The Emperor's New Economic Stimulus Package (Part 3)

Here is part 3 of my series on Obama's Porkulus package. 

I suppose I should insert an aside here:  The package as it exists at this point is really the Harry Reid/Nancy Pelosi Porkulus package.  They are the real originators of what is being debated and talked about.  However, we all know that Obama could walk into their offices today and essentially dictate what he wants changed, if anything.  He has the power, the popularity and the "bully pulpit".  I think we can all assume that whatever the Dems end up passing in congress will essentially have Obama's blessing, and any changes made will be made for political gain after seeing what the media and the blogs are saying.  (Not the conservative blogs, though.)

In this installment, I want to focus on some of the more ridiculous pork in the package; those items that really do little or nothing to actually stimulate the economy, but really represent pet projects either of the Democratic party as a whole, or of individual Democratic congressmen.  The plan is filled with a staggering amount of waste. We will be adding billions to our national deficit so we can fund such fine programs as:

• $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.  (Payback?)

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.”

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

• $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.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

• $1.2 billion for “youth activities,” including youth summer job programs.

• $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.

• $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.

Will reducing lead-based paint stimulate our economy? Will inspecting canals in our urban areas create jobs?

Support for the stimulus plan appears to be fading fast. As we reported here, many believe that the stimulus plan won’t reach American taxpayers until it’s too late to create any real jobs. Meanwhile, our federal employees will have some nice Priuses to drive around in.