I am an independent contractor and my business never seems to get counted in the employment and unemployment figures because, well, I have no employees, and according to the government I am not employed either. I know many many contractors, freelancers, and consultants who are also suffering right now financially. We are ineligible for unemployment benefits when we cannot find work or cannot find enough work. During the last downturn, the dot bomb time, I used my credit card unwisely to stay afloat and now I’m paying the price – for my own poor decisions and for others’.

Last time there was a stimulus package I got $500 and it went directly to paying down debt. It did not go into savings. It did not go to buying new things. I can’t tell you how cost conscious I am these days – talk about paring down to the bone!

In my life I have earned good money and I have worked hard for very little money. Since there have been times when I’ve earned less than $50k in a year, I want to offer up some advice – don’t give me a handout. Don’t give me  $500. Don’t give me a tax cut that will really not make a difference. I don’t want $10 more per paycheck. In all candor, it’s a drop in the bucket and has no visible impact on  my bottom line.

What I want is jobs. I want jobs for myself and for others. I want my city and my state to keep providing services. I want teachers to be paid a living wage. I want my built environment to be strong and reliable. I want our infrastructure re-structured to a sustainable model. I want our government to invest in small farmers, local farmers, small solar companies, and pure research. I want the oil company subsidies to be directed to new energy sources and renewables.  I want them all to be supported by policies and tax policies. If all these other folks do well, I will do well. My business is dependent on the prosperity of other businesses.

I want to see America get back on track and my $500 stimulus could be used much more effectively to building sustainable systems – from energy to health care to food, which will benefit me directly and indirectly.

I can only speak for myself. There are others for whom the $500 would make the difference between eating or not,  staying in their home or not. A tax cut or a tax credit might have immediate impact. But not me. My money problems are so much larger, so much more complex, that $500 simply does not address them. Maybe the government should ask me what I want and not waste the money it would simply give me. I’m sure there are others just like me out here. Put us to work, don't give us handouts.