Stimulus Bill - Itemizing pork...

[Wagner]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/...ies/index.html

• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.

• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.

• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.

• $500 million for state and local fire stations.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.

• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

• $850 million for Amtrak.

• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.

[X5rolls]

Clearly the democrats have something other than an efficient approach to economic stimulus in mind.

To me this all reeks of a hidden agenda that we pay for.

Here are a few things that come to mind:

• Provide an opportunity to ram through their socialist agenda under the cover of an emergency. (Just like what happened for FDR.)
• Be used as an excuse to expand the social welfare programs.
• Provide an excuse to create government make work projects that further socialist and environmentalist “social justice” goals and make more people dependent on a government paycheck.
• Be used as an excuse to cut the military and other national security programs.
• If this spending doesn't do it, more and larger government programs will be required, and more socialist policies will be enacted – never to be undone.

The one criteria we should all use to evaluate this bill is: Does it really stimulate the economy and help create jobs?

If it doesn't - it should not pass.

It also must include payroll tax cuts and money/programs to help homeowners keep their homes.

Then we need to make sure these spending programs do not remain permanent.

We need to stop this wasteful (plenty of examples above) spending before it becomes law.

[AzNMpower32]

Hmmm that pork also has a lot of "fat" in it.

"Smoking cessation Programmes" "Green federal buildings" "youth summer activities"

Gotta love government efficiency.

[Meiac09]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

"Smoking cessation Programmes"

increase cigarette tax to $9/box and pay for all of it with the State of South Carolina alone. ew!

[Eric5273]

Not that I disagree with you, but that entire list you posted comes to about 1.4% of the total money being spent on the bill. If you approve of the other 98.6%, then I'd say that is the best you can hope for.

If you don't approve of the other 98.6%, then I'd say you should post some larger items that you disagree with and discuss those.

[Quicksilver]

Ok folks, If you use Wagners list let's see your
line by line yea or nae............

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by Meiac09

increase cigarette tax to $9/box and pay for all of it with the State of South Carolina alone. ew!

Must we go thru this argument again?

[motordavid]

Leave Iraq tomorrow, in total...
use that monthly tab for things like cancer research,
stem cell research, solar power for the masses, etc.,
and on and on.

Call up the wackos in Iran & N. Korea and the tribes in the mtns
of Afghanistan and tell 'em a fistful of small nukes with their zip codes,
are aimed at them, and I'm willing to pull the trigger.

Wish I was Emperor for a year.

Back at the Spend It Faster Than We Can Print It Ranch,
it is politics as usual with pork barrel, special interests, "painting
the parking lots", and the usual bs. Today is the best day here in
the US, 'cause "tomorrow" is less so, imo.

The Spending Oversight committees, at any level of gov't, are
blind, inept, ball-less, useless, imo.
Rant over, for awhile.

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Call up the wackos in Iran & N. Korea and the tribes in the mtns of Afghanistan and tell 'em a fistful of small nukes with their zip codes, are aimed at them, and I'm willing to pull the trigger.

Unlikely to have any affect at all.

Ask yourself this question: What would another country or group have to do to cause the US government to back down on a military engagement. Answer that question and you will have your answer as to what to do to get these guys to back down.

[X5rolls]

Pretty coherent for a rant -

Originally Posted by motordavid

The Spending Oversight committees, at any level of gov't, areblind, inept, ball-less, useless, imo.Rant over, for awhile.