Barack Obama is having a very bad day. As we reported on this site, two of his appointees: Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer, have both withdrawn themselves from consideration from Obama’s staff. Now, support for Obama’s stimulus plan appears to be fading.
Pork You Can Believe In?
Barack Obama was supposed to be the “Change” candidate. He was going to end business as usual and bring ethical government to Washington. Right? Well, two weeks into his presidency, we have now discovered that two of his top appointees (Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer) are tax cheats who will have to withdraw their names from confirmation to Obama’s cabinet.
Furthermore, today the GOP revealed the small-print details of Barack Obama’s stimulus plan, which is supposed to rescue us from the economic crisis. The plan is filled with a staggering amount of waste. We will be adding billions to our national deficit so we can fund such fine programs as:
• $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).
• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
• $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.”
• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
• $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.
• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.
• $1.2 billion for “youth activities,” including youth summer job programs.
• $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.
• $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.
Will reducing lead-based paint stimulate our economy? Will inspecting canals in our urban areas create jobs?
Support for the stimulus plan appears to be fading fast. As we reported here, many believe that the stimulus plan won’t reach American taxpayers until it’s too late to create any real jobs. Meanwhile, our federal employees will have some nice Priuses to drive around in.
Thank you, Obama.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
This has never been a stimulus package. It is a spending bill that will cause Obama to raise taxes.
Pork is pork no matter which party in in power. But I would like to sign up for the $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.â€? I quit smoking 7 months ago, but am willing to start again if it will pay well and help put people to work. Just don’t tell my wife.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I don’t understand where the republicans get off saying anything about anything. They caused this mess we are in, the people pretty much voted them out of power, so they should just shut up, sit back, and let the democrats TRY to save us. The republicans did nothing for anyone the past eight years, except for the top one tenth of one percent income bracket. I would rather see fed. employees driving around new cars then all the money going into the pockets of Bush’s rich friends (his “base”). The conservative media echos everything the republicans say over and over again. What we need is ZERO republicans around, then maybe something will really get done for America.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Edward,
It is called freedom of speech. And by the way, you suck.
The republican sat on their butts and did nothing for 8 years. Right now most of them suck too.
If you don’t know spending from stimulus then you are also an idiot. You are acting like Obama has all poor friends. How sad for you that your hate for Bush has blinded your sight when it comes to Obama.
PS It was very nice not having you here for the last week or so.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I am new to the site, and found the normal right propaganda (including george who happens to a loser). The TARP program was an attempt at stimulus (what a Nimrod). I hope along with every American with 2% of a brain that the second half will be better than the first. George are you for small govt? If so, I hope you are not a Republiocrat (which is what your party has turned it). Fiscally conservative my rear. I like the Bush along with other Presidents oversaw the largest deregulation since the Great Depression and the roaring twenties. I think a fair representation of the republican party would be “The party of HUD for multi-national corporations”. It is almost a one-liner: what do you get when you put all the interests of business with corporate subsides? the modern republican party.
Signed,
A European Socialist
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Ed:
May I ask what the hell are you doing here. I mean you cant really like this stimulus. It’s full of pork barrel spending that wont do crap for the economy. I mean lets look at other things that this website are not mentioning. Such as 200B going to education now I am a young person in college when obama says lets invest in the future I say big mistake. 95B for highway construction which is useless and will make gas prices climb and why do I go to toll booths. Another 200B for healthcare reform which my father is a doctor and I can just tell it will bankrupt us and turn us into France. Also healthcare doesn’t create jobs also I believe it will cause people to quit there jobs because they don’t need to work anymore. 90B for welfare yah thats right give money to people who don’t help the economy at all. 55B for alternative energy you do know we wouldn’t have to spend that much if we would just drill for oil,coal, and natural gas. And we don’t just have to use those fuels we need nuclear,geothermal, and wind, but we just make a business out of that and it wont cost a dime.
Also I know what your saying its republicans fault. Not really the economy wasn’t bad in till pelosi took power. Also if you go threw history Kennedy is responsible for this housing crisis.
PS: You suck Mickey’s balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Mickey:
I didn’t mean it like that your conservatism rocks and I’m sure your family rocks to.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
A European Socialist, ha! Thank you for making me laugh. Note that this “economic crisis” has given the U.S. a 7.5% unemployment rate, a level that no socialist European country has seen in many, many, many years. If we reach 10% unemployment in the U.S., we consider it a national disaster. In socialist Europe, it’s boom time.
We have and expect a much higher standard of living than you Socialists can ever conceive. Please go back to your commune and live off someone elses wealth.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Personal invectives suck and make me puke.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
So consider a 10% unemployment rate. So what? If the other measures of the health of a society, i.e., infant mortality, longevity, literacy, poverty, and so on, are empirically better in the European social democracies, why not look to what is working there? America really doesn’t have the market on wealth creation cornered.
Can we, for once, look at logos rather than mythos?
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Ignatius Reilly my rectal tissue. You must be a disciple of the entertainment tonight guy on fixed news. Funny you say unemployment not under employment. Thanks for being a part of people going from ATT to BK (Burger King). I am imagining that your last comment is refrence the next republican President candidate Joe W (from plumbing to riches). As far as your standard of living you should check the world wide index in the Economist. What you will see is those horrible commune type countries )Sweden, Denmark, and the like sit much higher on the index than anyone else. But hey we are number one at something- exporting debt for business.
