The economy of the world Follow

THE Senate will debate Barack Obama's $819 billion economic-stimulus package. The measure was passed easily by the House of Representatives, but without the support of a single Republican, despite a charm offensive from the president. Mr Obama wants the plan to be implemented quickly in order to create or save perhaps 4m jobs, but the Republicans insist it should include more tax cuts and less spending. A complicating factor in the Senate is a provision that would soften the effects of the alternative minimum tax on the middle classes, adding billions to the overall cost of the stimulus.