Yesterday afternoon at about 2:30 p.m. in Denver, standing besides Vice President Joseph Biden and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, there was a young man wearing khaki pants and a black sweater without a tie accompanying President Barack Obama who returns to the city, where he won the Democratic presidential nomination last summer. Obama came to sign the $787 billion of government spending and tax cut bill that shall open the road for Americans to begin “laying claim to a destiny of our own making.”
The young man was introduced by Biden. He is Blake Jones who presents himself as the living example of how the stimulus package can help small-business owners develop their enterprises, which otherwise would have to be reduced in productivity and personnel. Now, he can envision to increase both.
Jones co-founded Namaste Solar, a small, employee-owned solar electric company in Boulder, Colo. When he’s not installing photovoltaic panels, he’s spreading the good (renewable) word about alternative energy through policy work and local seminars.
Once an in-the-field engineer for Halliburton/Brown & Root, he left the oil industry to build renewable energy projects in Nepal that had a solar industry already.
However, they needed Jones for western management and proven business practices.
Jones introduced Obama saying that small business owners like himself are confident in the good that the stimulus can do.
With this historic signing ceremony, outside, Obama was closing out his first month in office, and opening the way for a new administration, saying, “We have begun the essential work of keeping the American dream alive,” He called the document he signed the “American Investment and Recovery Act” that enable us all to build for the future.
Although the Republicans in Congress have vehemently opposed this bill, several Republican governors and mayors have applauded it.
The Office of Budget has projected the amount of money that can eventually be allocated to each of them for Medicaid, education, infrastructures, environment, renewable energy, police, food stamps and tax cuts.
Republicans want a larger proportion of tax cuts and less government investment in job producing projects.
The newly elected Republican chairman said only business creates jobs while government gives work.
Past experience has proven, however, that tax cuts, regardless how massive, neither stimulate the economy nor improve the conditions of the poor and the development of the economy.
In the meantime, 60 percent of the population have already expressed their approval based on their hope for a better tomorrow.
In reference to Jones in Nepal, it is interesting to note that although this country already knows how to fix things and how to service them, using Nepali technicians, using existing Nepali infrastructure, they recognize that they needed the western management know-how.
In a country such as Haiti where there is plenty of sun and wind, it is not sure that Jones would be welcome to help the country to elaborate an efficient program of renewable energy.
Stimulus for Investments And Economy Recovery
