Obama Breaks Campaign Promise: Plans to Sign 8,000 Pork Project Laced Omnibus Spending Bill
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The vote on the omnibus spending bill has been postponed until at least Tuesday.
A stopgap measure was voted in last Thursday to keep the federal government up and running until the vote. In case you do not know about this bill, it is essentially the short term federal budget for the next six months. It is an astounding $410, 000, 000, 000 spending bill that is essentially a catch all for over 8,000 pork projects. Over $7.7 billion dollars of this bill is attributed earmarks (aka pork projects and pet projects.) 60% of this pork has been requested by Democratic politicians and 40% was requested by Republican politicians.
John McCain, which I personally loath, is actually right on this particular issue. He is calling for President Obama to stick to his campaign promise of going line by line to remove any and all pork projects out of each and every bill that passes his desk. However, President Obama is not planning on sticking to his promise. He intends to sign this bill. Why, you ask? President Obama’s spokesman, Robert Gibs, says that President Obama is not breaking his campaign promise because this bill is last year’s business, and all bills in the future will be scrutinized by our president.
Oh….where to begin. I have lost a lot of respect for President Obama. This bill has some of the most atrocious and idiotic spending that I have ever witnessed, and he is just going to sit back and not get his hands dirty? I thought that is why we elected him; wasn’t he the one that was willing to get his hands dirty and bring change we can believe in? What about this is change? This is politics as usual! Granted, this bill was in the works before he took the oath of office. But, IT IS spending that will take place over the next six months of his presidency. And, it is his name that will go at the bottom of the page. So, that makes it his business!
So let’s look at the bill up close. This is a 1,132-page spending bill stuffed to the max with over 8,000 pork projects that will accomplish little by spending a whole lot. It was written over the last 12 months. Keep in mind, that means before the unemployment rate skyrocketed, the enactment of the $787 billion economic stimulus package, etc.. It even still has projects requested by politicians like Larry Craig, who was arrested in 2007 in a sex sting.
Before you dismiss these pork projects as yet another effort to stimulate the economy, you better take a good hard look at exactly what it is your tax payer dollars will be stimulating:
$475,000 for a bicycle trail in Ohio
$475,000 to construct a parking garage in Utah
$570,000 for transitional housing facility for recovering substance abuse clients in New Mexico
$950,000 for a convention and trade center at Myrtle Beach.
$1.7 million for a honey bee factory in Texas
$900,000 for a planetarium in Chicago. Ironically this one is by Rahm Emanuel.
$300,000 for the Montana World Trade Center
$200,000 for a tattoo removal violence outreach program in Ca.
$1 million to control the Mormon cricket in Utah.
$650,000 to manage beavers in Mississippi and North Carolina.
$2 million to promote astronomy in Hawaii.
$1.7 million to find out why pigs smell like pigs- pig odor research in Iowa
$2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York
$332,000 for a sidewalk in Texas.
40 million to complete a visitor center in Washington.
And the list goes on and on and on and on to the tune of over $7.7 billion dollars. Call me crazy, but the country is in economic turmoil. There are people that can not feed their families, lack a job, are loosing their homes, lost everything in the bearish stock market, etc.. At this point, should the federal budget for the next six months be concerned with things like why pigs smell like pigs or why beavers are being beavers?
If that is his intent then that is a terrible backtrack on his part. I’m am a Canadian but after the long and tedious campaign and the driving force of his campaign of change then I can see the anger with this.
Typical politician.
Be open-minded. First, pig odor poses an air quality problem, so the scientists are researching it for the sake of states with massive hog farms. No one wants to breath toxic pig waste. The beavers are degrading the crops in Mississippi, which obviously is of concern to farmers.
Pasteur must have looked funny studying wine mold and I’m sure people laughed at Mendel’s fruitflies. That’s how scientific research is- it sounds odd to the uninitiated but just because you don’t understand something doesn’t make it ridiculous.
Building and maintaining a honey bee factory is a job. Researching air quality is a job, just like building a train, a sidewalk and a vistor center are jobs. This is job creation- and no I don’t have a problem with a gang outreach, besides giving the outreach workers a job, this will get people out of gangs, (tattoos are used as I.D for gang targets)-
I want my tax money doing things like this as much as possible.
Massive spending, (defense spending for WWII) is credited with getting us out of the Depression by creatig temporary jobs that broke the circle of recession. The Stimulus is trying to recreate this effect without the war.
I guess he did discussed it well with his cabinet men and advisers.
