Depends on the Definition of Implemented

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White House spokesman Tony Fratto (4/7/08):

“It’s too soon to talk about a second stimulus package when you haven’t even implemented the first stimulus package.”

Bush considering new economic measures 6/6/08:

The White House says President Bush is considering new proposals to help stimulate the battered economy.

People didn’t start getting their checks until a month ago. Checks will continue to be distributed for another six weeks. We’re not even halfway to being “implemented.”

1) How is it not still “too soon” to talk about more stimulus?
2) Since the economy is more or less on the same trajectory as it was at the beginning of the year, why wasn’t the original stimulus more potent?

Comments

  1. sarabeth says:
    June 6, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    1) It actually depends on the definition of depends. In the time of Bush, when the clock starts on something, depends on the thing in question.

    When it came to the surge, the clock didn’t start till the last brigade was put in place. When it comes to the stimulus package showing an effect, the clock won’t start till the last check is mailed. But when it comes to re-stimulating the economy, the clock starts from when the first check was mailed. (Or maybe it’s from when the first check was a gleam in Bush’s eye.)

    2) As Confucius no doubt said, an impotent president cannot produce a potent stimulus.

  2. pat from va says:
    June 8, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    While the stimulus package is very good, but what about those of us who is looking for jobs and cannot find one but is getting unemployment. which by the way runs out in 26 weeks. What are we suppose to do then. with gas prices and food prices sky high what are we suppose to do.

    know that the democratic nomination is over maybe the present president can think about the million of people who are out of work and jobs closing and give us a extension on employment. what the president must remember that the people who are unemployed are not lazy people but people who is trying to make a living everyday for their family. The majority of us are on the verge of losing our homes and everything else, which again causes more foreclosure. That seem to be more important than making sure people who are unemployed dur to no fault on of thier on own have to lose everything and explain to their children why they really are not important