Stimulating what?

[PBzeer]

It’s easy to go through a huge proposal and find what seem like fairly ridiculous line items, so I’ll focus on as comprehensive a view as I can of the spending. The CBO reviews each Title (basically, spending area) of the bill, and calls out major items within each Title. Here are all the items that I saw them identify as individual programs with more than $10 billion of projected outlays, in the order that they call them out:

$20.0 billion to increase the maximum benefit under the Supplemental Nutrition Assurance Program (i.e., Food Stamps)

$18.5 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs

$20.4 billion for programs administered by the Department of health and Human Services

$20.0 billion to renovate elementary and secondary schools

$17.6 billion for Pell grants and other student financial assistance at post-secondary institutions

$29.1 billion for other elementary and secondary educational programs

$30.0 billion for highway construction

$13.1 billion for other transportation programs

$11.2 billion for housing assistance programs administered by HUD

$19.5 billion (minimum, could be higher, as per Title XIII) for education grants to states

$27.1 billion for increase unemployment benefits

$13.3 billion to increase health insurance for unemployed workers

$11.1 billion for “Other Unemployment Compensation”

$20.2 billion for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments to encourage providers to improve healthcare IT


The European Social Welfare State Bill - Jim Manzi - The Corner on National Review Online

Perhaps someone can explain to me how this type of spending stimulates the economy.

[painkiller]

It stimulates demand for Democrat politicians.

[chucklesR]

$30.0 billion for highway construction

$13.1 billion for other transportation programs

Isn't that grand, 825 billion and the best they could do was 43 billion for real infrastructure.

[jrd22]

Looks like very little "change" to me.

[chucklesR]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/ed...c.html?_r=1&hp

Analysts were also turning up surprises in the fine print.

One provision, which was sought by the student lending industry and went unmentioned in early Congressional summaries of the stimulus package, would temporarily increase subsidies to banks in the guaranteed student loan program by tying them to a new index, partly because recent federal intervention in the credit markets has invalidated the previous index. A spokesman for Sallie Mae, one of the largest student lenders, said the change was needed to keep student loan markets fluid. Critics said it represented a potential new windfall for lenders.

Nope, no change at all. Pork is prime.

I have no problem with some of the education stimulus stuff, but what happens when the money runs out in two years. The answer to date has been "new entitlement"

The 'earmark ban' has been skirted by the lobbyist Obama did away with:
Lobbyists Get Around Obama's Ban On Earmarks

Someday mainstream media will pick up the story.

[PBzeer]

Nope Chuck, it isn't a GOP proposal, so it has no news value.

[chucklesR]

Just a little more of the pork please (and the big question is still, what happens when the money runs out) Here's 100+ billion of one shot money that will need replacing later.

From Democrats unveil stimulus plan; Republicans cry ‘pork' - Politics | Centre Daily


Much in the package appears unrelated to short-term stimulus or long-term competitiveness. For example, it would give $1 billion to aid states in the collection of child support, another $1 billion toward preparations for the 2010 census, $4 billion to support local law enforcement and $800 million to clean up hazardous and toxic waste sites.

However meritorious such items may be, Republicans argue, they don't stimulate the economy or significantly create jobs. Boehner singled out education funding, especially help for college students.

"Why should taxpayers have to put this money out (for people to) go to universities that have billions of dollars in (private) endowments?" he asked.

Obey, the chairman of the House committee that controls spending, said the package isn't a spending plan in disguise, as Republicans charge.

"This is not a grand new spending program," he said, noting that education funding directly helps cash-strapped states. "States have seen the bottom drop out of revenue projections around the country."

Other features of the package would:

-Provide $20 billion to increase by more than 13 percent the food-stamp benefit.

-Give $87 billion to state governments for a temporary increase in the matching rate that the federal government pays to support their Medicaid programs for the poor and disabled.

-Designate $32 billion to "transform the nation's energy transmission, distribution and production systems" to build a "smarter" energy grid that can use more inputs from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and alternative fuels.

-Set aside $16 billion to repair public housing and install energy efficient windows, heating and cooling units and other such improvements.

(Staff writer Renee Schoof contributed to this report.)

[PBzeer]

We can't worry about tomorrow Chuck (unless it's tax cuts), we HAVE to act TODAY. There is NO MORE TIME left. This is what they have decided, behind closed doors, that we need, so it's what we'll get. That's all that matters.

The imperative has been set. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! There is no other choice. There is no time to study other means. There is no time to question their wisdom, their motives, nor intent. The ONE has proclaimed that only with THIS effort can America be saved.

Find me any mainstream media outlet that doesn't say that.

[xort]

this is all about the left catching up. they've been advocating these programs for years. now they see a chance to hoodwink the us into thinking this is a 'stimulus' package.

We're gonna need a few million in condoms to protect us from their 'stimulus package'

[poopdeckpappy]

You all need to stop listening to Rush, this is GOOD for the country, trust him he knows whats good for you