"Please, Don't Show Them the Money Barack!"

The term “passing the buck” could be appropriate for George Bush’s White House. It is unclear what the goal of Bush is in the last ten days of his presidency. While he has made a conscious attempt to ensure a smooth and effective shift of power to President-Elect Barack Obama, the Washington Post is reporting President Bush will ask for the remainder of the 350 billions dollars allocated by Congress in their financial rescue plan. It seems Bush and Obama are playing tiddlywinks. The first half of Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson’s method has been highly criticized for lack of transparency. Over the Christmas holidays both Bush and Congress took respite from the pressures of the mounting financial crisis, but in true Bush fashion the “midnight legislation” seems not to over. Bush seems to have opened himself to Obama’s intents and purposes. Obama spent the majority of the holidays vacationing with his family in Hawaii. How could either man miraculously concoct a plan in a few short weeks to save the failed financial system in America? It is not possible, but in true political sportsmanship Bush seems to have hinted that if Obama wants the money he can have it. Obama’s stimulus package has been the headline for the last few days, but with no time for scrutiny (like the original plan) it appears his anonymous plan similarly will be pushed through Congress in the first days of his presidency. Wouldn’t it be logical to allocate the 350 billion of the original plan for the basis of Obama’s plan? Is this partisan politics? Because the original money tapped from America’s pockets has been elusive, this new money should require accountability. These are the issues revolving in Washington, and again it seems as if no one really knows the answers or cares about the average American. If Obama does not request or demand the money, it gratuitously will be forfeited to the same invisible parties as the original bailout money. This is not an option for the American people. Because neither president seems to have an answer, the most logical decision would be to save the money. There is not as much need as Obama suggests to apply a short term fix to the economy. Ironically a plan of his that resembles his predecessor’s tax cuts will appear insane. Copying Bush’s plan is a cop out. It is understandable with the amount of pressure placed on Obama’s future presidency he feels the need to do something quickly. Wasting the second half of what is a sizable amount of money will prove to be a mistake.