Here is what I don't understand about the Stimulus...

[Raven]

I have lost 30% of the value of my retirement savings and the bleeding has not stopped. Why does anyone think that I'm going to buy anything like a new car? Who's got the $$$ to "stimulate" the economy? People nearing retirement age don't have the time left to rebuild their nest eggs...what's in this Stimulus to help us?

[jmg257]

1. Only if you fall in the right income bracket. The tax credit, and the AMT avoidance.

[LynneSin]

2. Your retirement is based on the stock market

If the Stimulus plan works your investments should hopefully return to normal. When people feel a sense of security they start to spend money again and that money spending will bolster the stock market and hopefully you'll see some of that retirement money return.

[EmilyAnne]

3. Good point, LynneSin. n/t

[sandnsea]

5. It will put money directly into construction

in transportation and green energy, as well as social services. That will create direct jobs, which will create ripple jobs, and then what you said. I'm baffled that people don't get it, or think it helps the economy to pretend not to get it.

[RC]

14. Return to normal? Even if the 'investments' return to normal?

The money lost is gone, never to be seen again. Even if my 401K gets back up to where it was before the bu$h crash, it will never get to be where it would be if the bu$h had not taken place, ever.

[LynneSin]

17. Well I realize it'll never be perfect but we can only hope it can get better

there is some money that just won't come back

[Mike 03]

15. Hopefully. The stimulus package isn't really intended to help the markets, although it would be

great if it does.

[panader0]

4. What is retirement savings? What's an IRA?

There are many on this forum who don't have those things. I'm hoping there will still be social security in five years.

[Raven]

6. Well, I've been saving for 40 years. Am I supposed to apologize for that?

[daninthemoon]

8. no, and I mean no offense, but if your retirement included stocks

and whatnot, you took a gamble. 401ks are packaged to appear to be savings plans, but really they are a gamble. not your fault at all, but I feel that this is part of the overall problem that has gotten us here. for the last few decades too much of the countries business switched from manufacturing and producing stuff to a bunch of money just kind of moving around different banks and investment funds. I'm truly sorry for the loss of your retirement, it shouldn't have happened. For myself, twenty years ago my 401k dissappeared when the company I was working for went through a leverage buyout, soon folded, and all my savings just flat out dissapeared. Again, I don't feel it is at all your fault that your funds are gone, but this is not entirely new.

[panader0]

11. Absolutely not. But if you lost 30%, it must have been in the stock market

Is that saving or investing? I think land is the most secure investment. My girlfriend lost a bundle on her 401k. The stock market is obviously not a good place to put your money. It's a gamble even in good times.

[Median Democrat]

7. Memo From McCain - "Social Security Is A Disgrace"

In an alternate universe somewhere, President John McCain is forming a commission to consider privitizing social security.

[Esra Star]

9. The nearest thing to an analogy I can come up with.

You have a patient lying there comatose.
The medic holds up the two electrodes and someone yells "CLEAR".
An electric jolt fires up tho 'ol ticker and the docs try and save the patient.
The stimulus is just the jolt. The patient may still die.

That all I have.

[TomClash]

10. To augment LynneSin's point a little

The biggest part of the stimulus is the infrastructure/transportation spending. I think that portion is too small, but in today's dollars that part alone is almost as big as the entire Marshall Plan for Europe after WW II. That means new public construction (jobs and spending) and hopefully that will help to jumpstart the economy. Some of the other spending/tax relief will also help in this regard.

[Mike 03]

12. This is a tricky issue. I doubt there's anything in the Stimulus to help me either, unless the

repukes added it.

It probably should not encourage people to incur more debt, which will only get us all deeper into the hole.

It has to stimulate responsible lending and responsible debt and yet somehow filter out the reckless sort of debt we have seen since the early decade.

It is a high wire act for sure.

[2Design]

13. at least you had it to lose ??? n/t

[Winterblues]

16. If you buy other things though like potato chips or 7-up for instance

those distributors will be able to buy things as well and it works its way up the ladder until someone is able to buy a new car..It is very much like that old addage "All politics are local". Stimulus starts at the bottom. at least that is the way it should in a logical economy. Republicans want all the Stimulus to go to the very top and hope it will trickle down to you in a few years.