February 07, 2009

Some Tidbits From The Porkulus Bill

The post title is a link to the text of the Porkulus Bill. I'll include some wonderful snippets here for your enjoyment. If you are taking blood pressure or heart medication, have your pills close at hand.

"special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic)
For an additional amount for the special supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $100,000,000, for the purposes specified in section 17(h)(10)(B)(ii) for the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance to State agencies to implement new management information systems or improve existing management information systems for the program." - One Hundred Million Dollars! That equals twenty million Little Caesar's $5 pizza's. That's just for information management!

"periodic censuses and programs
For an additional amount for ‘Periodic Censuses and Programs’, $1,000,000,000: Provided, That section 1106 of this Act shall not apply to funds provided under this heading." - One Billion Dollars! That's equal to one million consumers buying a one thousand dollar flat screen TV. But the Census Bureau and programs create jobs!...? Well, technically yes, once every ten years!

"National Telecommunications and Information Administration
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ‘Salaries and Expenses’, $350,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That funds shall be available to establish the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program, as authorized by Public Law 110-385, for the development and implementation of statewide initiatives to identify and track the availability and adoption of broadband services within each State, and to develop and maintain a nationwide broadband inventory map, as authorized by section 6001 of division B of this Act." - This one speaks for itself. I shouldn't have to explain anything here for it to piss you off.

"National Institute of Standards and Technology
scientific and technical research and services
For an additional amount for ‘Scientific and Technical Research and Services’, $100,000,000." - Can we be any more vague than that?

"industrial technology services
For an additional amount for ‘Industrial Technology Services’, $100,000,000, of which $70,000,000 shall be available for the necessary expenses of the Technology Innovation Program and $30,000,000 shall be available for the necessary expenses of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership." - How is this not pork when specific recipients are named? Why is it we are funding every agencies "necessary expenses"?

"$6,200,000,000 shall be for the Weatherization Assistance Program under part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.)." - Yes, that's six billion two hundred million dollars to give away to folks to weatherize their homes. Number of jobs created? (enter amount here____). That amount is about equal to one billion thirty three million McDonald's value meals or forty nine million six hundred thousand trips to the grocery store to spend $125 dollars.

"National Park Service
construction

(including transfer of funds)
For an additional amount for ‘Construction’, $1,700,000,000, for projects to address critical deferred maintenance needs within the National Park System, including roads, bridges and trails, and for other critical infrastructure projects: Provided, That funds may be transferred to ‘Operation of the National Park System’: Provided further, That $200,000,000 of these funds shall be for projects related to the preservation and repair of historical and cultural resources within the National Park System: Provided further, That $15,000,000 of these funds shall be transferred to the ‘Historic Preservation Fund’ for historic preservation projects at historically black colleges and universities as authorized by the Historic Preservation Fund Act of 1996 and the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Act of 1996, except that any matching requirements otherwise required for such projects are waived: Provided further, That the amount set aside from this appropriation pursuant to section 1106 of this Act shall be not more than 5 percent instead of the percentage specified in such section" - What the heck? You tell me! One billion seven hundred million dollars! That would buy 425 million gallons of milk or 850 million loaves of bread or how about 68,000 Chevy Malibu Hybrids? At least they got really specific when describing the spending on "other critical infrastructure projects". That makes me feel much better. I also like how all of these articles allow for the transfer of funds to the "Operations of...". Dump it into their general funds and do whatever you want with it would be a more specific description. Porkulus, Porkulus, Porkulus!!


If you look at each article of the bill in the Department of the Interior section, for example, you will see that each expenditure is for "critical deferred maintenaince" projects. Isn't that an oxymoron? If it's critical it would not have been deferred. What were their budget expenditures that were more critical than critical?

I really have to quit digging into this because I am becoming more disillusioned and pissed off by the minute. These crooks are stealing your money and my money to give to their lobbyist buddies and anyone with their hand outstretched waiting for a "free" dollar.

Bastards!

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