Is it really too much to ask that our estimated $900B stimulus package be directly solely at the real engines of our economy and infrastructure?
I'm trying to be on board. I don't really think we can merely spend our way out of this, but I'm hoping that as long as the money is actually well spent it can't hurt.
In Obama's inaugural address, he called not for big government or small government, but effective government. To me, effective government requires that every dollar spent (ok, I'll compromise, every $10k spent) in this stimulus bill actually fit into a coherent plan to *stimulate.* Not just spend.
My gut says that it's just one big giant ball of pork. Or pork by-product. The largest can of spam ever dreamed by man. The Tower of Babel of pork. It smells ripe for corruption. It's too much money handed out without enough oversight.
Obamamaniacs and economic junkies: please tell me why I'm wrong, why every dollar shouldn't specifically go to powering industry, educating people <for work>, increasing efficiency, valuable engineering and scientific research. I want only things that have positive ROI, and not just ROI because there's $900B more floating out there.
Also feel free to show me the actual list because I (like most americans) am fairly ignorant, and don't really trust the press reports on what is and isn't there.
Maybe Tom Coburn will filibuster and haze his fellow senators line item by line item. That would be pretty sweet.