Another $600 Billion in Bill Passed Today!

As if the government has a never ending money tree, well close enough is the US Treasury that prints money that has no value. Today the Senate passed a $600 Billion dollar spending bill that will in essence turn the waters surrounding the United States into a giant oil rig ridden wasteland. They passed to lift the 26 year old ban against offshore drilling as of October 1st of this year. Somehow the total bill was a 78-12 vote by the Senate and 370-58 vote by the House of Representatives. I could only imagine that the Democrats agreed to this bill because the other portions of the bill benefit democrat initiatives. A public poll states that the majority of the American people want to move forward with offshore drilling. Can I ask why I have never been asked on any of these polls, 90% of them do not agree with one thought I have. I am not sure how asking 100 people is taking the average of the American people.

The bill also allows subsidy for auto makers in the amount of $25 billion which will go to American auto companies in helping them advance in fuel efficient cars and trucks to be able to compete with foreign auto makers. This money is paid in the form of a loan. The bill also includes $23 billion for disaster relief and rebuilding efforts, $2 billion for Pell Grants, $5.2 million for energy assistance for low income families, $488 billion for the DOD, and $24 million for food assistance for the elderly.

I am not ok with offshore drilling but at least for the time being the Gulf of Mexico is off limits and the Atlantic has at least 2 years before spaces would be leased to oil companies. In my opinion this gives more time to fight this bill and make it NOT happen. This is not the answer for moving forward, it will still take years before oil companies are able to drill in the now open waters, in this time I hope we can move forward on alternative means of energy. I would love to see a bill that helps homeowners convert their homes to solar power without the $25,000+ cost that comes along with that. I think contracting Massachusetts own Evergreen Solar to come up with the plan would be fantastic. I think Americans need to push for more hydrogen fuel cell fill up stations somewhere other than California at the same time mass producing the technology so the average American can afford these autos. I really see so many other ways for the government to spend taxpayer’s money. In the world the United States is falling behind with technology and science. Time to catch up people!

What I think is backwards about this bill is that only $2 billion for Pell Grants, only in America is education taken for granted, only in America will we soon price most people out of a great education. I also think that more people should qualify for Pell Grants who do not already but that is another conversation in its self.

One thing I will shake my head at is the whole bill is for $634,000,000,000.000 and the Department of Defense gets a whopping $488,000,000,000.00. Where are our priorities, why are our elected officials signing away our future?

Now we sit around and see what the final numbers will be on the $700 billion Financial Rescue Plan. Just keep my next year’s paycheck and you will have my contribution.

Ms Crystal

*****Reuters has picked up this entire post... Thank you!!!