My silence is horror, not indifference.
So… the stimulus bill was passed and we’re all left holding a bill from the government for nearly $800B. The details of this bill have been muddled and changed and merged and obscured… There are so many things we need to know that we don’t. Congressmen and Senators alike have admitted that the best they could do was have their staff read the “important parts” and no one can tell us that they really expect this to work. This was rammed through as fast and hard as possible to satisfy President Obama and to some just to give the appearance of doing something. Go read the highlights of the bill yourself, it disgusts me with things like offering incentives to people to quit part-time jobs in favor of just looking for a full-time job. Yes, this bill has things in it that were probably needed, but to say this bill was absolutely necessary because of a minority of provisions were good is appalling. The bill has already passed so I shouldn’t waste my time being sick over it, but there are two questions that are absolutely necessary that we as a people need to ask and GIVE answers to our representatives for.
1.) What happens when this bill fails to help? We know that more than 50% of the spending in this bill won’t go into effect until after 2010 and we know that most of the funds immediately available will not create “four million” jobs (likely only in the thousands or tens-of-thousands), so what do we do when this bill does nothing but give us more debt? I’m sure Nancy Pilosi and her ilk are having a party, but what do the people get other than a pole up the ass?
2.) What does the government do when they’ve finally created a system that “helps” people so much is just as easy to not have a job as to have a job? We’re getting to the point where society as a whole believe that no matter what everyone must have a quality life with hearty food, a good home and lots of opportunity. Kids must have the best education and access to college no matter who pays for it. So what happens when people get sick of working to pay for everyone instead of just their own family? What do we do when people see that they can live the same life they have but just not have to work? What do we do then?
Let’s not forget all the increased government oversight. Yes, even more helpful! Let’s pay more people government jobs so they can be just as inept as the SEC has been for the banking industry. More Madoffs everywhere! In every industry! How very useful to Americans is that!
Personally, I’m not against government oversight, I’m just against anything that’s inefficient, or worse yet, counter-productive to the point of injury.
I’m starting to believe that neither Republicans or Democrats actually have the genuine interests of America in their ideals.
Although I voted for Obama, I get a bad feeling about how this bill is being treated. I prefer a bottom-up rather than top-down approach. I like it as much as the TARP thing, where banks could hoard the money to reinforce their walls, while not inviting more people into their fortress (the intent)
To your second point, I would say: I sense an Ayn Rand moment! The Atlases in the world will shrug their shoulders and become entrepreneurs!