There is no doubt that the U.S. economy is in recession and perhaps has fallen into the worst financial crisis since the 1930’s and the era of the Great Depression. Our new president, Barack Obama, is the person to whom most Americans are looking to for answers. No pressure Mr. Obama.

Obama’s financial stimulus plan, or as he refers to it, financial “recovery” plan, will cost $819 billion. It was passed by the House of Representatives on January 28, by a vote of 244 to 188 without a single Republican vote in favor of it. A stimulus plan in surplus of $900 billion now sits with the Senate waiting to be voted upon. Senators from both parties are working to eliminate $50 to $200 billion from that plan for spending they believe is not necessary to boost the economy.

Obama’s stimulus plan is aimed at getting Americans back to work through a combination of spending and tax cuts. The plan includes tax breaks where individuals will receive $500 dollars and families up to $1,000 through a cut in payroll taxes on the first $8,100 income. It also includes aid to states for Medicaid costs and many public works projects, such as building a new bridge that would also create jobs.

Stimulating the economy is a tough business and requires a comprehensive plan rather than a quick fix. In Jeanne Aversa and Jane Wardell’s Union Tribune article titled “Bernanke: Obama Stimulus helps, more action needed,” written on January 13, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says, “History demonstrates conclusively that a modern economy cannot grow if its financial system is not operating effectively.”

One of the most important parts of the economy is the financial system and in order to restore the economy, fiscal policy must be made to stimulate activity. Getting people back to work and spending money is an important part of economic recovery, however, getting financial companies and others on Wall Street back on their feet is another part. Bailing out companies that many believe contributed to the mess of the American economy is unavoidable because they are at the center of the economy and it could not function without them.

Some ask why the stimulus package that President Bush passed in 2008 did not fix our economy. Bush’s stimulus package consisted mainly of tax rebates that American’s used to pay off debt or to build savings. It ultimately did not do what it needed to do, which was stimulate spending. Obama’s plan includes giving people tax refunds and stimulating the economy by including projects to create jobs and bailing out the financial institutions.

The problem is that our country is in an enormous amount of debt. We are at a $10.6 trillion debt since last October, the beginning of the budget year, and this does not include Obama’s stimulus package. This is a hard amount to swallow when just eight years ago George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were hopeful on retiring our national debt by the end of this year. Critics are hopeful that Obama’s plan will work, but at what cost?

Much of Obama’s plan includes “pork projects”, or projects that will use federal money to benefit a certain area and people. The cost will be spread among all taxpayers, such as building a new bridge to create jobs as mentioned earlier. This is the issue at hand for the Senate who are trying to eliminate many items they believe will not stimulate economy as a whole. “Pork” spending is often received with negative connotation because it favors certain projects, however it can be beneficial.

Many people are critical of Obama and have high expectations for him because of his slogan of “Change” during his presidential campaign. They see this stimulus plan as nothing more than a political way of paying off his friends who helped him get elected and giving money to special interests.

Obama is acting as a politician, which is what he is. Will his economic plan solve all our recession problems? That can only reveal itself with time. Obama is a politician and not a super hero and we live in a democracy where plans have to be voted on, pulled apart and rebuilt until the majority can agree. Obama is a democrat who historically uses pork legislation; he is not John McCain who has never passed a piece of “pork” legislation in his political career.

Obama is who we elected. Many people have forgotten who he is and what he is capable of doing in the game that is American politics.