What GOP Leaders deem wasteful in Senate stimulus bill

[praying]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/02/gop.stimulus.worries/index.html

1. $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.

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

3. $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

4. $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

5. $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

6. $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

7. $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

8. $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.

9. $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.

10. $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

11. $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

12. $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

13. $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."

14. $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

15. $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

16. $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

17. $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

18. $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

19. $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.

20. $500 million for state and local fire stations.

21. $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

22. $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.

23. $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

24. $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

25. $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

26. $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

27. $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

28. $850 million for Amtrak.

29. $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

30. $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

31. $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

32. $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.


I am okay with 1 -4, 13, 16 coming out.

 

[utdbear]

I would ask this question. What is the immediate economic impact of these proposals, and if they are necessary why can't they stand as their own bill. That goes for the ones you listed as ok to come out, as well as #8,9,12,13,16,22,28,29. They have no business in an economic stimulus bill and are classic definitions of 'pork'. Do you have a link to the Congressmen who put these amendments in this bill?

 

[chaz345]

I think the problem is that while many of those things are probably worthwhile expendatures, they will have little to zero effect in terms of stimulating the economy and should probably A)wait until things are a little better economically and B) not be a part of a bill that is sold to the public as being for economic stimulus.

 

[KarrieTex]

The issue is not whether or not these are good things to spend money on in the future but at the moment what in the world is this going to do to help our economy right now stabilize and grow?

NOTHING

It's asinine that so called educated people that were elected are even trying to pass this as a stimulus bill.

 

[iwanttobefree]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/02/gop.stimulus.worries/index.html


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

3. $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

yeah we definitely need those. The American people need more, clearer television so they can be pumped with propaganda to spend spend spend money they don't have.

While the kids are pumped up with sugar caffeinated drinks they can scream they want the new video game advertised and Mom can find out about a new drug that helps cope with anxiety, and Dad can catch up all the football scores while our national debt goes into numbers he can't even comprehend much less add.

can anyone me, why I should have my taxes increased so wealthy hollywood mogals can save money on film?

None of these things will help. None. We cannot spend and borrow our way out of what we spent and borrowed our way into. All of this is pork.

Guess where the money ends up eventually when consumers spend? China. Thus, perpetuating more of the problem.

 

[ScottBot]

I am A-OK with ditching the entire bloody mess and letting the free market fix itself.

This whole stinking bill shouldn't be called "Stimulus". They should call it by its proper name: the Democrat "Thanks for putting us in office" Payoff Bill.

 

[IzzyPop]

I see most of those items as projects that will provide jobs. We are looking at a stimulus that will not jolt the economy but instead provide a slower, but much more sustainable, exit from this mess we are in.

Furthermore, why are we even listening to the Republicans on this issue, anyway? They had their chance and look at where we are. They need to shut up, sit down, and let someone at least try to clean up their mess.

 

[ScottBot]

I see most of those items as projects that will provide jobs. We are looking at a stimulus that will not jolt the economy but instead provide a slower, but much more sustainable, exit from this mess we are in.

Furthermore, why are we even listening to the Republicans on this issue, anyway? They had their chance and look at where we are. They need to shut up, sit down, and let someone at least try to clean up their mess.

Yes, I can feel the spirit of bipartisanship and what is good for ALL AMERICA just flowing through your post and into my veins.

 

[IzzyPop]

Yes, I can feel the spirit of bipartisanship and what is good for ALL AMERICA just flowing through your post and into my veins.

Right. I had enough of 'bipartisanship' over the last couple of years. It has come to mean 'do what the right wants and don't ask questions'. Talk to the obstructionist Republicans in the Senate that set a record for filibusters last session about bipartisanship. Talk to the Republicans that got what they asked for and still voted against this bill about bipartisanship.

The Republicans got trounced in the last two elections because the people are sick of their shenanigans. So maybe, they should actually listen to the people and do what is best for the people of this countryinstead of obstructing progress and then try to shift the blame for not much happening to the Democrats in congress.

 

[ScottBot]

Right. I had enough of 'bipartisanship' over the last couple of years. It has come to mean 'do what the right wants and don't ask questions'. Talk to the obstructionist Republicans in the Senate that set a record for filibusters last session about bipartisanship. Talk to the Republicans that got what they asked for and still voted against this bill about bipartisanship.

The Republicans got trounced in the last two elections because the people are sick of their shenanigans. So maybe, they should actually listen to the people and do what is best for the people of this countryinstead of obstructing progress and then try to shift the blame for not much happening to the Democrats in congress.

Everyone Welcome to the Tyranny of the Majority. Enjoy your stay. Leave your wallet and your brain at the door....mama Government will be making all of your decisions for you.

 

[IzzyPop]

Everyone Welcome to the Tyranny of the Majority. Enjoy your stay. Leave your wallet and your brain at the door....mama Government will be making all of your decisions for you.

Once you get done with reading a whole bunch of stuff that I didn't say into my post, you can go ahead and feel free to address any points I did make. Thank you.

