The Stimulus Package: Too Much and Not Enough
The sheer size of the proposed economic stimulus package scares me – I simply don’t think America can afford it. We’re in too much debt as it is. I’m also dubious that the stimulus package will actually stimulate anything except for some excessive back-patting on the parts of smug Democrats. The tiny glimmer of hope in the massive bill appears in the form of some money earmarked for green initiatives.
From the Wall Street Journal: the bill would add “$400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects”; renewable energy funding will receive $8 billion and mass transit $6 billion.
But for me, spending $800+ billion and using only 10% of that to fund renewable energy is exceptionally disappointing. I am not a Republican by any stretch of the imagination but I did agree with John McCain’s assessment that energy independence was critical to U.S. security. Or, to turn that around for you doves out there, energy independence is one sure fire way to keep America from meddling in the Middle East.
To me, if you are going to blow $800 billion dollars, you should just go full force and throw the entire kit and kaboodle on our energy problem. Create green jobs like Hillary Clinton said. Invest in companies developing green technology. Get us off of not only foreign oil, but oil for good.
That just might be a stimulus package I could get excited about. Otherwise, all this other pork – $650 million for digital TV conversion coupons? $6 billion to subsidize university building projects? When you compare that second number to the number spent on renewable energy ($8 billion), it shows that renewable energy is really not that big of a priority in the grand scheme of the bill.
The Democrats have an opportunity right now to show real environmental leadership, not just cheap talk, so let’s see if they actually accomplish anything of real substance with their new-found power. The last two years the Democrats spent running Congress didn’t seem to do much for the country, so I’m personally keeping my expectations wayyyy low.
Tags: government