Signed,
Alan Colmes
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
That makes me laugh, again. Adjusted for the horribly inflated currencies caused by socialist policies, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, etc. have much lower standards of living than the United States, Taiwan, Signapore, and other enlightened places (see below article). What good is $50,000 GDP per capita in a place where pizza costs $70?
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/weekinreview/17bawer.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=norway%20highest%20standard%20of%20living%20pizza&st=cse
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Ed and Loser,
This is what I have to say to you both.
1st. You have no job or skills so you will fit into the spending bill quite nicely. Perhaps you can buy a dictionary and learn new words other then body parts.
2nd. The best part of you both ran down your mother leg. O maybe it was her chin.
3rd. If you like Sweden, all of us here will chip in and buy you and Ed a one way ticket. Just let us know and NO, you can never come back. Why must you liberals put down our country? Oh yeah I know. You hate America and you hate any one that disagrees with you because you have no ideas other then to spend other people money for yourself. You make me want to puke.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
George first off. I have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan so please do not assume were my allegiances lie, I stand up and say the pledge every morning (unlike you). Second please be original I can’t stand recycled garbage like yours which is probably pretty funny since I recycle most things.
Mr. Oreally,
CIA world factbook- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2129rank.html
Cited op-ed pieces will scarcely hold any water.
What you will notice is where the US is hardly ever at the top. Please do not act like the EURO is an inflated currency. The pizza comment is laughable I have lived in those countries it is 62.00 dollars!!
Signed,
Sean Hannity’s sister
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Right. Sure you did. If you fought anywhere other the a jail shower, I am Joe (the used car salesmen) Biden.
You hate this country and it is clear that you are uneducated. But if you really did, then you would know that you fought for the rights of freedom of speech for all and you must so happy to have Obama as Commander in Chief.
I stand by me offer to buy you a ticket to any country you want to live in.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
George you would make it easier if you went to Iraq fought, and taken as a male prostitute to SE Asia as a boy girl. I have a masters degree in liberal propaganda, and doctorate in I am sure you are real educated! right. Maybe if you went to SE Asia I wouldn’t have to move or fight for your rights. Seems like a win win situation for both of us.
Signed,
your last boyfriend in jail “Big Jerry”
XOXOXOX
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Hey there, Ignatius,
You asked “Will reducing lead-based paint stimulate our economy? Will inspecting canals in our urban areas create jobs?”
I have a good friend who runs a lead removal business, and the more lead he identifies, the more he can remove and the more people he can hire. Similarly, if we inspect our urban canals, we’ll identify weaknesses and needs for repairs, and voila, a boost to the construction trade. It seems a little off-beat, but these might work. It doesn’t seem to be a stimulus package as much as an economic development package.
I don’t know if it’ll work, but it might keep bridges from collapsing or kids becoming mentally disabled from lead poisoning. Healthier, smarter kids might equal to an increased global competetiveness in intellectual commodities. I guess I can see a glimmer of sense here, but…
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Well.. It was fun. Sorry if I offended you George all in good fun I hope. Other Brian good comments. Oreally enjoyed the banter. I will not be looking at the blog anymore. apparently it is getting blocked from my subsidized apartment in Chicago.
Signed,
Ann Coulter’s ex lover Blago
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Oh yeah, on the European socialist thing. Look, I love America, but like anything I love, there’s always room for improvement. Why is it unAmerican to think about ways to better take care of our own?
There’s a simple economic argument for such “socialist” ideas. Take for example single payer health care. Look, the US spends 17% of GDP on health care, more than on defense. (10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France)
But infant mortality rates for the US are 6.71 per 1000 while those of the “socialist countries” of Europe are almost half (Finland 3.59, Norway 3.73, Germany 4.2, and France 4.3)
Please recall that infant mortality is one of the most important indicators of the health of a nation, as it is associated with a variety of factors such as maternal health, quality and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices.
So, we’re spending far more and getting far less. Sounds a little impractical to me.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Georgiaisaloser, pizza being $62.00 is what’s laughable. That’s 6 times what it costs in the U.S. Take into account living costs and the U.S. far exceeds any European country is standrad of living.
The NY Times article is dead on correct.
Other Brian, you make a good point about the infant mortality numbers. I don’t dispute those numbers. However, as a country, time and again, when asked to choose between equality and wealth, America chooses wealth.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:36 pm
lmao @ pork you can believe in.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Ignatius, you’re right, we do choose wealth. I just have a moral distaste for a situation when there is indeed so much wealth and there is so much ignorance and poverty alongside it. Seems we can do better.
But on the other hand, if we ask the government to solve the problem it will, like everything the government touches, turn to s%$t.
Why can some societies make it work and some can’t? Size? Homogeneity? Stronger national national identity? More compassion?
You know, I had a discussion with an acquaintance in Finland last summer, and he said that if a local school board member tried to cut the school budget, his phone would be ringing, and he would be soundly defeated at the next election. Just unheard of, robbing the next generation of its access to its potential.
Ironically, here we are borrowing our grandchildren’s inheritance. For what?
Seems we are already overstimulated.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:59 pm
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February 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
The Other Brian! You’re an idiot! Do you really think every historical instance of socialism has failed by coincidence? Everything government pays for, it controls. how long before A) some beaurocrat decides your lifestyle costs the government too much, or B) the majority of people lose all incentive to be productive and labor becomes mandatory like in China. Government does not have the added obligation to the people that comes with competition, which is why the free market does everything better. It may be more expensive, but it’s worth it!
February 4th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
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