I'm glad this issue was brought to light yesterday on talk radio.

[MrLabGuy]

Conservative talk radio was making fun of this part of the Democratic economic stimulus plan all day yesterday. It was a glaring example of Congress attaching a spending program to a bill designed for another purpose. Now if they can only do this with the other 400 Billion dollars in miscellaneous pork barrel spending we might be OK.


WASHINGTON -- Democratic leaders in the House have dropped federal funding for new contraceptive services and ongoing programs to stop sexually transmitted diseases from the $825 billion economic stimulus bill due to hit the floor Tuesday.

As originally written, the House Democratic bill included more than $300 million in funds to slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. It also included a provision -- the one that's drawn the most GOP fire -- that provides a 9-to-1 match of federal funds to state funds to provide contraceptives to poor women who qualified under Medicaid. It also would have provided the same contraceptives to women whose income was 200 percent of the federal poverty level, a significant increase in funding.

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by MrLabGuy

As originally written, the House Democratic bill included more than $300 million in funds to slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. It also included a provision -- the one that's drawn the most GOP fire -- that provides a 9-to-1 match of federal funds to state funds to provide contraceptives to poor women who qualified under Medicaid. It also would have provided the same contraceptives to women whose income was 200 percent of the federal poverty level, a significant increase in funding.

Hypocracy at work here. Complain if poor single women have babies since its a strain on the welfare system. Complain if contraceptives are to be given to such women so that they don't have babies. Complain more if they are offered abortions.

Either do something to prevent the problem, or don't complain about the problem. We've tried the "personal responsibility" route and the end result is a generation of crack babies on welfare. Time to try something different.

[MrLabGuy]

Originally Posted by Eric5273

Hypocracy at work here. Complain if poor single women have babies since its a strain on the welfare system. Complain if contraceptives are to be given to such women so that they don't have babies. Complain more if they are offered abortions.

Either do something to prevent the problem, or don't complain about the problem. We've tried the "personal responsibility" route and the end result is a generation of crack babies on welfare. Time to try something different.

What part of Economic Stimulus plan did you not understand? Instead if slipping this spending proposal into this economic stimulus legislation why not propose the initiative on its own or with a similar measure meant to aid and assist the indigent population?

Pull yourself out of your Socialistic mindset for just a moment and add something to the topic of discussion.

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by MrLabGuy

What part of Economic Stimulus plan did you not understand? Instead if slipping this spending proposal into this economic stimulus legislation why not propose the initiative on its own or with a similar measure meant to aid and assist the indigent population?

Pull yourself out of your Socialistic mindset for just a moment and add something to the topic of discussion.

Ok...let's talk about "economic stimulus".

The goal of an economic stimulus package it to put money in the hands of those who will spend it. If we put money in the hands of those who won't spend it, then it does no good to stimulate anything.

Another goal is for the money to be spent domestically. If we give the money to companies or individuals who spend or invest it overseas, it does not help our economy either.

So leaves two questions:

1) Who spends the highest percentage of their money?
2) Who does their spending domestically?

Answer: poor and middle class people

Corporations invest much of their money overseas, and as we have seen with the bailout money for the banks, sometimes they just stash it away and don't spend it at all.

Wealthy people spend a lower percentage of their money than poor people. Instead, they save much of their money. Wealthy people are also more likely to spend their money overseas.

So in order to "stimulate" the economy, the money must be put in the hands of the poor and middle class.


So yes, I agree with you that this particular item has no place in an economic "stimulus" package. But providing contraceptives to poor people will indeed help the economy in the long run as it will lower the number of welfare babies. I'm guessing that is why they put it in there.

Or maybe the capitalist system is at work and the company that makes the contraceptives gave enough campaign contributions to Obama and the Congress and has purchased themselves a luctrative government contract.

[mwares212]

Originally Posted by Eric5273

Or maybe the capitalist system is at work and the company that makes the contraceptives gave enough campaign contributions to Obama and the Congress and has purchased themselves a luctrative government contract.

That sounds more like it! Gotta pay back those who helped you.