It’s Not Over . . . until 5:30

The world will not end or anything, but we will have a decision tonight. The Senate is voting today at 5:30 pm EST on the Stimulus Bill – the pet name I am most fond of at the moment is the Generational Theft Act.

Looking at Rasmussen polling, The latest national telephone survey (as of 2/4) found that 37% favor the legislation, 43% are opposed, and 20% are not sure. Support has fallen in the last two weeks. Even among the Democrats. As of 2/9 62% of U.S. voters want the plan to include more tax cuts and less government spending. Going to the other extreme, 72% of voters oppose a stimulus plan that includes only new government spending without any tax cuts. The president has said that inaction on the rescue plan will lead to catastrophe. Voters are evenly divided on that point: 44% agree with him and 41% do not. 12% of voters say Congress is doing a good or excellent job, and 54% rate their performance as poor in a Rasmussen Reports survey released last week.

This alternative plan outlined here makes much more sense.

It has one (single, lonely, effective) plank. IMMEDIATELY CUT ALL PERSONAL AND CORPORATE INCOME TAXES IN HALF FOR ALL TWELVE MONTHS OF 2009.

No new government offices. No frisbee parks. No swimming pools.

The “lost revenue” to the government would amount to about $800 billion, equal to what congress is recommending. However, that lost revenue would remain with you, the person who earned it. So we got to thinking:

How would cutting our withholding in half effect our daily lives?

Thus, the TCOT CHALLENGE was born.

Below we’d like you to tell us what an extra 200, 300, 400 or more dollars a week would change in your world. What would you purchase? Where would you go? How would you invest it? If the government says that spending money drives this economy, what better way to reverse a down turn that pumping and immediate $60 billion into the economy every month. Hey, you earned it, why shouldn’t you decide how it should be spent. We want to know specifically, how would PORKULUS (the current stimulus plan) benefit you personally in 2009? And would TCOT Plan or PORKULUS benefit you more?

Here is an example of how one family would use their hard earned cash: http://michaelpatrickleahy.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-one-member-of-tcot-would-use-tax.html

After you let us know what you think–be sure to let us know what state you’re from–go to this link http://moveovermoveon.posterous.com/media-links and send this website to the media outlets everywhere, but especially Maine and Pennsylvania. Blog about it, tweet about it or link it on your Face Book. Help the north east main street media let their senators, Collins, Snowe, & Specter, know that we are very unhappy that they have chosen to compromise our future. It is, after all, “for the children.”

These three are the Republicans planning on voting for the bill. Please call them and let them know that you are against the bill. Sample scripts are available here if you need ideas on what to say.

Collins, Susan M. (R-ME)
DC Phone: (202) 224-2523 Fax: (202) 224-2693
ZIP CODES: 04101, 04102, 04105

Snowe, Olympia J. (R-ME)
DC Phone: (202) 224-5344 Fax: (202) 224-1946
ZIP CODES: 04401, 04402

Specter, Arlen (R-PA)
DC Phone: (202) 224-4254 Fax: (202) 228-1229
ZIP CODES: 19102, 19103, 19104