I Have a Bridge to Sell You!

The political battle lines this week, are drawn along the jagged edge of the $825 billion Stimulus Package. The Democrats are wailing about our impending doom if it is not passed without question, while the Republican’s unsympathetic response harbors a professed confrontation typical of political theater. If there was ever a time for a conservative, principled stand against the mistakes of the left, it would be now. But if the American public believes there is a real discussion in Congress on a beneficial stimulus package for the economy, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

You see, the stimulus package is pork. And not just your normal fare of swine, but a succulent and fattened collection of congressional earmark gluttony unseen since the New Deal. We are told that the plan has been painstakingly assembled with the best of intentions, providing an immediate beneficial impact on the fiscal suffering of the electorate. This could not be further from the truth.

Prior to the introduction of the Stimulus Package, a number of state governors and city mayors assembled within their separate political organizations to create a list of necessary projects for the plan. Luckily for the American people, the stimulus package is only $825 billion or programs like a Polar bear exhibit in Rhode Island and a mafia museum in Las Vegas might have been included as well. Even so, organizations like ACORN got their pet projects into the plan. The coffers are open and Speaker Pelosi has demonstrated her dictatorial control over the process to insure a New New Deal is squarely placed upon her rightful shoulders. Well, so be it.

As much as it would benefit the conservative right for Mrs. Pelosi to be saddled with the destruction of the American government as we know it, the disastrous effects of that decision on the American people is well beyond the risk that can be taken for political gain. So it is with great resolve that the right must fight this Obamanation of a plan and convince the American people of its fraudulent facility to liberate our economy.

Lets start by looking at some of the programs in the plan and how they might generate immediate benefits.

• $32 Billion for a new “Green Electrical Grid” - Huge environmental impact studies, right -of-way authorizations, zoning rule changes, local and state government involvement, community group opposition lawsuits. Timeline: 30 years
  
• $90 Billion for State medicaid payments - Covers existing and new members to the program, but does not benefit anyone except the doctors on the program that are already overly burden with patients. Means people have access to medical care but it doesn’t pay their mortgage.
  
• $79 Billion in school program grants - At least our high school can keeps its Gymnastics program now since it was going to get cut in the county budget. But this effects my credit cards debts how?
  
• $120 Billion for Infrastructure ( including transportation) - Anyone who has EVER contracted with the Federal Government knows it takes years for these programs to even start, much less employ people with paychecks. Look up The F.A.R. (Federal Acquisition Regulations). These can make even the most harden lawyer snivel in the corner of a room. This is why we have $600 hammers as well as why it takes 20 years to build a new fighter jet. But we are to believe that suddenly, all previous experience with the government will be thrown out the window and these projects can be done immediately. One note: during a congressional hearing last week, an Obama administration representative could not tell Congress how many people would be hired on account of these programs. Meaning: these programs are the dreams of congressional earmarks and have not even begun to be implemented. Timeline: 10 years.
  
• $6 Billion for foreign countries that cannot afford a bailout - Do I really need to explain how this is beneficial to the American public [sarcasm]. 
  

And the list goes on. But at no time do the vast majority of the specified programs directly benefit the immediate improvement of our financial situations. Of course there are the tax incentives that have been included. Of the $275 Billion, about $140 Billion ( $500 per adult up to $1,000 per couple) will go directly to the people but only after you file your taxes and receive a check from the Treasury. This is mid-2009 at the earliest and is only for those that have a tax refund. Anyone else, well you know what they say about placing your head between your knees.

Personally, I see no direct benefit to anyone for the passage of this package. But, the question is can the expenditure be stopped? With the current makeup of the congressional delegation being democrat, that answer is no. Unfortunately I am not in the power seat like Speaker Pelosi, but if I was her and without a doubt, about to spend this money, I would propose a new plan that would bring immediate benefit to ALL Americans. The current Stimulus Package is $825 Billion and the remainder of the Financial bailout is $350 Billion. Combined this is roughly $1.2 Trillion. There is roughly 290 million Americans ( minus the 30 million or so illegals), so that works out to $4,138 per person. As a family of four, I believe I can put my $16,552 to work saving my house and the economy a lot faster than the government. Even if you reserve the money for transportation projects, every family in American still receives about $12,000. Sounds like a recovery plan to me.