Changes

Conservatives complain that it is mostly spending to promote long-standing liberal causes.  

Conservatives complain that it is mostly spending to promote long-standing liberal causes.  

:"The plan is primarily designed not to stimulate the economy, but the size and scope of government. More citizens will be dependent upon government largesse. This empowers the Democratic Party and its liberal elite."<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/15/the-peron-pattern/]</ref>

:"The plan is primarily designed not to stimulate the economy, but the size and scope of government. More citizens will be dependent upon government largesse. This empowers the Democratic Party and its liberal elite."<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/15/the-peron-pattern/]</ref>

==Provisions==

==Provisions==

It includes $170 billion for infrastructure projects such as highways, internet broadband and public-housing repairs. Of that, about $40 billion will go to the Energy Department.  The act will fund projects to create a "smart" electric grid, build electric automobiles, and make homes and buildings more energy efficient.<ref>Stephen Power and [[Neil King, Jr.]] "Next Challenge on Stimulus: Spending All That Money," [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123448815417580333.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy '' Wall Street Journal'' Feb 13, 2009]</ref>

It includes $170 billion for infrastructure projects such as highways, internet broadband and public-housing repairs. Of that, about $40 billion will go to the Energy Department.  The act will fund projects to create a "smart" electric grid, build electric automobiles, and make homes and buildings more energy efficient.<ref>Stephen Power and [[Neil King, Jr.]] "Next Challenge on Stimulus: Spending All That Money," [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123448815417580333.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy '' Wall Street Journal'' Feb 13, 2009]</ref>

There will be $275 billion in tax cuts, including a $800 cash rebate to most families that will be spread out over a year, and an extra $250 quick payment to every person over age 65. The spending provisions cover a very wide variety of projects.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29assess.html?hp David M. Herszenhorn, "Stimulus Package’s Components Vary in Speed and Efficiency," ''New York Times'' Jan. 28, 2009]</ref>

There will be $275 billion in tax cuts, including a $800 cash rebate to most families that will be spread out over a year, and an extra $250 quick payment to every person over age 65. The spending provisions cover a very wide variety of projects.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29assess.html?hp David M. Herszenhorn, "Stimulus Package’s Components Vary in Speed and Efficiency," ''New York Times'' Jan. 28, 2009]</ref>

Responding to public outrage against bankers who paid themselves billions of dollars in bonuses while their banks were collapsing and investors losing 95% of their money, the bill imposes tight restrictions on executive bonuses at financial institutions. The provision, inserted by Senate Democrats over the objections of the Obama administration, affects banks that have received financial [[bailout]] funds. It prohibits cash bonuses and almost all other incentive compensation for the five most senior officers and the 20 highest-paid executives at large companies that receive money under the Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, or [[TARP]].  Bonuses are limited to one-third of salary and must be in a form that is paid out only after the banks repay their loans from the government.<ref>Edmund L. Andrews and Eric Dash, "Stimulus Plan Sets New Limits on Executive Pay," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/business/economy/14pay.html?ref=business ''New York Times'' Feb. 13, 2009]</ref>

Responding to public outrage against bankers who paid themselves billions of dollars in bonuses while their banks were collapsing and investors losing 95% of their money, the bill imposes tight restrictions on executive bonuses at financial institutions. The provision, inserted by Senate Democrats over the objections of the Obama administration, affects banks that have received financial [[bailout]] funds. It prohibits cash bonuses and almost all other incentive compensation for the five most senior officers and the 20 highest-paid executives at large companies that receive money under the Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, or [[TARP]].  Bonuses are limited to one-third of salary and must be in a form that is paid out only after the banks repay their loans from the government.<ref>Edmund L. Andrews and Eric Dash, "Stimulus Plan Sets New Limits on Executive Pay," [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/business/economy/14pay.html?ref=business ''New York Times'' Feb. 13, 2009]</ref>

