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It is my first blog in last two weeks so i believe my nation is assuming that it should definitely be special one. In my opinion, this is the special blog but the main reason for the absence is that i was busy in some educational and my crazy socio-political activities. Anyway, it is time to address my nation.Stimulus Bill! this makes me think of some kind of plan to improve the economy of any country or state. Trust me don't look at it's cover page because all you are going to see the reminder of some change/hope rhetoric that obama used during his election campagin. Look inside! it seems boring as you look at its thickness (8-inch thick packet and 1171 pages) but it is full of jokes and some unnecessary items as you read it.Before Obama sworn in for the office of US president, he already pressured congress to pass this trillion dollar spendings and pork bill before presidential day break in Congress. On January 23, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said that the bill was on track to be presented to President Obama for him to sign into law before February 16, 2009.Therefore, The House version of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Obama's stimulus package), H.R. 1, was introduced on January 25, 2009. It was sponsored by Representative David Obey of Wisconsin, the House Appropriations Committee chairman, and was co-sponsored by nine other Democratic representatives. Although 206 amendments were scheduled for floor votes, they were combined into only 11, which enabled quicker passage of the bill. As a result, on January 28, 2009, the House passed the bill by a 244-188 vote. All but 11 Democrats voted for the bill, and 177 Republicans voted against it (one Republican, Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), did not vote).The Senate version of the bill, S. 1, was introduced on January 6, 2009. It was sponsored by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Majority Leader, co-sponsored by 16 other Democratic senators and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. The Senate called a special Saturday debate session for February 7 at the urging of President Obama. With a vote of 61-36 (with 2 not voting) the Senate voted on February 9 to end debate on the bill and advance it to the Senate floor to vote on the bill itself. On February 10, the Senate voted 61-37 (with one 1 not voting). All the Democrats voted in favor, but only three Republicans voted in favor (Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Arlen Specter). Sen. Judd Greg (R-NH) did not vote.On February 12, 2009, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer scheduled the vote on the bill for the next day, before wording on the bill's content had been completed and despite House Democrats having previously promised to allow a 48-hour public review period before any vote. The bill was not completed and posted on a House website until 10:45 PM on February 12. The next day, the House passed a revised version of the bill by a vote of 246-183, with no Republicans voting in favor and 7 Democrats voting against. The interesting part about this version of the bill is that no law maker or congressman made an attempt to read this bill. However, Democrats still voted for the bill that they don't even know what the contents of this bill are. On the same day, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 60-38, with all Democrats and Independents voting for the bill along with three Republicans. The remaining thirty-eight Republican senators voted against the bill. (Due to his illness, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) was unable to vote; there is one senate vacancy, for Minnesota.)The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 became a part of history as Obama signed the bill into law at an economic forum he was hosting in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, upon returning to work after a 4-day weekend in his hometown of Chicago.Just for reminder, many congressmen and senator from the right called this porkulus bill, in another words, full of unnecessary spending that in no way on this earth stimulating economy or bringing jobs to unemployed Americans. I also agree with that opinion of Republicans' about the gist of this bill. Let's go through some provisions from this bill that are total pork and unnecessary legislation for stimulating economy:-->$4.2 billion to repair and modernize Department of Defense facilities-->$100 million to improve facilities of the National Guard-->$6 billion for renewable energy power generation loans-->$5 billion for weatherizing modest-income homes-->$4.5 billion for state and local governments to increase energy efficiency in federal buildings-->$3.4 billion for carbon capture experiments-->$2.5 billion for energy efficiency research-->$2 billion for car battery research-->$300 million for reducing diesel fuel emissions-->$6 billion for the cleanup of radioactive waste-->$600 million to cleanup hazardous waste that threaten health and the environment-->$200 million to cleanup petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks-->$500 million to update the computer center at the Social Security Administration-->$290 million to upgrade IT platforms at the State Department-->$50 million for IT improvements at the Farm Service Agency-->$1 billion in preparation for the 2010 census-->$650 million for DTV conversion coupons and DTV education-->$8 billion for high-speed rail projects-->$6.9 billion for new equipment for public transportation projects-->$1.5 billion for competitive grants to state and local governments for transportation investments-->$1.3 billion for Amtrak-->$750 million for the construction of new public rail transportation systems-->$750 million for the maintenance of existing public transportation systems-->$240 million for the maintenance of United States Coast Guard facilities-->$5.5 billion to green federal buildings-->$50 million for new TSA uniforms-->$198 million to design and furnish DHS headquarters-->$1.2 billion for summer jobs for youth-->$50 million for creating Frisbee parks-->$71 million for altering vehicle parks-->$1.2 billion for modernizing club houses and golf courses-->$246 million for tax-breaks for Hollywood film-makers-->$150 million for parking lots for dogs-->$2.7 billion for creating or renovating urban canalsThis list goes on but i have to finish somewhere so i believe they are the most important ones that my nation should be aware of. People believe me this is not it. The final version of the bill just includes $787 billion but White House has intentions to use more money than that they might use executive power to get $1 billion- $2 billion from federal reserve in this bill. Timothy Geithner, Secretary of Treasury, one who does not pay taxes because he is the head of the tax collecting agency, proposes to create one or more "bad banks" to buy and hold toxic assets, using a mix of taxpayer and private money. He also proposes to expand a lending program that would spend as much as $1 trillion to cover the decline in the issuance of securities backed by consumer loans. His announcement on the same day took DOW Jones 400 points down and it keeps going on since that day. Today, i read that this current stock exchange crash is the worst since the one in 1987.A February 4, 2009, report by the Congressional Budget Office said that while the stimulus would increase economic output and employment in the short run, the GDP would, by 2019, have an estimated net decrease between 0.1% and 0.3%. The CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase federal budget deficits by $185 billion over the remaining months of fiscal year 2009, by $399 billion in 2010, by $134 billion in 2011, and by $787 billion over the 2009-2019 period.On January 28, 2009, a full page advertisement with the names of approximately 200 economists who are against Obama's plan appeared in The New York Times and The Wall St. Journal. The funding for this advertisement came from the Cato Institute. The ad stated, "... we the undersigned do not believe that more government spending is a way to improve economic performance. More government spending by Hoover and Roosevelt did not pull the United States economy out of the Great Depression in the 1930s... To improve the economy, policymakers should focus on reforms that remove impediments to work, savings, investment, and production. Lower tax rates and a reduction in the burden of government are the best ways of using fiscal policy to boost growth." On February 8, 2009, it was reported that a different petition, also signed by approximately 200 economists, but this one being in favor of Obama's plan, had been created. This petition was written by the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund. The petition said that Obama's plan "proposes important investments that can start to overcome the nation's damaging loss of jobs," and that it would "put the United States back onto a sustainable long-term-growth path."Even Gallup poll showed that 22% of America accept the bill the way it is, 37% accept it with some major changes and 32% say that there is nothing about this bill that is stimulative. Rasmussen poll stated that 42% American do not support this bill, 36% support this bill and 22% are undecided.I hope you will love this new blog and i will wait for your feedback for this blog. I hope what ever decision Americans made in Presidential elections work out well in future. I pray that these porks will not even become a part of real life and save this economy simply by just using tax-cuts that are just 37% of this bill. Barack Obama definitely needs to take this stimulus bill under microscope because his presidential regime depends upon this economic plan.God bless America and people all around the worldThank you!© 2009 Syed Rizvi – Time To Bring Things Around All Rights Reserved