Can someone explain why this is called a "stimulus"

[dude1394]

From the Union Leader. I think the bloom may be falling from this stinkbomb.
http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?...c-4a5976b88449

The alleged "stimulus" bill passed by the U.S. House Wednesday night is a cynical fraud committed upon a trusting American people whose hopes politicians are cruelly exploiting.

We were told that the bill will get the economy moving by upgrading America's infrastructure. Of the $550 billion in new spending, only $30 billion goes to highway construction. Another $13.1 billion goes to other Department of Transportation spending and $20 billion to renovating public schools.
people from winding up on the streets. Only $11 billion goes to housing assistance.

We were told that it would help Americans who got laid off. Only $4.6 billion goes to employment and training programs, and $27 billion to expand unemployment benefits. (By contrast, the bill raises Medicaid spending by $89 billion.)

We were told that it had to be passed immediately. But the Congressional Budget Office notes that large portions of the spending cannot even begin until spring and will take three to eight years to complete.

The Wall Street Journal calculated that only 12 percent of the bill's provisions can accurately be called stimulative. The rest is simply being thrown at favored constituencies by Congress. The bill even includes a provision forbidding the use of foreign steel in the construction projects it funds. Does no one in Congress remember Smoot-Hawley?

Naturally, U.S. Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes giddily voted for this monstrosity. They did this only five months after voting to kill last summer's smaller bailout bill. What a difference a partisan change in the White House makes.

President Barack Obama can call this recession a national emergency all he wants, but that doesn't make this bill any better. By pushing an irresponsibly gargantuan bill that spends too much and stimulates too little, he squandered his first opportunity to show real bipartisan leadership. What a waste -- of money and goodwill.

[wmbwinn]

Originally Posted by dude1394

From the Union Leader. I think the bloom may be falling from this stinkbomb.
http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?...c-4a5976b88449

Nice article. Even if the bill were 850 billion dollars in actual simulus, I'd have heartburn over it. But, the bill as passed in the House (and authored by Nazi Pelosi, not Obama) is not even a stimulus bill. It is nothing more than the largest pork spending bill ever, showering money on various constituents and favored groups but doing next to nothing to:
1)make jobs or protect jobs
2)stimulate the economy

The only thing I can say in the defense of Obama is that he didn't write that crappy bill. But, I do blame Obama for supporting this crappy bill and pushing it.

[wmbwinn]

Even Obama knows that this bill is not going to work:

"At the end of a week that saw hundreds of thousands of people lose their jobs, Obama also used his Saturday radio and Internet address to tell that nation that "no one bill, no matter how comprehensive, can cure what ails our economy." "

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090131/.../obama_economy

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by wmbwinn

Nice article. Even if the bill were 850 billion dollars in actual simulus, I'd have heartburn over it. But, the bill as passed in the House (and authored by Nazi Pelosi, not Obama) is not even a stimulus bill. It is nothing more than the largest pork spending bill ever, showering money on various constituents and favored groups but doing next to nothing to:
1)make jobs or protect jobs
2)stimulate the economy

The only thing I can say in the defense of Obama is that he didn't write that crappy bill. But, I do blame Obama for supporting this crappy bill and pushing it.

This is Obama's bill, period. He's out there promoting it, he's calling out republicans for not supporting this because they are "just too political". He was rated the most liberal congressman in this country...there is nothing in this bill that he's not for.

[wmbwinn]

Originally Posted by dude1394

This is Obama's bill, period. He's out there promoting it, he's calling out republicans for not supporting this because they are "just too political". He was rated the most liberal congressman in this country...there is nothing in this bill that he's not for.

I agree that he is in favor of everything in that crappy bill. I wonder if he would have included things that actually stimulated the economy or actually produced and/or protected jobs had he written it.

The bill, as currently constructed, is nothing more than a far left Christmas shopping list. It is all about left wing agenda and not at all about
1)stimulating the economy
2)producing and/or protecting jobs

It is sadly misleading to call it a stimulus bill. I agree with you that he will hang on this bill if it passes. It will fail. It cannot succeed on its own merits. If the economy recovers despite this bill, this bill cannot be logically supported as the cause of recovery.

[Janett_Reno]

Originally Posted by dude1394

This is Obama's bill, period. He's out there promoting it, he's calling out republicans for not supporting this because they are "just too political". He was rated the most liberal congressman in this country...there is nothing in this bill that he's not for.

And just think, it wasn't that long ago you voted for the most "liberal" man in congress because you was so scarred of Hillary. Now you get both of them. Remember you saying, i voted for Obama?

Speaking of liberals and democrats, it seems it hasn't been a Dem senator since 1932 in Kansas and looks like now if one certain woman runs, you will have your first Dem senator in a state that no one thought would ever have a Dem win again.

Now let's see, where did all those catch words go Dude, Liberal, Obama's middle name, black man, muslim, faith and values, and speaking of stimilus, wasn't that what George W Bush was for? But i forgot, he was one of the biggest spenders and borrowers the country ever saw in the history.

Lilless than 4 years dude and the gop will lose even more in the congress and senate. Not even John Libberman McCain can save the gop. Oh Dude, when are you going to start in on Steele? He is a black man you know.

[dude1394]

Hmmm Janet...my favorite author on culture is Thomas Sowell, my favorite justice is Clarence Thomas....Shelby Steele is also one of my favorites. My goodness I must be a racist.

I did vote for hillary because I thought the voters of the US wouldn't be idiotic enough to vote for obama...I was obviously wrong...they were (and seem to continue to be) plenty idiotic enough.

I don't like obama because I can't stand his liberalism. I'm not crazy about the zealots who believe he can do not wrong either to be honest.

I'm not sure why you put "liberal" in quotes either, he's shown himself to be exactly what I said he would be.