===Health Care Provisions===

===Health Care Provisions===

[[Barack Obama|President Obama's]] stimulus package included provisions that had little to do with stimulating the economy, such as "health rules," of which will affect "every individual in the United States."<ref>Betsy McCaughey. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan], bloomberg.com, February 9, 2009.</ref> It created a new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, which will monitor treatments to make sure doctors are doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective: [[Donald Berwick]] was appointed by Barack Obama to manage the health care rationing agenda. These provisions in Obama's stimulus bill are also identical to what [[Tom Daschle]] prescribed in his 2008 book, ''Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.'' According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”  

[[Barack Obama|President Obama's]] stimulus package included provisions that had little to do with stimulating the economy, such as "health rules," of which will affect "every individual in the United States."<ref>Betsy McCaughey. [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan], bloomberg.com, February 9, 2009.</ref> It created a new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, which will monitor treatments to make sure doctors are doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective: [[Donald Berwick]] was appointed by Barack Obama to manage the health care rationing agenda. These provisions in Obama's stimulus bill are also identical to what [[Tom Daschle]] prescribed in his 2008 book, ''Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.'' According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”  

[[Image:Stim1.jpg|thumb|380px|Cartoonist Chuck Asay summarizes the debate]]

[[Image:Stim1.jpg|thumb|380px|Cartoonist Chuck Asay summarizes the debate]]

The Heritage Foundation says, "But government spending plans do not stimulate the economy. They are based on the idea that feeding “new” money into the economy will create economic growth.  But the money isn’t new—it’s either taxed or borrowed. It's essentially redistributed from one group of people to another, and no new money is created."<ref>See [http://www.askheritage.org/Issues.aspx?ID=41 Heritage statement]</ref>  

The Heritage Foundation says, "But government spending plans do not stimulate the economy. They are based on the idea that feeding “new” money into the economy will create economic growth.  But the money isn’t new—it’s either taxed or borrowed. It's essentially redistributed from one group of people to another, and no new money is created."<ref>See [http://www.askheritage.org/Issues.aspx?ID=41 Heritage statement]</ref>  

The [[Congressional Budget Office]] says $347 billion more in interest will be the result, which brings the total plan over 1 trillion dollars.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/28/special-groups-line-piece-stimulus/ "Special-Interest Groups Line Up for a Piece of Stimulus" Fox News, Jan. 28, 2009]</ref> According to the CBO analysis, timely spending of the money will be hampered by bureaucratic delays of up to two-years and the inability of state and federal agencies to efficiently and effectively spend the massive inflows of new money.<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/public/Content/Article.aspx?rsrcid=42725 "Almost Half the Spending in Stimulus Bill Would Not Happen for at Least Two Years, Says CBO Analysis," CNSNews, January 29, 2009]</ref>

The [[Congressional Budget Office]] says $347 billion more in interest will be the result, which brings the total plan over 1 trillion dollars.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/28/special-groups-line-piece-stimulus/ "Special-Interest Groups Line Up for a Piece of Stimulus" Fox News, Jan. 28, 2009]</ref> According to the CBO analysis, timely spending of the money will be hampered by bureaucratic delays of up to two-years and the inability of state and federal agencies to efficiently and effectively spend the massive inflows of new money.<ref>[https://www.cnsnews.com/public/Content/Article.aspx?rsrcid=42725 "Almost Half the Spending in Stimulus Bill Would Not Happen for at Least Two Years, Says CBO Analysis," CNSNews, January 29, 2009]</ref>

House Republicans proposed a bill tilted more sharply toward tax cuts, which they say will generate the most economic activity the fastest. Their substitute proposed cutting individual and business taxes as well as reducing much of the bill’s spending; it was rejected by a party-line vote of 170-266. The failed GOP measure totaled about $479 billion, a little more than half the total passed by the Democrats.

House Republicans proposed a bill tilted more sharply toward tax cuts, which they say will generate the most economic activity the fastest. Their substitute proposed cutting individual and business taxes as well as reducing much of the bill’s spending; it was rejected by a party-line vote of 170-266. The failed GOP measure totaled about $479 billion, a little more than half the total passed by the Democrats.

