Recovery vs Stimulus

It amuses me that it matters whether I say "stimulus" or "recovery." The word "stimulus" currently carries the burden of a failed strategy under a previous administration while "recovery" waves the banner of "change" for the new administration. Either way, it'll be nice to get something moving. From as early as last January we have been hearing about the critical need to spend recovery dollars quickly, efficiently, and with great accountability. If the money were in a CMCA account right now that's exactly what we'd be doing. Unfortunately, the downside of "recovery" funds is that it takes a heck of a lot more planning, budgeting, partnering, training, etc. than the shot-in-the-arm cashflow of a "stimulus" check that didn't even buy me the tv I'd been pining over. Check out my blog post from January 2008 to see my preference between these two hot-button words. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has the potential to meaningfully stimulate the economy. CMCA alone will be creating roughly 50 jobs directly, not to mention all of the workers and employers we'll be supporting through our programs. Community Action has always been about supporting employee retention. When you can foster stability in the home, assist with basic needs, provide high quality early education through Head Start, and train people for new jobs or increase their work skills, you're stimulating the economy by helping people work! It's exciting to think about all the opportunities we're going to see over the next two years as the recovery funds role out to communities throughout the country. New jobs, invigorated infrastructure, and a new economy based on a healthier set of economic parameters . . . now that's a stimulus I can get behind.