Do you remember that $200 million earmarked by Congressional Democrats for re-sodding the national mall? Do you recall how Democrats and the White House were so embarrassed about the project that they at last deleted it from the legislation - and then complained loudly any time Republicans failed to note that they had eliminated it?
Well, it turns out they’re spending it anyway:
More than $55 million in economic stimulus money will be used to fix the National Mall, even though money for mall renovations was removed during congressional debate on the stimulus package this winter…
In January, majority Democrats removed $200 million in stimulus funding that had been targeted for the National Mall, after Republicans criticized it as an example of wasteful spending.
Salazar called the money being spent to renovate the Mall a “down payment” on a much larger challenge to fix a national symbol that has fallen into disrepair. He said the mall does not belong to the District of Columbia but to the nation, and called it an important symbol for all Americans.
This is just one more demonstration that ideas for more spending never really die in Washington; they always come back. Can stimulus funds for condoms be far behind?
I bet Specter, Collins, and Snowe are feeling proud
E Pluribus Unum Wednesday, April 22nd at 4:53PM EDT (link)Seeing as how they exchanged their
soulssignatures for all these concessions the Dems made on Porkulus.Yep, proud, in a Neville Chamberlain sort of way.
Carthago delenda est
I love that justification.
GT350 Wednesday, April 22nd at 5:46PM EDT (link)“it belongs not just to [special interest group], it belongs to the Nation.”
Bee mating research belongs not just to farmers, it belongs to the Nation.
Condom handouts belong not just to inner city gays, they belong to the Nation.
Prius subsidies belong not just to self-absorbed yuppies, they belong to the Nation.
Mortgage bailouts belong not just to the financial idiots, they belong to the Nation.
… and on, and on, and on…
Man, I never knew I HAD so many things....
E Pluribus Unum Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:11PM EDT (link)I am told that we all own a whole BUNCH of things in West Virginia. Just go up there, and everything that says”William C Byrd Memorial [fill in object here]” belongs to ME!!!!
Carthago delenda est
Would Lincoln Chaffee be any better than his replacement?
Flagstaff Wednesday, April 22nd at 7:47PM EDT (link)I don’t know. Sad.
Comments on Porkulus:
If Porkulus were really about stimulating the economy, the vast, VAST majority of whatever amount it turned out to be would have been in the form of IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT TAX REDUCTIONS. Not just a reduction in the withholding rate and Treasury checks for $400. (As a Social Security recipient, I get a check for $250. I hope it’s additional, and not instead of.)
Of the money that went to financial institutions, the Congress and President should have been thrilled about the bonus money. It went directly to the taxpayer, ready to be spent on the local economy. Wasn’t that what they wanted? Hah! Of course not.
The idea that the economy can be stimulated by the Government skyrocketing taxes while spending borrowed money on social engineering projects is logically absurd, and has been disproven by history.
The current misbehavior isn’t surprising at all.
Pluto, the Ninth Planet - Forever!