What’s more than opbvious is that the Bush stimulus bill hasn’t stimulated anything other than an argument over what someone can do with the so-called stimulus money. Citi Bank tried to buy a fancy $50,000,000 plane. Merrill Lynch spent more than one million upgrading the executive suite. And god only knows what else the money has been spent on or why. The taxpayers can’t get access to that information. So, hey, let’s do another one.  

The Obama administration and Congress are talking about spending an unprecedented sum of money to try to revive the economy. Obama wants somewhere between another $825 BILLION and ONE TRILLION more. Since the first $700 BILLION didn’t do anytbing let’s do more the second time around, Whatcha say?  

Obama and House Democrats laid down the marker with an $825 billion package of spending and tax cuts. The Senate version will be taken up by two committees on Tuesday. Dozens of proposals. Hundreds of pages of legislation. Billions of dollars. So, does anyone really READ these bills? Do you know how much PORK is in this stimulus package. For those who have SEEN the bill and know a little about what’s in it to STIMULATE us, let’s take a look-see.

The legislation is a work in progress, but here is an overview.

Some $90 billion is to fund the rebuilding of crumbling roads and bridges, build clean water and flood-control mechanisms and provide funding for mass-transit systems. Another $142 billion is fore ducation to rebuild thousands of schools by modernizing classrooms, labs and libraries. Renewable energy gets $54 billion to double production of alternative energy in the next three years. Weatherize low-income homes, modernize 75% of federal buildings and update the nation’s electrical grid with a new, cost-efficient “smart” grid.

Health-care $20 billion. Science, research and technology $16 billion. Medicaid gets $87 billion. Law enforcement $4 billion for states and municipalities for law enforcement. Unemployment benefits need $43 billion to extend through December 2009 emergency unemployment insurance assistance to states. Increase weekly unemployment benefits by $25, and provide incentives for states to expand unemployment coverage.

Cobra $39 billion, feeding the hungry $20 billion, and then we get into the biggie! A middle-class tax cut of $145 billion. Tax cut amounting to $500 a year for individuals and $1,000 for couples. The full credit would be limited to those making $75,000 or less ($150,000 or less for workers filing joint returns).

And then there are the BILLIONS for stuff you’ve never heard pf and before the bill gets voted on more BILLIONS in pet projects will be added. Stimulus? Who knows?

Ernie Fitzpatrick
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/stimulus-bill-2-743357.html