that level in the US would need about the best part of a trillion dollars, every year, unless I've made an order of magnitude error somewhere.


If you want to invest money in environmentally friendly energy, the best way to go is a) nuclear and b) research and developement, rather than investing in solar power with the current technology, I believe.

[glinda]

15. I think now if ever is the time for Government to interfere and do it's job.

Property prices are over-inflated, unrealistic and in part a result of greed. We are living in a total lie as far as value and in part this is why people are suffering. I am not so sure that a "reasonable adjustment" would hurt. I think it would help and might make it possible for a few to hang on and stay in their homes as well as put food on their table. It also would make it easier for some to sell their homes or buy. Provided that there is a slowdown in overbuilding and the focus shifts to retrofitting, upgrading and other things including dealing with properties laying in future flood zones, etc....

I see much of this as National Security in some ways really.

If Health Care were somehow more affordable and accessible to everyone and jobs were also created because of many being able to use the services, we would have a stronger work force. I would like to see America become a leader in Health and Environment because I see them as intertwined and inseparable. Advancements in medicine and science would surely make us a place to come to as well as invest in.

I also think that a many pronged approach to Environmental is necessary. I just mentioned Solar because it is viable in some uses. I also include in this area, farming. I think that we need to focus on our resources and (safe) food is certainly one of them.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. We currently spend about $2 trillion in total for health care.

And between VA, Medicare and Medicaid the public already spends $850 billion.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

19. Sorry, which figure is state spending and which is private spending?

Also, remember that setting up an NHS will cost more than running one, especially because people won't stop paying for private health care until they're sure the state-funded one works, and many not even then.

But if the 2 trillion is the figure for what the state currently spends on health care, I would think you could easily provide a decent free-at-point-of-use service for that much.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. Approx $2 trillion is what is spent by everyone (including the public)

$900 billion of that is spent by the public. ($900 b includes what is spent to care for government employees)

If NSH costs government any more than they currently spend, the difference is miniscule. It's pure windfall to business and to those of us who currently must buy medical insurance.

Setting up an NHS needn't be prohibitively expensive. As you point out, participants will continue in their current employment for a time, allowing the system to get up to speed.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. Universal health care and stimulus.

I want universal health care, but I'm not sure it would be an effective stimulus.

UHC, if done well, will remove money from the circulating economy. We currently pay about 15% of our GDP in health care; it should cost about 7-10%.

That reduced cashflow to the industry will put people out of work. Certainly there are more useful roles that those people can serve (such as patient care) but in the intermediate term, I don't see how it could stimulate the economy.

[glinda]

20. Health Care costs rank as one of the largest economic issues for people and businesses

Surely, there must be some way to make it far more affordable and accessible. Currently the money now spent on Health Care has huge pockets of waste designed to make profit for a few individuals as well as is not effective. I personally know of people that pay over a thousand a month for Health Insurance that barely covered the family with what was needed. My husband and I had to totally drop our Dental and even then were paying 1250/mo. That is just for two. Plus his medicines were not covered at all so add an additional 160/mo.

I don't think anyone can really convince me that dealing with health care would not allow money to go back into the economy in other places.

If we had not paid insurance and had stuck the money in the bank, we would have THOUSANDS of dollars instead of being on the edge.