Editorial #1

For this week’s current event I chose to read the editorial “Why I Support the Stimulus,” by Arlen Specter, a Republican Senator from Pennsylvania. The article stressed the importance of government action by focusing on issues like unemployment and earnings reports, which have been bad recently. Senator Specter also discussed the “moderates” bill, saying that it retained the new jobs and tax relief goals while cutting back on less important provision. The article supports the Senator’s version of the bill, saying it creates four million jobs and cuts one hundred and ten billion dollars from the previous version. Some concerns that are expressed include less money for Title I education programs. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi especially objected to the lack of money left for education. In terms of Health funding, both the House and Senate have included billions of dollars in funding for programs that deal with wellness and prevention. The “moderates” bill cuts this funding because “such programs are better left to the regular appropriations process.” The Pennsylvania Senator concludes by saying that the “moderates” bill does a good job of balancing the concerns of both right and left wing with the need for immediate action.
I agree with most of what Senator Specter is saying, but there are parts of the editorial I disagree with. The unemployment rates are the worst they have been in years, and many companies are reporting either very low, or even negative earnings reports. These are all signs of how bad the current economic recession is doing. I think that a lot of compromise will be necessary to get the bill passed quickly in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but I do not necessarily agree with what should be compromised on. I think health care should be left to the regular appropriations process, but education should receive money in the stimulus package.