Good article about how Obama's package might help you. I'd most certainly be interested in the "go green and lower your mortgage rate" thing.

Will Obama's Economic Stimulus Package Help You Go Green?

President-Elect Obama’s inauguration is only 13 days away, and it’s clear that economic stimulus will be at the very top of his agenda. We’re keeping our collective fingers crossed that Congress doesn’t get in the way, for urgent action was needed months ago. While details are still few and far between, it’s becoming clear that the package will be split between direct stimulus (i.e., government spending) and tax relief, and that there will be a green thread throughout. Much of this money will be used to promote spending by funding infrastructure projects at the federal, state and local levels, everything from building new roads to insulating government buildings.

It’s also clear that some of that money will trickle down to normal folks like you and me. Additional tax relief for individuals and families is in the works. We certainly could use the extra money in our pockets, but what’s truly exciting are the hints that the Obama Administration might use some of the stimulus funding to jump-start the green economy, provide mortgage relief in return for green upgrades, invest in residential green technologies, or perhaps all at the same time. Details are still scarce (at least as of late afternoon January 6th), but some of the more interesting proposals include the following:

Mortgage relief tied to energy conservation. Architecture 2030 is a prominent nonprofit group focused on fighting climate change by changing the way buildings are designed and built. Their proposal at face value is pretty simple: reward homeowners for investing in and achieving significant energy savings by reducing their mortgage interest rates. If you have an existing home, you’d be rewarded for cutting your energy use by 30% vs the latest code with an interest rate of 4.5%; go all the way to carbon neutrality and your rate would drop to 2%. Architecture 2030 estimates that this program, combined with a similar incentive program for commercial buildings, could lead to as many as 8.5 million new jobs over a two-year period. Sounds pretty aggressive, but major media outlets such as Business Week suggest this plan could be gaining traction in Washington.

Home retrofits and smart metering. Lisa Margonelli, an Irvine Fellow at the New America Foundation, recently recommended a number of components that should be part of the stimulus package in an article published in The Nation. She recommends that the government fund a mass home weatherization program for families with incomes less than $75,000. An investment of $3,000 per home could cut energy use by 20%, the equivalent of an ongoing $400 stimulus check. Pretty steep? Maybe, but Ms. Margonelli points out it’s equivalent to the $3,150 tax credit iniitially offered to Prius buyers regardless of income bracket. And we know that most of the folks driving those early Priuses weren’t in the lower brackets!

Ms. Margonelli also proposes an extensive upgrade of the electrical grid. Of course the utilities are lobbying furiously for multi-billion subsidies of new transmission lines and power plants, but she proposes that the Administration also look at each individual house by installing “smart” electricity meters on individual homes. Pilot studies have shown that a $100 meter and the visibility into power usage it promotes can lead homeowners to cut electricity consumption by 10% - 40%. In addition to giving us better tools to cut our own energy usage (and save money), this would also create thousands of installation jobs.

More details about exactly what will / will not be proposed should come out any day now - we’ll keep you posted. (FYI, if you’re interested in seeing who’s speaking to the Obama team, check out this website and select “Energy and Environment” from the drop-down list. Definitely a major improvement over the Cheney years!)

In the mean time, though, the government’s already handing out money in 2009 for a variety of green upgrades via tax incentives in the LAST stimulus package. Upgrade your furnace or boiler and receive $150, or bring your old home’s insulation and sealing up to modern code and receive $500. Our friends at Green Building Elements have put together a reasonable list of the highlights.

rats, you mean im not getting another check?

 

 

The bicycle business is already booming.  Prices are way up at the local bicycle auction.

Prices are even up on the bikes at Wal-Mart.  The prices on the TV's are way down while the bicycle prices keep going up. I talked to the manager at the local Wal-Mart and he said they were selling lots of bicycles.

When they fix up the roads I think they should make them all with nice bicycle lanes ! ! ! 

I think people want to be greener  ! ! !   Riding a bicycle to the store instead of using the car is a real easy way to go green ! ! !  

Lots of new bicycle lanes ! ! !   Yeah ! ! !         That would get even more people riding ! ! ! 

Both my main employers are 7-8 miles away from my home (but about 10 miles from each other). When the weather's good and I don't have to pick up my kids or anything, I ride to work.

