Next on the block...the United States. Bidding starts at $819 Billion.

I just read a synopsis on the “Stimulus Package” that passed through the House of Reprehensivness, I mean, the House of Representatives this evening. Interesting content for an emergency bill meant to stimulate the economy. Here’s a rundown of a few of the earmarks in this magnum opus of legislative chicanery:

$25 million for ATV trails
$400 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
$400 million for global warming research
$335 million for the Centers for Disease Control to combat sexually-transmitted diseases
$650 million for coupons to subsidize TV viewers for digital television conversion

These are just a few of the items that President Obama claims will maintain or create American jobs during the current economic downturn. Okay, someone has to build the ATV trails, I can digress on that one; however, what does $400 million for the arts do to create jobs? In fact, I question the wisdom of spending taxpayer money to fund art in the first place. If an artist wishes to make his/her work available to the masses, then find a financier who feels your work is worthy and have them fund it. Given the history of NEA funding, this is money well wasted.
Global warming research? I thought this was a given that climate change is happening, indeed irreversible, as reported on January 27th. Why then should we spend more money researching it? You can bet that this money won’t go into researching the absurdity of the “man-made” global warming claims, so what’s to research? We already know what the effect of climate change will be on our economy, national security, energy consumption, consumer spending and so-on, so why spend more money for research? How about spending money to do something about it?
Combating STD’s isn’t going to create or maintain jobs, unless you work for the condom industry. Why spend $335 million dollars because people don’t like hearing the 100% guaranteed way to avoid STD’s: abstinence until marriage and faithfulness to your spouse? Why is it that smoking related illnesses and death can only be stopped if we get people to quit smoking, but the way to stop illnesses and death due to STD’s is to find a way to accommodate those who don’t want to stop their risky behavior? Rubbish.
$650 million to subsidize converter boxes may temporarily hold the line in retail stores, but is this really necessary? I’m not going to get into the debate about how people who can’t afford the boxes unfairly having their TV’s reduced to static-boxes after the changeover, I just want to know what this has to do with stimulating the economy? Nothing.

This is change? No, this is payoffs to special interest groups financed by our tax dollars. I’m not totally against government intervention in the economy when it is needed, such as a time like this, but I am outraged at the incredible amount of pork and waste we are going to see come out of this package. President Obama was elected on the promise of change, of a new way of doing business in D.C.; so far all I have seen is a continuation of the status quo. The only difference is that now it is the Democrats spending like drunken sailors instead of Republicans.

We, the people, also need to take a hard look at where this money is going to come from. The simple fact is there are only three ways for the government to get this money: print it, tax it or borrow it. If they print it, inflation is the piper’s price. In the short term, it will be borrowed, from whom? China, as if we didn’t have enough debt tied up with them. When the Chinese call in their marker, it will have to be paid for through higher taxation, which will have a depressive effect on our economy. When this is all said and done, our government is committing us to yet more loans that we cannot afford, sound familiar? Sub-prime mortgage meltdown, anyone? The only problem is the next wave of foreclosure will be of our national sovereignty. How’s that for change?