Republicans Object to Stimulus Dollars for ACORN

[gravyboy77]

Every day we learn a little more about what the Dems have slipped into the stimulus bill. $4.19 billion for groups like Acorn, Millions for contraceptives, $335 million for std prevention (was reported today). How the heck does this stuff "stimulate" the economy? I hope the senate Republicans don't roll over and approve this.

 

Link:

 

Republicans Object to Stimulus Dollars for ACORN

Republicans say voter registration and community groups like ACORN could be eligible for funding under the Democrats' economic stimulus bill.

 

FOXNews.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

 

Republican lawmakers are raising concerns that ACORN, the low-income advocacy group under investigation for voter registration fraud, could be eligible for billions in aid from the economic stimulus proposal working its way through the House.

 

House Republican Leader John Boehner issued a statement over the weekend noting that the stimulus bill wending its way through Congress provides $4.19 billion for "neighborhood stabilization activities."

 

He said the money was previously limited to state and local governments, but that Democrats now want part of it to be available to non-profit entities. That means groups like ACORN would be eligible for a portion of the funds.

 

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., told FOX News Tuesday that the money could be seen as "payoff" for groups' political activities in the last election. ACORN generally supports Democratic candidates and actively backed President Obama last year.

 

But he said the funding is just one example of frivolous spending items in the $825 billion package.

 

"It's just a long list of spending items. Not a real economic stimulus job creation bill," Vitter said. "It's line after line after line of favorite liberal spending programs, and it amounts to a big government bill -- not a job creation bill."

 

Democratic leaders in the House have already dropped federal funding from the bill for new contraceptive services and ongoing programs to stop sexually transmitted diseases after Obama told them that it did not fit in with the job-creating objectives of the package.

 

Obama plans to meet with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill Tuesday to hear some their input on the package. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama is open to suggestions.

 

"If there are good ideas -- and I think he assumes there will be -- we will look at those ideas," he said Monday.

[Buzzard]

Stimulus money for voter fraud. It appears Obama just can't get re-elected fast enough. We hang Blago out to dry for trying to sell a Senate seat, while it's obvious President Obama and the democrats are buying the next election!!

 

You don't even need a wiretap, it's right in front of our face!!

[Colonel]

Obama's press secretary did NOT get the kid gloves treatment today...

 

It seems even the fawning press can't fathom how a hugely funded quit smoking campaign comes under "stimulus". Another reporter queried how the President's meeting with Republicans of both houses was so successful, when at the end of the day, it's well known nobody's vote has changed.

 

After a clumsy verbal tapdance, that was even getting on the nerves of the press corps, it was becoming obvious that even media types are losing patience. The best question of the press conference asked, " in an administration promissing no professional lobbyists, why are high profile jobs being filled with them?" The answer, oh, we issued wavers for them, got a groan throughout the room.

 

The reporter who posed the question, then asked, "if you're just going to issue waivers when it suits you, what difference does it make?" The press secretary's lack of a typically slick response showed it caught him completely off guard, and the barrage of stutters and babble that followed pleased no one.

 

Well, the honeymoon may not be over, but I think somebody just farted in bed!!!

 

Colonel.....

[gravyboy77]

I read this about the "stimulus" today. This is an complete waste of money and i hope that all the Republicans vote against this because it will fail.

 

Link:

 

Stimulus bill sells out taxpayers

 

By REP. DARRELL ISSA | 1/28/09 4:29 AM EST

 

The so-called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act amounts to nothing more than an $825 billion earmark designed to expand government on the backs of the American taxpayers using money we do not have. There is little guarantee of any short-term gain, but there is no question of the irreparable harm we can expect by saddling our children and grandchildren with trillions of dollars of additional debt.

 

According to a report recently released by the Congressional Budget Office, only 7 percent of the $355 billion in discretionary spending included in the bill would be injected into the economy by the end of fiscal year 2009. More than $200 billion of “stimulus” funds will be spent between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2019 — long after the recession is projected to be over.

 

Time and again, we are hearing how urgently these stimulus funds are needed. The American people have been cautioned that without this proposal, the recession we are currently experiencing will only deepen. You would think that given the severity of this economic crisis, the Democrats in Congress who have crafted this plan would ensure that every dollar spent will help create jobs and jump-start our economy. Yet a closer look at the bill reveals that 93 percent of the bill’s discretionary spending will be spent in years to come — or, as the Washington Post put it, “too late to lift the nation out of recession.”

 

Instead of injecting new life into the economy, we’re seeing a massive expansion of government. The bill by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey contains $137 billion for the creation of 32 new programs — that’s 38 percent of all spending in the current bill. Seventeen of these new programs have never been authorized by the Congress. This is on top of the $76 billion being spent to expand 60 existing government programs — 19 of which have been described as “ineffective” or “results not demonstrated” by the Office of Management and Budget. It’s just another example of good money after bad.

 

Furthermore, while billed as a transportation, infrastructure and energy investment, a closer look at the Pelosi-Obey stimulus bill shows that only 3 percent of the $825 billion will go toward road and highway construction. In fact, of the $30 billion set aside in highway spending, less than $4 billion would occur over the next two years. Of the $18.5 billion proposed for renewable energy, less than $3 billion would be spent by 2011. Of $14 billion for school construction, less than $7 billion would be spent in the first two years.

