Health bill? Billions for Parks, Paths, Farmers' Markets...

Americans have probably become overly-comfortable, and oblivious, to the fact that all proposed bills and legislation in Congress is ridden with pork and additional earmarks to spend our tax dollars.

And this upcoming Health Care for Everybody bill...not immune either!

Sweeping healthcare legislation working its way through Congress is more than an effort to provide insurance to millions of Americans without coverage. Tucked within is a provision that could provide billions of dollars for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers’ markets.

The add-ons - characterized as part of a broad effort to improve the nation’s health “infrastructure’’ - appear in House and Senate versions of the bill.

The Senate health panel’s bill does not specify how much would go to the community projects. A Senate staff member said the amount of spending will be left up to the Obama administration.
www.boston.com...

I see another Czar being appointed soon, eh?!!?

Ooops!! You weren't supposed to see that stuff. You've got some nerve to actually read the legislation. Good Find!! I'm sure that there is plenty more where that came from.

If this bill does not pass, will Obama have a complete breakdown and roll on the floor in a toddler tantrum mode? Perhaps it will be Pelosi and Reid in tantrum mode. I can already see Pelosi attempting to hold her breath on the floor until it passes.

I dont even understand why they spend all that money to repave roads year after year. Other than the roadways employing alot of people, its not thinking outside of the box.
Maybe they should spend that money to design new suspensions that can run over a pothole and not spill your hot coffee. I would think if they want to lower greenhouse gases...they should rip up all the roads and plant grass and trees.
Spend the money on a completely new mode of transport, why not a massive system of ziplines?!

What a bunch of B.S.!!!!

This is how they "DEFEND" all this "PORK" they're throwing into this legislation!!!

In health bill, billions for parks, paths

The add-ons - characterized as part of a broad effort to improve the nation’s health “infrastructure’’ - appear in House and Senate versions of the bill.

Tell you what!

Let's just start a WHOLE other bill in congress if they want these things done!

But advocates, including Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, defend the proposed spending as a necessary way to promote healthier lives and, in the long run, cut medical costs. “These are not public works grants; they are community transformation grants,’’

EXACTLY!!!

These projects should NEVER have been allowed to have included in this bill!!!

“If improving the lighting in a playground or clearing a walking path or a bike path or restoring a park are determined as needed by a community to create more opportunities for physical activity, we should not prohibit this from happening,’’ Coley said in a statement.

PLEASE

Why do they think recreational areas or parks should be included in this bill!

This bill is about "HEALTH CARE"!

I guess they just missed that!!!


[edit on 7/9/2009 by Keyhole]

This is perhaps what happens when the bills aren't actually read ALOUD on the floor of Congress.

Maybe they'll wanna start listening up and also actually READING the bills they vote on in the future.

Originally posted by jibeho

If this bill does not pass, will Obama have a complete breakdown and roll on the floor in a toddler tantrum mode? Perhaps it will be Pelosi and Reid in tantrum mode. I can already see Pelosi attempting to hold her breath on the floor until it passes.

How do you know this was entirely a Democrat-sponsored bill? Look not only at the names of a bill's sponsors before you jump to conclusions, but also who sponsors the "riders" and/or amendments. Believe it or not, Republicans also add pork to a lot of legislation too. Sometimes they include it as a condition for the bill's passage.

And "pork" has been around as long as Congress has--over 200 years. Congressmen have always tried to pass legislation that will help their own states and districts that elected them. The practice of adding various pet projects to a bill that has nothing to do with them in order to get those projects passed is very old, and no one party is to blame.

Some of what people call "pork" has actually been very beneficial to regions and sometimes the country. Some has been wasteful and greedy of course, but not all of it.

Republicans (like McCain) are just now jumping on what they call "pork" (if they sponsor it, of course, it isn't) as a way to try to discredit the Democrats in every way they can and make themselves popular. They also think this will win them voters among people who are unfamiliar with the ways of Congress.

One man's "pork" is another man's godsend.

The "party of no" also says yes when it suits them.

[edit on 10-7-2009 by Sestias]

While many may think the healthcare bill strictly aims to increase coverage, Levi said that is a mistaken impression. “This isn’t just about health insurance,’’ he said. “This bill is about creating a healthier country.’’

www.boston.com...

ummm...ya!! are there any of yas out there that don't have a park, playground, fitness center and the like close to ya? the city I am living in now, seems to have plenty, the city I moved from had plenty, heck even the little villages around it have planty of playgrounds! now, I ain't saying all of them would be safe for you to visit!!

these people are unbelievable! it you are gonna stimulate the economy, do it in a way that will get the biggest bang for the buck please?? you are spending money we don't have, we haven't a prayer in the world to obtain, and well.....what can I say......

get the crap out of the bill, or pay for it yourselves!!

I hope they don't waste our tax dollars on jungle gyms or playground equipment for kids. Most of the equipment we did have in parks had to be removed due to lawsuits. Parents would sue the city when their
retarded offspring fell off of a slide and the tax payers paid again.