The Stimulus Package. We Accept It, We Reject it.

The stimulus package five main areas are: Infrastructure, State Relief, Safety Net,Tax Cuts for Individuals, and Tax Cuts for Businesses. Here is a quick run down of why people were for or against the different proposals included in the latest stimulus.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We Accept It: By investing in renewable energy, health care, education and construction projects, Presidents Obama's administration expects to save or create between 3 million and 4 million jobs and address key sustainability issues.

We Reject It: Opponents argue the spending will lead to a rapidly increasing and unsustainable deficit. They also say that a majority of infrastructure projects will take to long to implement.

STATE RELIEF

We Accept It: States are facing budget shortfalls and the stimulus plan seeks to pay for Medicaid and unemployment benefits. State fiscal relief will be allocated to prevent increases in state and local taxes, or cuts in government services.

We Reject It: Opponents say the bill should focus on job creation that will make an immediate impact on the economy.

SAFETY NET

We Accept It: President Obama proposes temporary programs to protect those most vulnerable to the effects of the recession.

We Reject It: Opponents say, as with state budget relief, the bill is too big and should simply aim to create new jobs. Some lawmakers have said some of the "safety net" spending provisions are wasteful, and many have called the bill unfocused.

TAX CUTS FOR INDIVIDUALS

We Accept It: President Obama throughout his campaign pushed for tax cuts for low and middle class income families. As a form of stimulus, tax breaks have the added advantage of being paid out faster than other provisions in the bill, and economists say those income groups are most likely to spend rather than save the money.

We Reject It: Opponents say the size of the tax cuts for both individuals and businesses do not go far enough and don't make up a big enough portion of the entire package. They also oppose giving tax breaks to people who get back more money from the government than they pay in income and payroll taxes.

TAX CUTS FOR BUSINESSES

We Accept It: President Obama's plan seeks to help ease the tax burden for small businesses, as well as allow companies suffering losses to get some tax relief by applying losses to more years in which they booked a profit.

We Reject It: Opponents say too small of a percentage of the total package goes to business tax breaks.

As of last night the deal was done. Friday night the Senate passed the controversial $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was drawn up, amended and negotiated in a record time.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill soon...Just in time for President's Day.