I usually do not get into debate here. However, I am irate with the situation, and disheartened at how naïve how many Americans are being.
I knew people like you would chalk it up to stimulus, BUT this bill is the federal budget for the next six months. 1. Obama promised not to allow pork in any bill, and he is breaking that promise. 2. The far left excuse “pork as stimulus,” don’t fly. If the federal budget must contain “simulative pork,” then it needs to actually be stimulating.
Look, I live in the middle of ten chicken houses. So, I get odor. But, it is idiotic to use 1.7 million dollars to employee a very few scientists. The money could be used to employ 100 times that amount. My husband is the street and road superintendent for a Mississippi city. He is the one that sends someone to disassemble beaver dams, build side walks, pave roads, etc… But, again in this bill we are talking about spending massive amounts to create a very few jobs that do not have any longevity or reach. Again, the $ could be used to employ many instead of a few. It could be used to employee for a year…not a day. It would take all of two days and a maximum of four people to build the sidewalk in the bill. Is 2 days of work for 4 people worth the fed sending Texas 332,000 dollars?
I do understand scientific research, do not feel that it is ridiculous, and value it greatly. However, it is ridiculous to watch 100 people get in an unemployment line, to employ one scientist. The point was that you can not spend millions of dollars per job, and expect to even make a dent in the economic problems we face.
“””””””””””””””””””“Massive spending, (defense spending for WWII) is credited with getting us out of the Depression by creatig temporary jobs that broke the circle of recession. The Stimulus is trying to recreate this effect without the war. ””””””””””””””””
Your history is skewed at best. The New Deal(s) by FDR created programs like NRA, The Fair Labor Standards Act, the WPA, The Social Security Act, etc… When FDR implemented banking reform laws, emergency relief programs, work relief programs, agricultural programs, and industrial reform……he increased industrial production 22% , created min wage/max hours, stopped child labor, etc.. He created hundreds of thousands of blue and white collar jobs and created aid to those that were without. He didn’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to create one job at a time. In other words, you are comparing Obama throwing one massive pig into a lake – to- FDR circling the lake and throwing millions of stones over and over.
Sorry, my comment was directed to “Don’t be like this…”
FDR’s programs were fantastic but are not credited with ending the global Depression-although they got American back to work (some of the same projects as Obama’s bill- building parks, etc). FDR’s policies were based on Keynsian economics- the same principles behind the stimulus, except Keynes himself often lamented that FDR wasn’t spending enough. WWII finally forced FDR to spend as much as the theory required.
We need to break the circle- people aren’t making any money, and because nobody’s making any money, nobody’s spending, so nobody’s making money.
The actual building of the sidewalk takes a few people. But most of the cost is probably for concrete and equipment. The people who are selling concrete and equipment probably could use that 332,000 dollars- nobody’s buying right now. And I bet the landlords and grocers of the people who sell concrete could use the money. That is stimulative: it gets money into people’s hands so the economy can move again.
Just as there are those, like Gary Dean Best, that will argue FDR actually slowed the recovery from the Great Depression, there are those that will debate what actually ended it. FDR’s programs, following the Keynesian view (gov. to stabilize demand), was key in my mind. Otherwise, it would not have been the most popular view for over forty years afterwards.
Many people have argued that WWII provided the stimulus to end the Great Depression because the number of unemployed workers declined over 7million in three years. However, this theory does not take into account that the same three years had military enlistment also rise by 8.5 million. In other words, WWII itself and the resulting spending didn’t cause an economic recovery or end the Great Depression.……the draft did as it reduced unemployment and gave people money in their pockets to inject into the economy.
However, in many ways consumers were actually worse off during the war because of the real consumption spending decline. There were products that were simply unavailable or unaffordable during the war. Sugar?
As to your theory that WWII forced FDR to spend as much as the theory required- I can not argue that the war didn’t free up jobs, create certain jobs, and create need for certain industries. But, the war itself didn’t inject anything other than that into the economy. Otherwise, by your theory we shouldn’t be in a recession after all the spending on the Iraq war.
On the sidewalk issue- either you get it or you don’t. Building a sidewalk for 332,000 is not going to stimulate much of anything. My husband has overseen projects like this for over ten years. The project might provide one or two jobs …..if existing employees are not used to complete the project. There isn’t any equipment to be bought. What city doesn’t have a cement mixing truck? So, the only expense is in the supplies- studs and cement. Again, you are talking about 332,000 to profit ONE business. But, the real tragedy is that once the sidewalk is completed, it will not stimulate a dang thing. Now, that is my problem with the sidewalk and all the other projects. This bill spends hundred thousands to millions to create few jobs, isolated business profit, and little if any simulative effect. I am not opposed to spending. I am just opposed to stupid spending.
