It looks like today, our elected officials might be passing an $825 billion economic stimulus package.

Before I go into some key pieces of how the democrats and republicans plan on stimulating our economy I wanted to describe what the economic stimulus plan should be doing….STIMULATING THE ECONOMY. So to stimulate the economy we need people spending money. This means that they need to be working and they need access to cash. If people work, they can spend, we produce more which means we need more people working to produce or delivery products and services. Seems simple enough. Great cycle to be in.

As I write this I’m listening to the morning news talk about more job losses at another company while at the same time I’m reading an article in the Wall Street Journal discussing womens groups protest dropping contraceptives provision in the stimulus package.  Just how in the heck is providing contraceptives going to stimulate the economy.  The USA Today has an article that this plan will take years to have a full impact.  How is something that will take years to have an impact have an impact on our economy NOW.  If you want to stimulate the economy now, start by letting those that are working keep more of the money they earn (that means reducing taxes for those that went to public school) and allow businesses to grow which will provide more jobs.

Economic Stimulus Package specifics.  Remember that this is on top of money that most of these entities are already getting from the government.  This is also just a small portion the complete list.

As you read these think about how this will stimulate the economy (preserve jobs, allow you to keep more money to buy more goods and services, create jobs).

• $6.7 billion for renovations and repairs to federal buildings
• $6.2 billion to help low-income families reduce their energy costs by weatherizing their homes
• $1 billion to ensure a successful 2010 census
• $600 million so the government can by new vehicles
• $6 billion for broadband and wireless services in under served areas (guess I won’t need that wifi card anymore)
• $3 billion to the National Science Foundation for expanding employment opportunities in science and engineering (not sure if this is the area of unemployment that’s a problem today)
• $400 million to NASA to put more scientists to work doing climate change research (I’ve heard about Home Depot, Caterpillar and Starbucks doing layoffs, not NASA.  Poor scientists)
• $6 billion to purchase buses and equipment to increase public transportation (but I like driving my own car)
• $44 million for repairs to the USDA Headquarters
• $245 million for IT improvements to the Farm Service Agency
• $550 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (what about all the casino money)
• $550 million to modernize Indian Health Service Facilities (again….casino money)
• $500 million to modernize native american housing (one more time…casino money)
• $500 million to help the Social Security Administration process claims
• $20 billion to computerize health care records (1.  Do you want them having access to your medical records. 2. Google and Microsoft are already working on this without any help from the government)
• $4.19 billion to ACORN for “Neighborhood stabilization activities”.  Don’t see how providing any money to ACORN is going to stimulate the economy.  Seems more like a payback for all the extra votes.

An update…did some more reading of the House Bill (these will continue as I read more of this)

• page 112 – $1.7 billion for maintenance within the National Park System
• page 113 – $100 million for the National Park Service Centennial Challenge
• page 122 – $50 million to fund art projects
• page 147 – $335 million for STD prevention