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Shout it from the rooftops for God's sake! If you don’t agree with the President’s $825 billion dollar “stimulus” proposal then say so loud and clear. Buy some time on the major networks and plead your case. If you think the 30 seconds of sound bite you’re being granted on the evening news is compelling, forget it.
Representative John Boehner has said that he and his fellow Republicans in the House will not support the stimulus package as currently written, characterizing it as being “too expensive and too slow”. Yeah, OK, what else? That is hardly a call to action to the American people. Unless Boehner wants to stand there and be flattened by this runaway freight train full of cash, he and the rest of the Republicans in the House better start telling everyone what is really going on, and what it ultimately will cost taxpayers for years to come. Too expensive and too slow? Yes, it is all of that, but also how about full of backdoor earmarks in the form of unprecedented pork? The President and Democratic lawmakers are using this “crisis” spending as an opportunity to fund among other things: - Loans and grants to spur rural broadband--$5.6 billion.
- More TV converter box coupons--$650 million.
- Climate data modeling--$140 million.
- Military operation and maintenance--$6.23 billion.
- Development and manufacture of advanced batteries--$4 billion.
- Grants to fund art projects--$50 million.
- Social Security research programs--$100 million.
- AmeriCorps grants--$160 million.
- Help for communities to deal with foreclosed homes--$4.1 billion.
The list goes on and on, but I’m sure you catch my drift. If you are a glutton for punishment, you can see and download the entire stunning laundry list here . I just don’t see anything that looks as if it is going to put America back to work any time soon (except me; I’m going to be working to pay for somebody else’s broadband). If we all step back and take a breath, I think we can agree that the trouble we are now facing is due in large part to reckless, unbridled spending. This package appears to me, like trying to douse our economic fire with a large bucket of gasoline. And Wallstreet doesn’t seem to be very impressed either, based on the miserable numbers we see there daily. Throwing money at our economic problems is clearly not the answer. Representative Boehner needs to recognize that all of America is watching, Conservatives in particular, but also Liberals who share our desire for fiscal responsibility. The outcome of this showdown will likely set the stage for all such disagreements for the next two to four years. We’ve got to start learning how to take it to the people, explain our case and ask for their support. President Obama said Tuesday that Republicans should keep politics to a minimum, and try to save the American economy, the implication being that if your not a Democrat, you are willing to let our economy fail. How about keeping politics to a minimum, and doing what is fiscally and financially responsible for our Country, and future taxpayers, and allowing our economy to correct itself?
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