==Tax rebates==

==Tax rebates==

The 2009 bill includes tax rebates that resemble in part the $152 billion stimulus law proposed by President [[George W. Bush]] and passed by Congress in Feb. 2008. However those 2008 rebates were mostly (85%) saved and used to pay down debts rather than make new purchases, so they may have failed to stimulate the economy in 2008.<ref>see [http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0631744820080208 Reuters, Feb. 8, 2008]</ref>   

The 2009 bill includes tax rebates that resemble in part the $152 billion stimulus law proposed by President [[George W. Bush]] and passed by Congress in Feb. 2008. However those 2008 rebates were mostly (85%) saved and used to pay down debts rather than make new purchases, so they may have failed to stimulate the economy in 2008.<ref>see [https://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0631744820080208 Reuters, Feb. 8, 2008]</ref>   

Some studies show that both the 2001 and 2008 tax rebates were both surprisingly effective.<ref>see [http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/christian.broda/website/research/unrestricted/Stimulus%20Payments%20and%20Spending.pdf The Impact of the 2008 Tax Rebates on Consumer Spending: Preliminary Evidence]</ref><ref>see [http://pennyhill.com/index.php?lastcat=19&catname=Economic+Policy&viewdoc=RS22790 Tax Cuts for Short-Run Economic Stimulus: Recent Experiences]</ref>

Some studies show that both the 2001 and 2008 tax rebates were both surprisingly effective.<ref>see [http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/christian.broda/website/research/unrestricted/Stimulus%20Payments%20and%20Spending.pdf The Impact of the 2008 Tax Rebates on Consumer Spending: Preliminary Evidence]</ref><ref>see [http://pennyhill.com/index.php?lastcat=19&catname=Economic+Policy&viewdoc=RS22790 Tax Cuts for Short-Run Economic Stimulus: Recent Experiences]</ref>

Unemployment climbed steadily month by month after the stimulus became law in February, reaching 10.2% in October 2009.  Liberals said not enough money had been spent fast enough, and indeed the Obama Administration was very slow in getting the money spent.

Unemployment climbed steadily month by month after the stimulus became law in February, reaching 10.2% in October 2009.  Liberals said not enough money had been spent fast enough, and indeed the Obama Administration was very slow in getting the money spent.

==Non Essential items==

==Non Essential items==

Conservatives, represented by House Minority whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., complained, “This was not a stimulus bill. It was a spending bill.” <ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Stimulus_Democrats_GOP/2009/01/29/176427.html GOP Resisted as Stimulus Veered Off Target] NewsMax, January 29, 2009</ref>

Conservatives, represented by House Minority whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., complained, “This was not a stimulus bill. It was a spending bill.” <ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Stimulus_Democrats_GOP/2009/01/29/176427.html GOP Resisted as Stimulus Veered Off Target] NewsMax, January 29, 2009</ref>

Some of the "stimulus" proposals attacked by conservatives:

Some of the "stimulus" proposals attacked by conservatives:

* $200 million for Dep. of Defense to acquire alternative energy vehicles.

* $200 million for Dep. of Defense to acquire alternative energy vehicles.

* $1.5 billion for a CO2 Reductions

* $1.5 billion for a CO2 Reductions

* $4.2 billion for community organizing <ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/vitter_acorn_payoff/2009/01/29/176317.html Sen. Vitter: ACORN Getting ‘Political Payoff’] NewsMax, January 29, 2009</ref>

* $4.2 billion for community organizing <ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/vitter_acorn_payoff/2009/01/29/176317.html Sen. Vitter: ACORN Getting ‘Political Payoff’] NewsMax, January 29, 2009</ref>

* $3.5 billion for higher education facilities

* $3.5 billion for higher education facilities

* $400 million for [[HIV]] and chlamydia testing

* $400 million for [[HIV]] and chlamydia testing