Last week...

I would like to briefly mention two important and interesting events from last week.

First, the House of Representatives passed the $819 billion stimulus package proposed by President Obama with a vote of 244 to 188, which meant zero Republican support together with some Democrats (11) voting against it as well. Definitely, not a bipartisan bill. In an earlier post, I mentioned the discussion of the natural lags associated with the infrastructure part of the stimulus package. Even though, it is appropriate to question the immediate efficiency of the stimulus in light of this, it is also appropriate to ask the question whether this is just a temporary measure to strengthen the economy or an effort to ensure sustainable growth even after it heals.

The second event was President Obama’s signing of a measure which would again permit the funding of health organizations which promote or provide abortions in developing countries. I found this interesting because of its possible implications for the perception of the US among such countries as I remembered a comment by one of the Eisenhower Institute’s guest speakers last semester. The guest spoke on the fears expressed by international participants years after the Fourth World Conference in Beijing of a possible retraction of the advancements made with respect to women’s reproductive health provoked by the election of President Bush in 2001. Most of you probably remember that one of the first acts by the then President Bush was to reinstate the Global Gag Rule.