 

Democrats should be honest with the American people about how they intend to spend taxpayer dollars. By the end of 2010, only 12 percent of the funds set aside for highway construction will be spent. What kind of job creation can we expect when the majority of funds for public infrastructure aren’t spent for another two years? The only road being paved with this bill is the road to financial ruin.

 

In reality, the proposed Pelosi-Obey $825 billion economic stimulus is nothing more than an $825 billion earmark that will do little but expand the federal government at the expense of America’s long-term economic health. In 1993, the unemployment rate in America was virtually the same as the rate today — around 7 percent — yet the stimulus package proposed by President Bill Clinton in 1993 included only $16 billion in new spending. The total cost of this piece of legislation is almost as much as the annual discretionary budget for the entire federal government, or enough to give every man, woman and child in America $2,700.

 

Lawmakers are supposed to be stewards of taxpayer dollars, yet all too often their money is spent without any transparency or accountability. Pelosi-Obey is the wrong kind of stimulus — it will grow the government, stick the taxpayers with the bill and leave the American people wondering what they got in return.

[Buzzard]

With the bulk of the stimulus package not be used until 2010 on out, not to mention the frivilous places it's going, it is just a "election purchase" package for Obama and the democrats.

[Ocellairs]

...some pork.

 

650 million for the digital tv coupons.

 

600 million for new cars for the govt.

[Bitter]

I actually spent some time and read part of the 600+ page bill. As mentioned above, the inclusions are ridiculous and arn't even arguably meant to stimulate the economy. All this bill is turned out to be is an orgy of spending on every democratic pet project they have been wanting for 20 years. Because it is an "emergency" bill, it is not subject to the standard legislative rules such as pay-as-you-go. Knowing this and then seeing the repeated demands by Obama and others that we can't waste a minute, even to discuss what is in the bill, makes it plain to me that the administration and the congress are trying to put something over on the American people. While this bill is being touted as an infrastructure improvement and renewable energy bill, only $40B goes to roads and related infrastructure and $18 goes to energy. What a sham...

 

This is truly a sad day to be an American. I have genuine fear for our future and that of our children.

[junglebob]

...some pork.

 

650 million for the digital tv coupons.

 

600 million for new cars for the govt.

Here are some I heard Bill O'Reiley mention. 400 Million for Global Warming Research, 450 million for overseas family planning, 150 million for Smithsonian Museum, 400 million for habitat restoration, 1 billion (did I hear that right?) for Amtrak, 30 million for more food stamps. There seems to be a lot of things that aren't going to do anything to stimulate the economy.

 

Since the democrats have the majority in both houses why don't they just push this through without Republican support? Answer they want to be able to blame the Republicans for voting for it when it doesn't work. If they were really sure it would turn the economy around they would want all the credit.

[TTIN]

...some pork.

 

650 million for the digital tv coupons.

 

600 million for new cars for the govt.

Here are some I heard Bill O'Reiley mention. 400 Million for Global Warming Research, 450 million for overseas family planning, 150 million for Smithsonian Museum, 400 million for habitat restoration, 1 billion (did I hear that right?) for Amtrak, 30 million for more food stamps. There seems to be a lot of things that aren't going to do anything to stimulate the economy.

 

Since the democrats have the majority in both houses why don't they just push this through without Republican support? Answer they want to be able to blame the Republicans for voting for it when it doesn't work. If they were really sure it would turn the economy around they would want all the credit.

 

Sounds like the Stockholm Syndrome to me. :Angry!:

[Air Commando]

Since the democrats have the majority in both houses why don't they just push this through without Republican support? Answer they want to be able to blame the Republicans for voting for it when it doesn't work. If they were really sure it would turn the economy around they would want all the credit.

 

Exactly and the GOP needs to stick to its guns and when this goes through and fails then come next election people will remember.

[gravyboy77]

With the bulk of the stimulus package not be used until 2010 on out, not to mention the frivilous places it's going, it is just a "election purchase" package for Obama and the democrats.

 

Your right buzz, considering that Obama is going to be campaing and collecting money for reelection over the next 4-years, he will have a money and ground advantage over any challenger. Plus add the 4 billion in the stimulus for organizations like ACORN and he can't be beat.

 

Update:

Not one single Republican and at least 11 Democrats voted against the bill in the house!

The Dems are going to be in a heap of trouble in 2010 when this falls directly on them and fails to work.

 

I also have been reading that most of this democratic payback (stimulus), will not hit the economy till 2010 and beyond 2012 and the reason that the Obama was trying to get the Republicans on board(even though the Dems have enough votes to push this through), was for political cover so they wouldn't be the only ones to blame.

[Kaeghl]

Not one Republican voted for it....Finally the GOP shows some gotchkees and does it right.

 

Time to make a phone call to my Congressman and heap PBUH and his fellow Reps. I know it was a political statement and strategy stance, but it did good.

[Hossua]

I just read on Yahoo! that MoveOn and a few other organizations are mobilizing an ad campaign targetting dissenting political views. So, now when someone in government doesn't agree with the majority party they are tarred and feathered for doing the right thing. Well, comparatively right. My biggest problem is how fast they are pushing 600 page bills through, something isn't right. The perfect storm is here. Get ready to wade through more Obama propaganda BS.