You might find this 15 minute video from Glenn Beck's radio program worthwhile. I'm pretty sure you've heard about the $25 Million for the JFK Center of Performing Arts. Have you heard of the $48 Million for the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program? (Stay home! You can send me a $48 Million check) How about the $75 Million for the National Foundation on Arts and Humanities? $350 million to the State Department for “migration and Refugee Assistance?” In the midst of self-isolation and city shutdowns, we want to bring in migrants and refugees? $65 Million specifically for “Housing Opportunities for Persons With Aids?” In a Coronavirus bill?
Ever heard of The Tiny Findings Child Development Center? They're getting taken care of by special call out. It's a childcare center INSIDE the Capitol Building...
One of my favorite head scratchers is the IRS getting $250 Million “to support taxpayer services in the extended filing season.” As far as I know IRS employees aren't being laid off and they're not seasonal workers so they're either busy now and slow in June, like every other year, or they're slow now and busy in June as they will be this year. Besides, if you contact the IRS for help, your odds of getting the right answer are essentially the same as asking Jim The Wonder Horse at your local state fair.
The examples here are either from that Glenn Beck link or from research into the bill from Open The Books (pdf), as linked in the Forbes article, “Is There Wasteful Spending In The Coronavirus Stimulus Bill?” which strangely isn't behind a paywall this time. I'd recommend looking at the Open The Books link, which goes section by section through the bill.
As always, the politicos take something that the majority of people support, like doing things for people harmed by the quarantines through no fault of their own, and inflate it like some sort of engorged tick with special giveaways for everyone.
* I've seen three different totals for that bill and I'm frankly not clear about which is real: $2, $2.2 and $2.5 Trillion.
Well, I think I'll link this to FB if you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteSorry - if you were waiting for my permission, feel free to post it. I don't do FB myself.
DeleteShades of TARP and "Shovel-Ready" jobs. The shoveling that got done was truckloads of money to special interests....
ReplyDeleteSame as it ever was.
ReplyDeleteThe Senate in Rome pulled the same stunts.
Yes, it's depressing, but it's clearly the government that people voted for.
Yeah, it's depressing, but pretty much "same as it ever was", as you say.
DeleteThe Romans did so many things during their slide into oblivion that are being repeated now that it almost seem like a manual for our politicians.
"Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity."
Delete- Publius Cornelius Tacitus
Pretty much business as usual. Virtually ALL "spending bills" no matter what the reason, origin or intent are bloated pork filled black holes where at best 10% of the money goes to the intended purpose and ALL the rest gets sucked into the pockets of politicians, special interest groups and the powerful puppetmasters who OWN Congress. Anyone believing this bill would be different is delusional and moronic.
ReplyDelete