O-mama - Opinionated Moms

Leading economists, including Nobel Prize winners Eric Maskin and Daniel McFadden are calling on Congress to “reboot” the economy.  They are recommending more government stimulus and tax credits to save the economy. Recognizing the problematic issue of deficit spending, they cite the urgency of getting Americans back to work. Approximately 6.8 million Americans have been out of work for 27 weeks or more, an enormous waste of human capital and irrecoverable loss of wealth and spending power. By their estimation, this will only prolong the deep recession, while placing unnecessary hardship on millions of Americans.  

With the seating of Carte Goodwin, the successor to late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, Congressional Democrats now believe that they have the 60 votes needed to pass an extension of unemployment benefits. Congressional Republicans continue to fear increased deficit spending, and warn against a “yes” vote on any bill laden with earmarks.  Many noteworthy Republicans, such as Governor Mitt Romney, urge the federal government to commit to a massive overhaul of entitlement spending as soon as the economy recovers.

 MOMism: “Drastic times call for drastic measures.” O-MAMAs remind their kids that there is usually more than one way to solve a problem. Often times, people have different perspectives on how best to tread forward. However, in emergency situations (such as our nation’s current economic situation) the options become few.  Drastic circumstances require drastic action, swift and effective.  If your child is drowning, you jump in!  You don’t wait for the lifeguard to get down from their perch, run down the sand and help.  

Right now, our nation is drowning.  Unemployment benefits have been, in some cases, the only way to keep families afloat, with a roof over their head and some food on the table. Yes, we need to get these people back into the workforce to increase our nation’s productivity, but until then, we need to extend a helping hand. Unemployment benefits are also a proven way to "stimulate" local economies because people use that money to pay their rents, buy groceries, clothes, and all the other necessities that keep businesses open on Main Street across America.  Unemployment benefits act like a band-aid to keep local economies solvent in tough times. With approximately 10% of Americans unemployed, these are drastic times. MAMAs, please let us know your opinions.