I write to you today regarding the economy. I appreciate the opportunity to contact you.

I know Michigan is hurting.  I fully support a robust stimulus plan but cannot support the spending bill that passed the U.S. House today.  This bill, which costs over $1 trillion including interest, provides less than seven percent of the cost to build new roads and bridges, and less than one percent of the bill goes to help small businesses create jobs.

To make matters worse, we do not have the money in our own struggling economy to pay the bill.  So we will be forced to borrow from other countries like China and Saudi Arabia, forcing us to pay higher and higher interest rates. This will drive up the cost of credit for the American people and American employers, making everything we buy cost more, and creating barriers to buy cars, student loans, and home mortgages.  It also likely will increase inflation, making our savings worth less.

Here are just a few of the outrageous earmarks we will be borrowing money to pay for:

• $30 million to save a mouse habitat in San Francisco
• $8 billion to create a high speed rail system between Los Angeles and Las Vegas and a second one somewhere in the Mid-West.
• $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
• $2 billion for neighborhood organizations including ACORN which has been accused of unlawful voter registration.
• $1 billion for a prevention and wellness fund available for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention

The legislation even removes the new tax cut for the purchase of an automobile that the Senate had added to the plan, an additional body blow for Michigan.

The American economy and Michigan's special circumstances make it imperative that Congress follow the lead of the American people.  Families across our nation are doing more with less and being careful with their financial resources. Congress needs to follow their lead and get off this path to financial disaster and come together to adopt a bipartisan, affordable plan that will help turn Michigan's economy around.

That is why I support a plan that focuses on jobs first and helps Michigan families save money and get back to work.

In Mid-Michigan the alternative plan I voted for will directly help:

• 242,608 tax filers by reducing the 10% bracket.
• 194,930 tax filers by reducing the 15% and the 10% brackets.

More importantly, according to an economic model developed by President Obama's economic advisor, the alternative  stimulus bill I voted for will create 6.2 million jobs nationally.

Again, I appreciate the opportunity to reach out to you on this critical issue.  To stay updated and to view my postings please visit Mike J Rogers on Facebook, RepMikeRogers on YouTube and www.mikerogers.house.gov.