After a series of hard negotiations, we are finally there-or are we?  Will the details of Obama’s stimulus  plan work the way this administration hopes?  We certainly hope so.  If not for me, then for my children, and my children’s children.  This mess is going to cost us in the long run either way, but this question remains: will the amount of money invested in this plan, and the goals it hopes to accomplish,  pull us out of this hole?

Most of the ideas that make up this plan will create jobs instantly/ The crucial question we must ask is whether or not the plan will have significant impact in the long run?  Again, I am optimistic.

Why am I so optimistic, you ask?  Let me give you an example.  The $50 billion that is set to be spent on energy programs focuses on efficiency and renewable energy.  This monetary investment in energy efficiency will create jobs, as it will require jobs that conduct  expanded research.  We will be taking a step toward  a better the future for all mankind as we strive for clean energy.  Actions like these contribute to my overall sense of optimism for the future.

Another aspect of the stimulus plan that brings a smile to my face is the $46 billion being invested in state relief for education.  Some of this money will be used to repair schools and to modernize their facilities and resources.  Again, the need for this action will bring about short term job creation.  Moreover, in both the short and long term, we are taking tangible steps towards bettering the educational environment for our children.  We will be able to provide them with the tools and resources they need to maximize their academic potential.  Giving students the best technology available to them will  ultimately better their future and the country’s future.

While Obama’s stimulus plan is a costly plan, the possible benefits America can reap as a result are too promising to dismiss.  While some of us will not  see first hand the effects of the plan, the changes it will bring about will impact all of our lives in some way.  The lawmakers behind the scenes need to carefully examine the way money is allocated to various parts of the plan.  They have to consider the short term objectives while simultaneously keeping an eye on how every action will affect us in the long term.  By no means is that an easy job for anyone-even an experienced senator.  I do not envy them, as the stakes of this plan involve an entire country’s present and future well-being.

• Obama’s First Primetime Speech: A Stimulus Plan
• Is A Second Stimulus Package “Necessary”?
• The New Reality About Consumer Spending Habits
• Tax Hikes – What It Takes to Plug the US’s Gaping Budget Deficit?
• U.S. Unemployment – Stemming Job Losses without Second Stimulus
• Capitol Hill and the Financial Crisis: A Busy Week
• Bernanke Needs to Assure Jittery Market
• Obama’s Housing Plan – Stopping the Foreclosure rate
• Must-Have’s for New Homes
• The Real Unemployment Rate in America