Call Sheila Jackson-Lee

Ok Houston, here we go...

First things first. Sheila's phone number is (202) 225-3816. Don't email, call!

Today the House is voting on the "stimulus" package that Obama and most Democrats support. Our representative is no different. I just called her office and confirmed that she is in support of this. However, I talked to a wonderful lady named Judith who was very good in talking this over with me. Our representative is led to believe that 2/3 of the stimulus will be spent in the first 18 months. By other estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, only 16% of the package will actually be spent in the first 2 years.

She said her whole point in supporting this is to create jobs and get this economy moving again. Then, very awkwardly, she threw out the term "tax relief". Kind of funny.

So this is what I told her. I asked her to let the Congresswoman know that I am against this stimulus because over a third of it is geared towards expanding government (which it is), it contains very little that will stimulate the economy now (which it doesn't), and if she really does want to create jobs then REAL tax relief is the way to do. I asked her to pass along that we should cut the corporate tax rate in America by 10% and that the federal income tax rate should be cut as well in order to give companies incentives to hire (they get to keep their money and therefore create an income for someone else) and people will have more income to spend, invest and save.

She thanked me for my comments and assured me the congresswoman would know my views. I thanked her for her time and said, "We're all trying to do the same thing, I'd just like to see jobs actually created."

So if you're in our district, I urge you to call. It's one thing we really can do today instead of feeling helpless with the news. There's A LOT of opposition to this and Congress needs to know about it.