Hank,

You and I agree 99 wks is too long. I know folks (perhaps you all do too) who are in "looking for a great job" mode, rather than "Make ends meet" mode, and have been there for 1+ years. I'm a believer in unemployment benefits, but I also believe in their expiration.

The second issue -- tax cuts (unfunded as they are) is interesting only because nobody can agree with the basis should be. If you claim the basis is today, then taking no action (letting bush tax cuts expire) equals a "tax increase". If you claim the basis is pre-bush-tax-cuts, then allowing them to expire is "ending stimulus" of a kind.

Of course I want low taxes. Of course I think I can spend my money better than the government can. Everyone thinks that way -- just like they think their kids are above average in whatever it is their kids do.

The real issue here is what is the right/reasonable tax rate given the current economic climate. I personally find it hard to believe we should make a decision to put $700B into stimulus-rebates to the top wage-earners. I don't believe that's better for our country right now. Those who I know personally who stand to benefit from this tax break UNIVERSALLY believe it will not cause them to hire a single new employee. Not one.

I don't know what the "optimal" tax rate is for our current national crisis, but I find it personally hard to believe that it's the status quo, or lower.