I'm all about riding to work as well, when the weather permits. What would be a nice addition to the stimulus package is that hike in the gas tax. To further encourage lazy and wasteful americans to walk or bike to the corner store or better yet their jobs, rather than drive their V8 SUV.

Then re-invest that gas tax into increased funding towards transportation infrastructure (both automobile and bicycle/foot traffic), public transport, etc.

 

Only problem with that is many Americans aren't in the position to walk or ride to work because they just had to have that "oh so nice" house 30 or 45 miles away from their job in the super-special suburbs. *shrugs* our lack of responsible living arrangements and choices to support our wasteful lifestyles have sort of put us at the mercy of long distance transport, and especially personal transport :( Guess its the price you've gotta pay to play...

Glad I live 6 miles from work.... cheap commute when your pedaling your way there :)

If I had it my way, I'd be way out of town, and have almost no need to go into town for any reason. except when i developed cabin fever.

all i'd like is 20 -50 acres of land to grow JC on, then hook up with neighbors to car pool into town once per month or two, to buy supplies i cant grow or raise myself.

 

Why should the weather make a difference?

ev93force

I'm all about riding to work as well, when the weather permits. What would be a nice addition to the stimulus package is that hike in the gas tax. To further encourage lazy and wasteful americans to walk or bike to the corner store or better yet their jobs, rather than drive their V8 SUV.

 

Oh I get it now only when it is convenient and fits your agenda. Otherwise collapse the economy and  punish folks. Did I get it right?

Currently Os package is providing entertainment. The package changes every day. One day it is FDR/Hitler econ & the next it's Reaganomics. The guy doesn't seem to have a clue as what to do. I'll give him a freebie.

There are cheaper & faster ways to create jobs for American.

For $5 billion a year we could hire 100,000 more INS field agents. Ask for armed civilian volunteers to watch the border. The left loves volunteers & the right likes guns - a win/win.

As the INS removes illegals, their jobs are opened to those who are here legally.

Also, with the millions of illegals gone, less energy is used. Making for a "greener"  & more energy independent America. Again, a left/right win/win.

This would lower unemployment in weeks instead of years(if his unknown plan does help). The $5 billion would come from the  lower $s spent on Food Stamp & Medicaid. Even a little health care savings/reform for good measure.   

Martin

 

Martin I like your way of thinking. Yes Obama scares the He!! out me. I really think he is out to destroy the country.

You mean, more than trashing the economy, plunging us into a massive debt, ruining our international reputation, sinking us into a quagmire or two of ethnic tensions? I don't see how he can destroy the country any more than the previous administration has.

So far, his appointments and picks seem very moderate. Your fear that he's some sort of covert commie socialist agitator so far seem unfounded.

dereckbc

ev93force

I'm all about riding to work as well, when the weather permits. What would be a nice addition to the stimulus package is that hike in the gas tax. To further encourage lazy and wasteful americans to walk or bike to the corner store or better yet their jobs, rather than drive their V8 SUV.

 

Oh I get it now only when it is convenient and fits your agenda. Otherwise collapse the economy and  punish folks. Did I get it right?

 

Oh, not at all, 'punish' me as well, im more than willing to bear the brunt of a gas tax hike for the benefit of the environment and better transportation infrastructure. Not just when it fits 'my agenda'.

Get it now?

perotter

Currently Os package is providing entertainment. The package changes every day. One day it is FDR/Hitler econ & the next it's Reaganomics. The guy doesn't seem to have a clue as what to do. I'll give him a freebie.

What are you smoking?

 

"FDR/Hitler"? The fact that you would say something like that is incredibly appalling, and immediately discredits anything else you have to say. Sure, FDR had some socialist programs, and so did Hitler. They were also both humans. Of course, Hitler slaughtered millions of people, but that doesn't matter, right? Gandhi and Hitler were both humans, so why not equate them too?

And Obama has never promoted ANYTHING like Reaganomics. Reaganomics was purely trickle down economics. Obama has been pushing bottom up economics.

For $5 billion a year we could hire 100,000 more INS field agents. Ask for armed civilian volunteers to watch the border. The left loves volunteers & the right likes guns - a win/win.

Sure, rather than putting money into creating an actual industry, let's just throw money into becoming more isolated and protectionist.

As the INS removes illegals, their jobs are opened to those who are here legally.

That notion is a joke.

