Congress returns to work this week to consider an economic stimulus plan. The Senate comes in Monday and the House on Wednesday.

While the broad outlines of that plan can be determined from reading news reports and watching President-Elect Obama’s first weekly address, the details are what matter.

The broad outlines:

- Extension of unemployment benefits. (You can see some vigorous discussion of that here and here.)

- Spending on infrastructure like bridges and roads and schools and such.

- Maybe some kind of bailout for the auto industry. (The Senate is supposed to take it up an auto industry bailout Monday at noon, but the administration has hardened its objections to the $25 billion plan last week.)

- Spending to promote “green tech”?

The rumored tally for all this has been pegged at around $150 billion dollars. That’s about $1,500 per U.S. family in spending, or $490 per person.

Now, ask yourself, would you spend $500 based on “broad outlines”?

“You might get a leather jacket, or maybe a suit, but it could be a new set of tires.” Heck NO!

When the original $700 billion bailout plan came forward, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged to post it online for 24 hours before a vote. The bill failed a vote in the House. Later that week, a bill developed without the same public access passed. It would be a tragedy if the Speaker and others took this as a lesson that they shouldn’t be forthcoming with the public.

Confidence in government will remain at rock-bottom levels until the public has a window onto the laws that are being considered in Congress. The Speaker of the House and Majority Leader of the Senate should post the text of the economic stimulus package at least 24 hours before a vote, and preferably 72 hours before a vote.