Uni-Partisan Agreement Reached On Stimulus Package

To the surprise of no one, the Democrats in congress have reached an agreement with themselves (mostly) that will allow them to pass the "Porkulus" spending package that they've wanted in order to make it look like they are doing something to help the economy.  

They've convinced two Republicans to go along with them; just enough to allow Obama to proclaim it a "Bi-Partisan" effort.  Senators Arlen Specter and Susan Collins, both regarded as "moderate to liberal Northeastern Republicans", are joining with the majority of Democrats in congress to see that "something" gets done. This, in spite of the fact that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says that the package will do more harm to the economy than good. Specter and Collins are the best opposition that money can buy.

The agreement apparently cuts $110 Billion from the bill, making it a mere $880 Billion dollar package. The cost of the package will still manage to top a trillion dollars when interest is taken into account.  (Some even suggest as high as two trillion dollars).

President Obama, however, not being able to "stand the heat" headed off to Virginia for a retreat (read: "vacation"). Apparently, Obama wants to confirm Republican accusations of lack of leadership from the White House during the past few weeks.  There's nothing like taking a vacation two weeks after starting a job.  I'm sure most of us do that. Of course, Obama spent most of the week whining and complaining about Congress not getting his bill passed before he left.  

One reason Obama and the Democrats want a bill pass as soon as possible is because they are watching the polls and seeing that support by the American public for the package is slipping away by the hour. Every day the bill doesn't pass, they are losing somewhere between five and ten percent in the polls.  

As an aside, Sen. John Kerry took to the Senate floor today to pace, rant, and raise his voice in a monotone simulation of human passion as he spoke up for the massive spending bill the Democrats want to pass today under the guise of "stimulus." His argument against tax cuts for Americans during these hard economic times was illuminating:

"I've supported many tax cuts over the years, and there are tax cuts in this proposal. But a tax cut is non-targeted. If you put a tax cut into the hands of a business or family, there is no guarantee that they're going to invest that or invest it in America. They're free to go invest anywhere that they want if they choose to invest."

This, of course, is the fear of every good liberal. How dare Americans keep more of the money that they've earned and spend it like they want. It might not go to Planned Parenthood or ACORN. It might not be used to give condoms to kids or to teach homosexual tolerance. The American people might not want to spend their money supporting moms with seven kids living on welfare. They might even given some of it to (gasp) a religious organization or (even bigger gasp) a conservative cause or politician! We can't have that, can we, Senator Kerry. 

So, Congressmen like Senator Kerry place their own ideological desires over the rights and preferences of the American people. 

To make matters worse, Kerry showed a frightening indifference to the waste of taxpayer money by saying, "So frankly, you know, the difference between $50 billion on this bill or $100 billion -- let's get it moving. That is not going to make the difference in the economy."

I know that a $50 Billion difference isn't much to Senator Kerry, and I know that Speaker Pelosi doesn't know the difference between $50 Billion and a dollar and ninety five cents. Pelosi thinks $50 Billion is only a dollar or two for every working American, anyway. But to the rest of us average Americans, $50 Billion is getting close to being a lot of money.  

Kerry's priority is to get the stimulus package passed, not quibbling over a few hundred billion dollars here and a few hundred billion dollars there. Yet, if that's the case, you have to wonder why Kerry and his pals in congress couldn't bring themselves to support even one of the Republican amendments to the bill. For that matter, until today, it seems the Democrats in congress haven't even spoken to any of the Republicans about what it might take to make the bill more ... well ... bi-partisan.

For the Democrats in congress, the only time $50 billion to $100 Billion in tax dollars is worth worrying about is when taxpayers might have the dangerous freedom to spend it as they wish. When THEY are spending it, well, just don't worry your pretty little heads about it.