What are we stimulating?

After late night negotiations last night, some “moderate” Republicans reached a compromise with Democrats on the bill in exchange for their support. This compromise was basically $100 Billion slashed from the bill, bringing it down to ONLY $820 Billion of borrowed money. 

What does this “bi-partisan” Stimulus bill include?

$116 billion in infrastructure improvements; $88 billion in new funding for education; $40 billion for the development of clean energy; $23 billion for programs to help those most hurt by the economic downturn; and $14 billion for healthcare, including $3 billion to jump-start a plan to computerize health records.

The plan includes a tax cut of up to $1,000 for working couples. An amendment adopted this week would add a tax credit of $15,000 for home purchases.

Under the terms of the deal, Senate Democrats agreed to cut some $100 billion from their original proposal. Spending for the states and education took the biggest hit, compared with the House bill. State fiscal stabilization funding was cut back $40 billion, school construction dropped $16 billion, and a proposed $3.5 billion line for higher education construction was zeroed out.

So we’ve got nearly $90 Billion of unbudgeted money for education (not economically stimulating). Billions for clean energy (probably economically discouraging).  A few Billion to computerize health care?!

I’m not saying these ideas are bad ones. What I’m saying is they do not belong in a package to “stimulate the economy.” 

And don’t forget about the relatively small $335 Million in STD prevention. What have condoms ever done to stimulate anything?

EDIT:

The National Review has also published a few things that have been included in this stimulus bill. 

$50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
$380 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children program
$300 million for grants to combat violence against women
$2 billion for federal child-care block grants
$6 billion for university building projects
$15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships
$4 billion for job-training programs, including $1.2 billion for “youths” up to the age of 24
$1 billion for community-development block grants
$4.2 billion for “neighborhood stabilization activities”
$650 million for digital-TV coupons; $90 million to educate “vulnerable populations”

Tags: bipartisanship, STD, stimulus