Stimulus Package...Yes, That Will Do

Just about everybody and their mom has a proposal out to boost the economy and prevent the recession that in many places has already begun. Here's a few for your reading pleasure:

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Economic Policy Institute

Center for Economic and Policy Research

Center for American Progress

They all sound pretty good, keeping in mind that it's probably too late to do anything significant. But they, as far as I can tell, all lack one essential, devious element. They don't slip in normal budget spending.

I'm gonna make a bold prediction: the Bush budget will suck, and the Republicans will be complete dicks and not compromise until the last minute, embarrassing everyone. But according to my former employer, there are already signs they might actually work with the Democrats on a stimulus bill. In good faith. I know, I kinda don't really believe it either.

But Republicans have their reasons, I imagine. The stimulus bill already has a national profile, and the few reps who haven't retired or been disgraced and care about being reelected are probably worried that opposition to anything called stimulus would be bad form.

And anything could be called stimulus. Seriously. I have no idea what that term really means. Bush has even been trying to say that making his tax cuts permanent is stimulus, which he hasn't gotten away with. But that's mostly because it's a long-term structural change. Budget money would only last a year.

So let's avoid the drama of another futile and embarrassing budget debate and get some of it over with while the time is right.