(Host) Senator Bernie Sanders is urging Congress to pass a second economic stimulus package to help repair the nation’s transportation and education infrastructure. Sanders says the package would create thousands of new jobs.
But Sanders says the plan faces an uncertain future because so much money is being spent on the war in Iraq.
VPRs Bob Kinzel reports:
(Kinzel) As the application process for the current economic stimulus package comes to a close, there are calls in Congress to pass a second bill that would allocate billions of dollars to help jump start the national economy.
Senator Bernie Sanders says he thinks it’s critical for Congress to pass a second stimulus package that would appropriate money to repair roads, bridges and schools across the country, provide tax credits for alternative energy projects, and boost funding for low income heating assistance programs.
Sanders says he believes that one of the key reasons that the U.S. economy has gone into a tailspin is the cost of the Iraq war. Sanders says that cost, now pegged at 12 billion dollars a month, is being financed largely by raising the national debt:
(Sanders) "Because this President does not have the political courage to ask the people to pay for the war so it’s our kids and grandchildren that are paying for it…our currency is weaker our dollar is falling people are paying more and more for oil outrageously high prices for oil so I don’t think there are too many economists who would tell you that the war in Iraq is not having a deleterious impact on our economy."
Sanders says the cost of the war is making it difficult to persuade some members of Congress to support a second, and much larger, economic stimulus package at this time:
(Sanders) "If the question is after spending 12 billion a month driving up the national debt to over 9 trillion can we come up with the resources we need to address the needs facing ordinary people we’re having a very difficult time doing it."
Several weeks ago, Sanders asked Vermonters to share their economic concerns at his website. He said he expected several dozen replies. So far more than 500 people have responded and Sanders has read some of their stories on the Senate floor:
(Sanders) "People who thought they were in the middle class and are losing that security people who don’t know how they’re going to find the funds to retire with any dignity young people who just can’t pay off their college debts people who can’t afford to heat their homes any more the story in their own words in the words of the people has just been quite overpowering…I was just on the floor of the Senate reading some of those statements."
Sanders says the strong response to this initiative tells him that economic conditions in many parts of Vermont are worse than he thought.
For VPR News I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.
AP Photo/Toby Talbot