Buried in the New Stimulus Package... (Uh Oh), page 1

First off, read the full text of the bill here:

OpenCongress.org

Below I have provided the text of a few issues which raised my eyebrows (to be conservative). They are questionable to say the least. Let me know what your thoughts are on these points, and make sure to read the bill when you have time.

Detention Trustee

For an additional amount for ‘Detention Trustee’, $100,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010.

This one is especially frightening. Detention Trustee? We are giving $ 100 million dollars to a 'Detention Trustee.' Don't tell me this trustee is Blackwater (now called 'Xe'), or some other private security firm contracted to stand guard at 'Detention Centers.'

Again, I'm not entirely sure what this is, does anyone have any idea about this concept or has anyone seen the language before?

Military Construction, Army National Guard

For an additional amount for ‘Military Construction, Army National Guard’, $150,000,000 for readiness centers (including construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation, and conversion), to remain available until September 30, 2013: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out planning and design and military construction projects in the United States not otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That within 30 days of enactment of this Act the Director of the Army National Guard shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan for funds provided under this heading prior to obligation.

I am not sure if National Guard HQs and bases are called 'Readiness Centers.' Can anyone shed some light on this? Are these just bases or are they something else?

SEC. 3000. DEFINITIONS. (Health Care Subsection)

In this title:
‘(1) CERTIFIED EHR TECHNOLOGY- The term ‘certified EHR technology’ means a qualified electronic health record and that is certified pursuant to section 3001(c)(5) as meeting standards adopted under section 3004 that are applicable to the type of record involved (as determined by the Secretary, such as an ambulatory electronic health record for office-based physicians or an inpatient hospital electronic health record for hospitals).

‘(2) ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION- The term ‘enterprise integration’ means the electronic linkage of health care providers, health plans, the government, and other interested parties, to enable the electronic exchange and use of health information among all the components.

This one is especially frightening. The most haunting part of this language is the 'and other interested parties' section. So they will make our private medical records available to anyone who's interested?

This is shameful, and has Big Brother written all over it. Are companies going to start bidding for your health records so they can send you free samples of heart medication, Viagra, or acne medication? I can imagine Dominos Pizza offering you a low-calories pizza because they saw you have high cholesterol, and are overweight.

SEC. 1902. INCREASE IN PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT.

Subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting ‘$12,140,000,000,000’.

Not a surprise, big spending is running this country straight into the ground, and will soon destroy our currency.

Tactical law enforcement wireless communications

For an additional amount for ‘Tactical Law Enforcement Wireless Communications’, $100,000,000 for the costs of developing and implementing a nationwide Integrated Wireless network supporting Federal law enforcement, to remain available until September 30, 2010.

Not entirely foreboding or tyrannical, but nonetheless something to look into.


Overall Comment:

This is a massive spending bill at a time when our country desperately needs to cut back. Not only is it a bad idea to spend while doing little to create jobs, but some of the language in the bill is somewhat foreboding.

If we are truly intend to make a difference and step back from the ledge, we need to tighten our belts and hold on for the ride. If this administration continues to press spending bills to fix a problem that has been brewing for decades (if not for a little less than a century), it will destroy our economy and country.

Also, it was the manner in which the supposed transparent Obama Administration rammed the bill through the Congress that caused me concern. Much like his predecessor, Good-Ole Georgie-Pie, he shoved the bill through congress without letting the members read it.

For an administration that pledged to be forthright and open, this is an especially troubling sign.

Your thoughts?

[edit on 14-2-2009 by JipStix]

Here's some strange parts from the summary of the 2009 HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS BILL:

Interoperable Communications: $50 million, rejecting the President’s proposal to eliminate aid to help police, firefighters and emergency responders to talk to each other during a crisis and the same as 2008.
why would he want to eliminate aid for that?

Emergency Operations Centers: $35 million, rejecting the President’s proposal to eliminate assistance for states and local communities to construct, equip, and upgrade central command facilities used by emergency personnel during disasters and $20 million above 2008.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center: $333 million, $44 million above 2008 and $59 million above the President’s request, to train additional CBP officers and for a replacement dormitory.

REAL ID: $100 million, $50 million above 2008, to help states to comply with REAL ID, which requires state licenses to meet new standards in order to be used for federal identification purposes. This includes $50 million for DHS to develop a data "hub" that links state DMVs to other record-keeping agencies to allow State governments to verify applicants' identity documents when they apply for new drivers licenses.


Cyber Security: $313.5 million, $20 million above the President’s request, to protect Federal computer networks from cyber attack and strengthen the security of our nation’s computer infrastructure.

FEMA Management: $943 million, $219 million above 2008 and $27.5 million above the President’s request, to beef up the number of staff available to respond to disasters and improve FEMA’s Mt. Weather facility, financial systems, and the nation’s Emergency Alert System.

Science and Technology: $933 million, $64 million above the President’s request, including research on improvised explosive devices as well as cyber security.

[edit on 14-2-2009 by Total Reality]

reply to post by JipStix

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Excellent Finds!! S and F

We can only assume those "available until" dates may not come, due to the U.S. most probably being bankrupt by then.

Very interesting and odd inserts into a "stimulus" bill - that was suppose to ENTIRELY focus on AMERICAN JOBS!!!!

Instead of "pet" projects and other things that were "slipped" in that SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN!!

Excuse me now, while I go and THROW UP!!

reply to post by JipStix

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Leave it to the experts to renew the United States prosperity. This bill will utilize all of its provisions to shift this economy into the new age of energy and out of the oil fields. It only strengthens the government on a modern level. The foundation and framework has already been constructed. Now it is time to remodel this structure by shifting into a new phase of development. Don't forget technology is always advancing. It's about near time for the world to evolve once again. It's what the alien grays want anyway. I don't understand why you people think your the decision makers all the time with your meek perception of god and government. Maybe you should start thanking the people that were able to line up the corn in rows one after another. You never thank those people that bring it to the table but that's all about to change as well. One bowl per person. Walk in line.

reply to post by JipStix

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I have not read it yet but from your post I find this striking.

"
Military Construction, Army National Guard
Provided further, That within 30 days of enactment of this Act the Director of the Army National Guard shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan for funds provided under this heading prior to obligation."

So the director of the army national guard, who probably had no opportunity to interject his/her opinion or knowledge, much less may not have had any idea they would face such a daunting task, now has 30 days to comply and declare where they will spend 150,000,000.

No wonder our country is so out of wack.

To look at it logically you might assume that 2 things might come of this.
1- The director irresponsibly appropriates the funds to the areas or projects that they think would benefit the country the most (I say irresponsibly because it seems like it would take well over 30 days to decide where to spend that much $ and have taken the ideas to council for review, approval of other parties involved etc)

or 2- The appropriations have already been given and the director will be the puppet to make it public.

Look at the size of the bill, how could they come up with it in such short time. References to other parts of the bill, programs already going on that are referred to, the shear complexity of it all. It had to have been written long ago.

The actions as of late do not indicate that the PTB are any where near the intellectual aptitude for putting together such a piece of legislation. Just the fragments I have read reveal planning, coordination and knowledge that in my opinion even a well oiled gov would have a hard time pulling together to form new legislation.

And they did this in how much time?

And now its your and mine to deal with.

reply to post by PammyK

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What Isle is that Kool-aid on. I should really get some, because if I was in fantasy land I would not be concerned either.

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