Republicans give a list of wasteful spending in the porkulus bill

@Taskr36 (13963)
United States
February 3, 2009 9:32am CST
Take a good look at some of the crap in this bill. When you see things like money for Hollywood Producers, it's pretty obvious that the democrats are just rewarding their campaign financiers instead of trying to create jobs. Some of the things in this list may be good, but have NOTHING to do with stimulating the economy. (CNN) -- On Monday, House Republican leaders put out a list of what they call wasteful provisions in the Senate version of the nearly $900 billion stimulus bill that is being debated: The Senate is currently the nearly $900 billion economic stimulus bill. The Senate is currently the nearly $900 billion economic stimulus bill. • $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. Don't Miss * GOP senators draft stimulus alternative • $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.
2 people like this
7 responses
@Aingealicia (1905)
• United States
3 Feb 09
Taskr, Where did you find this? Sorry looking for the link cause I would like to read it if possible. Oh, I am going to post something later you and Annie may want to take a look at. It may be nothing but I wanted you to look at it. I will have the bill link and all that on it. Dealing with healthcare. Thanks, Ainge
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
3 Feb 09
I forgot the link again? Sheesh, lately I post articles and forget to add the link until it's too late. I really wish we could edit our posts to fix such problems. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/02/gop.stimulus.worries/index.html
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Feb 09
Taskr, Thank you, will check it out soon to give you my comments on it. Just so you know. I am sorry for our first communication. You did help me grow and taught me a great deal. Thank you, tell your wife hello and now she can chuckle about that. You and Annie both forced me and taught me to double check everything, keep that dang reporters mind, I do thank you for that. Ainge
1 person likes this
@clrumfelt (5490)
• United States
3 Feb 09
I completely agree with you. This is nothing but a trash bill trying to line the pockets of Obama's election supporters at the extreme expense of American tax payers and is not intended to help the economy at all. People only have to look at Obama's record as a politician in Chicago to see what kind of finances he will advocate from his position of power. I am encouraged that not one conservative in the House of Representatives supported the bill, and even a few moderate democrats voted against it. He is pulling the wool over no one's eyes. Those who vote for it are yes-men bent on giving him whatever he wants and those who don't support it are the ones looking out for the American people.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
3 Feb 09
The worst part is, this bill doesn't even reflect what Obama wanted. Even HE wanted more tax cuts. This is just another example of what a disgusting politician Nanci Pelosi is. She really needs to be thrown out and replaced with a speaker who cares more about the American people than Hollywood actors and movie directors.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Feb 09
I am speechless!! So much crap!
1 person likes this
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
4 Feb 09
They need to trash the lot. Cut the amount down to no more than $500 billion. When that is done they could pay a tax credit stimulus check to everyone on a sliding scale from those earning $100,000 a year on down. With the rest they could pay an amount for everyone in the population of inividual states to that state and let the state governments decide where they need to money to be spent the most, eg road construction or repairs - things like that. But when they come out with things like this they should spend the money disbanding the Washington hierchy and do away with the Federal Government altogether. Let all of Washington become a museum.
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
3 Feb 09
Taskr, A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film. What is ironic about this tidbit of porkage is that if it were a republican putting this earmark in the legislation it would be labeled as "rewarding the greedy rich"! Since it is a democratic bill it will be labeled as "advancing the performing arts" no matter how rich these movie producers are! All this is is paybacks for helping put them in power! $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program And this is essential to jump-start the economy, HOW?? Television is a LUXURY no a necessity! It is something that can actually be eliminated and people will survive. This "stimulis" porkage will totally bankrupt this country for generations to come!
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
3 Feb 09
"3-5 hours a day watching TV would either do work, read a book or go for a walk." Thinks back to the days when kids went outside to play... Only 2% of the country is unprepared for the DTV transition anyway. I don't see the point of wasting $650 million on coupons for an estimated 7 million people. That comes out to $92 for each person when the coupons are only $40. Translation, 56% of that money is not even doing what it is SUPPOSED to do. Even if it did, televisions don't stimulate the economy.
• United States
3 Feb 09
I would take this a step further. Every TV in the US stopped working, I would argue that we would become more productive, better educated and healthier within the month. Children would be forced to go out and do something active, and perhaps people who spend 3-5 hours a day watching TV would either do work, read a book or go for a walk. Either way, our GDP would go up and our healthcare costs would go down.
• United States
3 Feb 09
It seems like a lot of pork. You seem quite biased though so I'm not sure if all that is believable. It's quite clear where your political affiliations lie. The senate is revising the bill right now so we'll see what happens.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
3 Feb 09
Well I certainly won't deny my political affiliations, but that doesn't change the facts. Understand that I'm not claiming the Republican party is above putting pork into a bill. The bailout was loaded with it. I however, am NOT in favor of any pork that gives money to the Hollywood elite in a recession. Democrats claim to be against tax cuts for the rich, but there they are, cutting taxes for the rich Hollywood types who don't even work a real job.
• United States
3 Feb 09
I think the only valid thing in there is the lead reduction measure, because it seem like the washington polititions are getting too much lead in their diet. I don't know what else could explain this proposal.
• United States
3 Feb 09
This list was reported on CNN. Which is generally a more liberal newspaper.
@jasonp2 (23)
• United States
4 Feb 09
Yikes! Special interest MUCH! But at least that $100 million is out there saving our children from eating lead-based paint. It's just crazy that so much money is being thrown out there. I think the government is the worst business there is. Everyone's trashing the falling housing market, OPEC, and the failing auto companies, but I think the government has been the one that's most irresponsible. It's not held accountable for the misappropriation of funds. If a business behaved the way the US government has, it would definitely be bankrupt or being investigated by the BBB, but the government somehow keeps printing more bills and throwing around more tax dollars.