By Kara Altshuler
Well, the economists have finally admitted what we all know, we've been in a recession for about a year.
I'm sure all of us know friends or family members who have been laid off, had their hours reduced, or have simply stopped looking for a job. There is no oversight of the TARP money, the Big 3 automakers are facing the prospect of new management in order to get any help from the U.S. taxpayers, and so far, none of the bailout money has been directed at homeowners and credit is still frozen (despite Bush's platitudes to the contrary).
Governors (including our own) are asking Capitol Hill for some of the booty, but according to the Wall Street Journal, big-city mayors say any funds should come straight to them, bypassing state governments altogether. Given the financial missteps of our legislature recently, I'd say that's not a bad idea. And apparently, President-elect Obama favors metropolitan-area funding, rather than giving just to cities, per se.
The Star reports that VC will get some substantial funding from Homeland Security in the future, which may be intended to help facilitate emergency response around Port Hueneme; I personally don't see Ventura County being a big target for Mumbai-style organized terrorist attacks (or even unorganized terrorist attacks). That being said, any money that doesn't go into the ridiculous efforts at window-dressing we've suffered through at airports and water ports over the past 5 years is a step in the right direction.
I guess we'll have to wait until Jan. 20 to see some real leadership on homeland security nationwide. But that's a topic for another day.
Although the DHS money is a shot in the arm, it is focused and not intended to address the really pressing issue at hand, which is that the economy will shed around 2 million jobs or more this year and unemployment may top 10% or higher in 2009. California needs infrastructure, and Antonio Villaraigosa and other mayors say they have the plans to get our citizens to work.
What do you think? And how could we get some relief in Ventura County? Do we deserve to get any money from the feds? And if so, where would you put it to do the most good?
Well, the economists have finally admitted what we all know, we've been in a recession for about a year.
I'm sure all of us know friends or family members who have been laid off, had their hours reduced, or have simply stopped looking for a job. There is no oversight of the TARP money, the Big 3 automakers are facing the prospect of new management in order to get any help from the U.S. taxpayers, and so far, none of the bailout money has been directed at homeowners and credit is still frozen (despite Bush's platitudes to the contrary).
Governors (including our own) are asking Capitol Hill for some of the booty, but according to the Wall Street Journal, big-city mayors say any funds should come straight to them, bypassing state governments altogether. Given the financial missteps of our legislature recently, I'd say that's not a bad idea. And apparently, President-elect Obama favors metropolitan-area funding, rather than giving just to cities, per se.
The Star reports that VC will get some substantial funding from Homeland Security in the future, which may be intended to help facilitate emergency response around Port Hueneme; I personally don't see Ventura County being a big target for Mumbai-style organized terrorist attacks (or even unorganized terrorist attacks). That being said, any money that doesn't go into the ridiculous efforts at window-dressing we've suffered through at airports and water ports over the past 5 years is a step in the right direction.
I guess we'll have to wait until Jan. 20 to see some real leadership on homeland security nationwide. But that's a topic for another day.
Although the DHS money is a shot in the arm, it is focused and not intended to address the really pressing issue at hand, which is that the economy will shed around 2 million jobs or more this year and unemployment may top 10% or higher in 2009. California needs infrastructure, and Antonio Villaraigosa and other mayors say they have the plans to get our citizens to work.
What do you think? And how could we get some relief in Ventura County? Do we deserve to get any money from the feds? And if so, where would you put it to do the most good?
Democracy Watch is a blog devoted to debunking extreme right wing Republican rhetoric, media, printed material, blogs, videos and all campaign TV ads that are untrue.
