by Fleurdelis

Created on: March 02, 2009

This isn't a Democrat v. Republican or a Blue v. Red or a Donkey v. Elephant issue, this is an American issue.

There are plenty of Republicans who are in support of the stimulus bill, so don't get flustered drawing dividing lines between which party is doing what. Economists on both sides of the fence have offered their pros and cons for this measure, as drastic as it may seem. Here's what they're all (all sides in agreement) really trying to accomplish:

1. $634Bn down payment on fixing health care so that there will be a more affordable health care system that covers all Americans. Unless you like getting stiffed by insurance company premiums that you can't use because the out-of-pocket costs are too high, there shouldn't be a problem here.

2. Reduces taxes for 95% of working Americans; with no tax increases for those whose incomes are less than $250,000 year. That represents about 80-85% of Americans overall.

3. $100Bn for clean energy technology, creating millions of in-sourced green jobs.

4. Closes out the Iraq debacle on a firm timetable, finally bringing the troops home and freeing up close to ten billion dollars per month to take care of priorities on American soil.

5. Lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire and focuses on strengthening the middle class. Per John McCain, you have to make more than $5Mn a year and own innumerable houses, anyway...to be considered "rich." If that's not you, you're on the upside of the debate already.

6. No more multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for big oil.

7. Helps families pay for college.

8. Cuts the trillion-dollar deficit that is currently off the counting charts by Year 2013. The economy is in a shambles, and President Obama didn't inherit it, we all did. The deficit and current recession is threatening to be something our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will pay for thousands of times over if left unchecked.

9. Increases funding for the SEC and other agencies that police Wall Street. The last thing Wall Street needs right now is de-regulation.

10. No more "creative accounting" in the federal budget so the real numbers can be fudged to present a false picture of the cost of unnecessary wars, tax cuts for the rich only, and other needless programs that waste taxpayer money. Of course, some Republicans say that any effort to help Americans with health care costs, produce better public schools, more college graduates and better ways of producing energy without destroying the environment is

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