 

[ScottBot]

Once you get done with reading a whole bunch of stuff that I didn't say into my post, you can go ahead and feel free to address any points I did make. Thank you.

I did. What you described in your previous post is called "Tyranny of the Majority". Google it with the term Tocqueville. Caution, however, it is based on facts which in my experience, liberals are allergic to.

 

[IzzyPop]

I did. What you described in your previous post is called "Tyranny of the Majority". Google it with the term Tocqueville. Caution, however, it is based on facts which in my experience, liberals are allergic to.

Saying that Republicans should listen to their constituents and not put Party over Country is Tyranny of the Majority? I think you may be a bit mistaken on that.

Good thing I am not a liberal. Nice try, though.

 

[iwanttobefree]

I see most of those items as projects that will provide jobs. .

dead end jobs (jobs that dont create productive wealth or industries) that rely on funding from taxpayers via debt. Where does it end? how does it 'fix' the economy? It just puts off the problem until later. Providing 'jobs' funded via debt that will encourage consumer spending -that is the current plan. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that its just delaying the problem until later.

 

[praying]

dead end jobs (jobs that dont create productive wealth or industries) that rely on funding from taxpayers via debt. Where does it end? how does it 'fix' the economy? It just puts off the problem until later. Providing 'jobs' funded via debt that will encourage consumer spending -that is the current plan. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that its just delaying the problem until later.

Serious question - what would you recommend/do?

 

[iwanttobefree]

Serious question - what would you recommend/do?

take a painful hit on vanished fake wealth, meaning let real estate prices fall to where they should be.
do have emergency money for people who are in real acute need - we don't want people to starve or live on the streets make bankruptcy easier for consumers - teach the banks a lesson that they can't trick people into debt and then force the government to be their collection agency. and end the bailout and subsidies of banking failures.

encourage saving and thrift. This, of course is the exact opposite of what our government encourages to keep a fake economy going. Our government encourages consumer spending and debt.

Encourage and stimulate real, productive wealth - manufacturing, agriculture, real service based industries, intellectual property.

End 'free trade' which is neither free nor fair. All of our 'free trade policies' are one way streets. Start negotiating fairer trade agreements. For example Europe has a 'stealth' tariff via the VAT, and China and Japan have complex internal restrictions that keep foreign competitors out.

All of these would hurt for a decade perhaps two but right now we're just squandering our grand children's futures and passing debt for our irresponsibility and corruption onto them.

 

[ScottBot]

take a painful hit on vanished fake wealth, meaning let real estate prices fall to where they should be.
do have emergency money for people who are in real acute need - we don't want people to starve or live on the streets make bankruptcy easier for consumers - teach the banks a lesson that they can't trick people into debt and then force the government to be their collection agency. and end the bailout and subsidies of banking failures.

encourage saving and thrift. This, of course is the exact opposite of what our government encourages to keep a fake economy going. Our government encourages consumer spending and debt.

Encourage and stimulate real, productive wealth - manufacturing, agriculture, real service based industries, intellectual property.

End 'free trade' which is neither free nor fair. All of our 'free trade policies' are one way streets. Start negotiating fairer trade agreements. For example Europe has a 'stealth' tariff via the VAT, and China and Japan have complex internal restrictions that keep foreign competitors out.

All of these would hurt for a decade perhaps two but right now we're just squandering our grand children's futures and passing debt for our irresponsibility and corruption onto them.

Great post! And to substantiate the bolded part of it, I offer: http://blog.moneylife.org/2008/10/americans-are-saving-more-but-hurting-the-economy.html

The case is being made that people who are being responsible, saving money and staying out of the credit crisis are HURTING the economy. This is the problem with a fiat based currency model, rather than being on a gold standard.

 

[Billnew]

Truly, look at this list.
How many will save or produce jobs?
17,21,22,26,28, are the only ones that might produce or save jobs federally.
And they aren't tied directly to job production.

This is a stim bill. It should be to stimulate the economy, save or produce jobs.

 

[[serious]]

I would ask this question. What is the immediate economic impact of these proposals, and if they are necessary why can't they stand as their own bill. That goes for the ones you listed as ok to come out, as well as #8,9,12,13,16,22,28,29. They have no business in an economic stimulus bill and are classic definitions of 'pork'. Do you have a link to the Congressmen who put these amendments in this bill?

Well, it's a matter of 2 birds with one stone. If we need stimulus, we shouldn't be setting out to avoid accomplishing anything else at the same time. This provides the direct spending for immediate relief along with infrastructure for long term growth. Best of both worlds.

 

[kermit]

Here's a good column on this list.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016733.php

Now, putting aside the merit of the provisions, I went ahead and did some back-of-the-envelope math, adding up the grand total of all of the measures in question. I came up with a total of roughly $18.7 billion.

...

In other words, after House Republicans carefully combed through the bill, searching for anything they could deem "wasteful," and finding 32 specific measures they found offensive, the GOP lawmakers are still comfortable with 98% of the Democrats' bill.

One has to wonder why the House GOP voted unanimously against a bill that their leadership has determined to be 98% acceptable.