Barack Obama is taking action to try to improve the country’s dwindling economy.

The president has proposed a stimulus package of over $800 billion to help out the country.

Political science professor Barbara Burrell said the government still has to take many steps for the package to be approved.

“The House has approved the stimulus package but now the Senate has to go over it,” Burrell said. “I expect the Senate to approve a different version of the package.”

Burrell said the House and the Senate need to agree on the same version in order for it to get passed.

“The same version needs to be selected in order for the president to approve it and sign the bill,” she said.

Burrell hopes this proposed package differs from President Bush’s, which passed in 2008.

“In order for Obama’s stimulus package to be effective, it needs to help people with unemployment and mortgage issues,” she said. “I hope Obama’s stimulus package doesn’t have money going toward banks like Bush’s did.”

Andrew Holmblad, sophomore electrical engineering major, said changes in the country aren’t going to just happen overnight.

“So far, Obama’s doing a good job working with the economy, but I don’t expect things to get better right away,” Holmblad said. “I think it will take at least two years for the economy to be in a significantly good place.”

Holmblad said the stimulus package is good, but it won’t be the only factor in helping out the country.

“I think the package will provide a boost to the economy but it won’t be a very large one,” he said.

Sophomore accounting major Jonetta Haymer said she thinks the president will need help from others in order to turn things around.

“If he gets enough support ... he should be able to help out the economy,” Haymer said.

Haymer also said she thinks the president needs to work with everybody, not just Democrats to fix things.

“Obama needs to be open-minded and willing to work with Republicans,” she said.

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