It seems that whenever you turn on CNN you can’t help but see some headline regarding our country’s economic status. People are losing their jobs and homes left and right. For this reason, President Obama and Congress have formulated an Economic Stimulus Package to put our nation back in full force.
I think it would benefit North Dakota tremendously to accept the money from the Economic Stimulus Package. The Stimulus Package’s main objective is to get money flowing in this country. In order to get our economy back on track we must create job opportunities. Receiving this money is a great way to do just that. North Dakota could use this money to help fund “shovel ready” jobs such as building bridges or fixing roads. Not only would we be opening up jobs for people around the state, but we would also be bettering our surroundings. This package also includes funds for small businesses. Small businesses are currently at risk of going out of business. This Stimulus Package will help businesses stay afloat and keep our citizens from losing their jobs.
Some believe that collecting this money is unnecessary considering the fact that we currently have a surplus of funds in the state. However, if we use this Stimulus money towards job opportunities, we can then use our state’s own money to invest in oil, coal, and wind energy. Currently, North Dakota is unable to export energy around the country because we do not have enough transmission lines or pipelines. Building these structures would make for a much more lucrative energy system. Establishing a solid energy plan is crucial to a good economy. If we invest our state’s own money into these projects, we will be able to bring more money into the state and in the end gain an even larger surplus.
Our country is in a difficult time at the moment. Our economy is unstable and it has people worried about what will happen in the years to come. Our state is looking pretty good at the moment, but it is hard to predict what the future holds for us. By accepting the money from the Economic Stimulus Package, we can gain a sense of stability and confidence in our state to forage on through these tough times.
Kelli Volk
Sherwood