Also, with the millions of illegals gone, less energy is used. Making for a "greener"  & more energy independent America. Again, a left/right win/win.

This would lower unemployment in weeks instead of years(if his unknown plan does help). The $5 billion would come from the  lower $s spent on Food Stamp & Medicaid. Even a little health care savings/reform for good measure.   

Martin

This whole post is almost as absurd as the stuff from cheap.

dereckbc

Martin I like your way of thinking. Yes Obama scares the He!! out me. I really think he is out to destroy the country.

Dereck, I just don't understand this. You're an intelligent person, how can you honestly think that? What has he done to make you think that? Serving on a couple of committees at the university he worked with with another professor who did some despicable things 40 years ago? Having a muslim father who he barely knew?

Look at the people he has nominated to cabinet positions - by far the most balanced and capable group of nominees I have ever seen.

 

Mike Briggs

Dereck, I just don't understand this. You're an intelligent person, how can you honestly think that?

Mike my comment was rhetorical in nature aimed at generating debate. But to Martins credit Obama is all over the place with his comments. For example recently last week Obama in a press conference said the Government is the answer to all our problems and indicated he is going to go on a huge deficit spending program and increasing the size of government and control. That is scary IMO and goes against my conservative and liberterian values. Government caused the problems, more spending, larger dificits and Government is not going to solve anything. Mike you gotta admit that was not a moderate thing to say. I hope it was pandering to the left, but Obama record to date is far left, and that concerns me.

I do pray for him however.

dereckbc

Mike Briggs

Dereck, I just don't understand this. You're an intelligent person, how can you honestly think that?

Mike my comment was rhetorical in nature aimed at generating debate. But to Martins credit Obama is all over the place with his comments. For example recently last week Obama in a press conference said the Government is the answer to all our problems and indicated he is going to go on a huge deficit spending program and increasing the size of government and control.

What did he *actually* say (i.e. not what did Bill O'Reilly and his ilk interpret his statement as meaning)?

That is scary IMO and goes against my conservative and liberterian values. Government caused the problems, more spending, larger dificits and Government is not going to solve anything. Mike you gotta admit that was not a moderate thing to say.

And you gotta admit that what you wrote is not what he said.

 

 

dereckbc

Martin I like your way of thinking. Yes Obama scares the He!! out me. I really think he is out to destroy the country.

Just relating the voice of the people & common sense. Also, I like to keep an open mind & look at all views.   

If he does a really bad job, he will be gone in 4 years. As long as he keeps trying to please everyone, they won't do anything. To much fighting in the D party. And not much money to work with.

IMO, government is one of 2 institutions that work best, for the people, when they are a little poor.

Martin

 

 

 

Mike, "And Obama has never promoted ANYTHING like Reaganomics. Reaganomics was purely trickle down economics. Obama has been pushing bottom up economics."

1st he said raise taxes on the "rich". Then not raise them on the rich. Now, $100 billion tax cut/tax rebate to corps.

Trickle-down Reagonomics? Even Dem Sen Harkin says so.

www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/us/politics/09obama.html

Read the "National Recovery Act" that FDR got thru congress. Read Hitler's econ program. If you haven't read them you shouldn't be commenting on what they were. If you have read them you would know that they were about the same. I'm only equating econ plans & nothing more between them.

Ganhdi's econ plans, to the best of my knowledge, favored decentralization. Nothing like the other 2.

Martin

Mike,

FWIW, I'm not protectionist. A large % of what I do is for the export market. Been that way for years. Currently it is all contract manufacturing so I'm not sure the exact %.

I do know that in 1st qtr of 2007 the "pure" export market, for me, dried up. What is going out is for ag & road constrution.

Martin

Sunday House Minority Leader Boehner said this about bicycle paths.

see page 8 : http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/FTN_011109.pdf

I was sad to hear him say that. 

I look at Portland and say why not Tampa ?  http://www.america.gov/st/econ-english/2008/December/20081209152637saikceinawz0.4403955.html

The batteries for electric bikes are also getting cheaper.  In Florida electric powered bicycles are the same as  regular bicycles as far as the law goes.

ebikes and etrikes with a basket are great for getting around to the store and such.

You can charge the batteries with solar panels ! 

Bike paths last a long time.   Talk about leaving the future generations something ?  How about leaving them some nice bicycle lanes to get around on ?