These idiotic pork projects are not designed to stimulate anything. Politicians create a project to get a certain town, other politician, or business money in return for being instrumental in getting them or keeping them elected.
Right. You get me elected and I’ll give you a sidewalk?
That’s not really sinister or corrupt. That’s how the system works: we elect people who will do what needs to be done.In fact sidewalks improve cities, that’s why the Mayors asked for them. It’s not that they just have a sidewalk fetish. Mayors asked for these projects because they want to build and polish their cities.
When you pay one person, you pay many. One person shops in many places for food, clothes, a car, a house, furniture- all kinds of goods. You say the only expense is in supplies only- but this sidewalk is actually going to be huge and that money includes employing people.
One sidewalk won’t employ a lot of people- but the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in Dallas estimates that the stimulus will create between 12,500 to 19,000 construction jobs in their area alone. They plan to build a tram line, carpool lanes and completely overhaul the transport system.That one sidewalk is part of that. John McCain (whom I respect) picked which parts of the bill he could make sound ridiculous. One sidewalk sounds silly- but how big is it? What does it connect? Is it a part of a larger project?
WWII was a hard time- but that was not an effect of the depression- it was an effect of rationing. The 1930s had the worst economic problems in history, but the 1950s were a time of unprecedented prosperity in the States. What happened in between? the government employed millions of men & employed the women as Rosie the Riveters. The government gave money to people and the money was spent- revitalizing the economy.
It’s not my theory- it’s Keynes theory. Big difference between a world war and the Iraq war- not enough spending, not spread throughout the states. It’s not just “spending”. It’s what and where.
Look, I could go for days- I love a good debate with someone intelligent. But I don’t think it’s fair to demonize this bill based on a kneejerk reaction to the word “pork- are building sidewalks, buying police cruisers and rehabilitating gang members bad things?
Even Republican governors who “hate” the stimulus took some of the money. Why? because they know it’s needed.
It was bound to happen. Which politician has not broken a promise? I still believe he will do a great job.
RJ
I retain my original opinion that the money in this bill could be spent with better prudence and short term longevity. However, I do truly hope that I am wrong. I hope that it will cause an influx of money into the economy, I just do not logically see that result as you do.
I didn’t mean your theory literally. I just meant that is the theory you subscribe to.
My brother in law is on the board of supervisors and my husband is in an appointed political position. So, I know all to well that it is just how the system works, but it is far from ethical or genial in nature. It is a trickle down effect from Washington to states to towns to business. Everyone owes everyone an election favor. I can not tell you how many bids for projects have been slanted to one or the other for political motivation. Few mayors are motivated by improving the appearance of their city. They are seeking votes, election money, and under the table kick backs from “pre-selected” bid winners.
Anyway, what makes this country great is that two people can have a difference of opinion. I thank you for taking the time to read my article and sharing your views with me. It is nice to get an opposing opinion aside from the usual- “you are stupid and I brilliant” response. It is obvious that we both want what is best for the country….we just have two very different ideas on how to achieve that. Agree to disagree?
I personaly don’t quite agree with the “stimulus” as I’ve mentioned in my article that it can only be served as a temperal option. I think it’s a waste of money, in which Obama is creating another deficit and debt which I think will not benefit Americans.
Another thing that I object Obama is that he approved the “abortion” in which this will kill many innocent babies.
“Why do Pigs smell like Pigs”? Are they serious?
After thinking about them, the other area that are receiving money, although excessive amounts of money, seem worthy at their basic level.
A Convention Center, sidewalk, parking garage, even the tattoo removal program can stimulate the local economies. These former gang members can become working parts of society more easily and will reduce gang violence, parking garage and sidewalk for transportation for easier transportation to shopping and the Convention Center will bring tourism.
Although I am NOT infavor of communism, I feel that the government should be in charge of these companies they are giving billion$ to. The profits from these ridiculously large, wealthy companies should be recycled into our American programs and local governments.
To: DON’T BE LIKE THIS
It is fine indeed to study pig odor when ther is a surplus of money. However,if there are those without work, shelter, and food, it is absurd to spend money on such studies. What will it benefit anyone to know about pig smells if there are are no pig farmers left to farm? Actually it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that where ther are pigs, chickens,cows,etc. there will be odors.
