To bk and bucco,

Yes, this has been a good discussion. As I said in my last post, I am now satisfied that there isn't any good reason to allow the tax cuts to expire for the 250k ers.
Dplong did a good job correcting the misconception that small businesses would be hurt, and none of the other fears expressed in the media or by opponents has any real substance.

So, as I also said, let's put this to rest.

About all that spending: If you read my reply to BBQman you will see my view that while I am not happy about the large deficit, I consider it an absolutely essential step to avert the real catastrophe which would have occurred if the government did nothing. The repair did start with TARP in Bush's final days, but the stimulus program has been just as critical.

As I have also said, there is ample evidence, especially in the last 60 days, with unemployment data and production and inventory figures, that the stimulus has flattened out the recession and real gains are being made.

As many alarmists and media attention seekers as there are telling us that "the sky is falling", and that the "end is near" (or here), there are those who study this period, compare it to our history and conclude that we can and will fully recover economically in a relatively short period of time. I consider "short" to mean that I will live to see it.

I believe I will live to see recovery. And really it comes down to what you believe. Hopefully, if you don't believe we will recover, you formed those opinions on the basis of sound study and information rather than sound bites, long-time political preferences with their sweeping generalizations.

So for those of you who oppose, as bk calls it, the "reckless" Obama administration, I will again ask my new question:

Do you know any single person who lives in TV who has suffered any significant financial loss as a direct result of the administration's actions to date?