Furthermore, DON’T BE LIKE THIs should really examine the programs and policies of FDR. My parents and husband’s parents participated in these programs. FDR did not wildly throw money about. Every program had an end result. People WERE employed and paid which put money into the economy. It amounted to a lot more than paying a few people to study pig odors. FDR did not create huge deficits on fruitless projects that would not really benefit those who need it most.FDR’s programs involved a nation of people-not a few groups of people. Meanwhile,Obama is signing into law some policies that are nopt even his own and has not given any proposals that are really going to bebefit the nation. While families are losing everything, he is spending massive amounts on money on “pet projects.” Shame on him. We can improve the lives of gang members after the good citizens and children of this nation have have been fed, clothed, and housed.It does not appear that Obama is and FDR.
Hmm…I don’t understand what people think should happen. They talk about people needing housing, food and clothes– and all those people are unhoused because they don’t have jobs.
Did you read all of what Don’t Be Like This wrote?
“the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in Dallas estimates that the stimulus will create between 12,500 to 19,000 construction jobs in their area alone.”
If a man gets a job in that gangster outreach program and he gets a salary, his family will be fed, but also a violent offender will be off the street. It’s two birds w/ one stone.
One major difference between Obama & FDR is that people during the Depression weren’t so divided. Now, half of America is praying Obama will fail. Partisan politics is actually our biggest problem because it stops things from getting done & manipulates people’s perceptions.
Do you realize that Obama’s whole career depends on an economic turnaround? He needs the stimulus to work as much as we do!
Stephanie-
The entire 2.6 billion dollars for TX highway, bridge, transit, aviation and rail projects will be spent to create a meager 23,000 direct jobs. Divide 23,000 into 2.6 billion. Now, my point is that this course of action spends hundreds of thousands of dollars PER JOB. There are more effective, manageable, and simulative ways to create job. I know because FDR did it. I don’t know where “don’t be like this” received his info about the job creation from, but my info comes straight from the Texas Dept. of Transportation web site : http://www.txdot.gov/project_information/stimulus/default.htm.
The same with the gangster outreach program. Millions to reach a few. This is what I call charity, not stimulus. Plus, we are talking about giving gangsters (robbers, addicts, murders, dope dealers, etc) jobs……meanwhile the poor sap who has worked all his life in a tax paying job doesn’t have a job because millions of his tax payer dollars will be spent to remove tattoos from someone who has probably never even worked a tax paying job. This tattoo removal program is just as absurd as bailing out the millions of people who bought houses that they knew they couldnt afford to pay for….you dont buy a 500k house if you make 30 k a yr.
Divided….??? Really, he was elected by a substantial margin. So, people were untied behind him. However, anyone with sense to add 2 + 2 can see that the entire stimulus plan, beginning with Bush I might add, is a disaster. No one is going to stand behind something that they know will be detrimental to the country and themselves.
His career may depend on the state of the economy improving, and no one is questioning the fact that he wants his plan to succeed. What the majority of the opposition to the stimulus plan is saying is that we do not think that it will work, and in the process it will dig the hole deeper for the person that will have a plan to fix it.
That page is for the jobs that will be created in the DOT: it says that 23,000 direct jobs with a *total* of 69000 jobs (the total jobs do count) will be created in the DOT alone- not counting the other jobs that will be created in other sectors.
Keep in mind that even Republicans who publicly rant against it not only are accepting the money, many asked for certain projects to be included. So, even the opposition doesn’t “know” that the stimulus will be a detriment. In fact, many Americans seem to have reason to believe that it will help.
The gangster outreach program is for removing the gangster’s tattoos- not employing them.It will employ the people who help them-and I think people who are willing to help others to turn their lives around deserve jobs.
The program, run by the Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, was founded in 1998 to help former gangsters remove tattoos for free so they can get a job & move on. And they are required to log 48 hours of service to get the treatment.
I don’t think we’ll come to a consensus here, Jo. But I do thank you for your kind comments on my work.
Stephanie-
Like “dont be like this” we just disagree. There is nothing wrong with that. However, I did want to clear up one last thing. I included in my article that 40% of the pork projects were by Republicans. I am neither a Rep or Dem. So, I am not barking for either side. I am just opposed to wasting money in places that it could be better spent. Rep and Dems alike are to blame for this passing. But, I hold Obama resp. for not upholding his promise to veto ANY and ALL bills with pork.