Key West Lou / A $1.4 TRILLION OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL ADDED TO STIMULUS BILL

The stimulus bill is on the President’s desk for signing. He does not like it. Wants the $600 per person payment to be raised to $2,000.

I doubt he is serious. He is merely playing to the crowd. Wants people to think what a good guy he is.

The stimulus bill 5,600 pages long. A lot of pages for a small stimulus package. Something not right. Consider also the stimulus bill is for only $900 billion.

Turns out a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill has been attached to the stimulus bill.

Joe Concha wrote a 12/22 Opinion piece for The Hill. An eye opener!

He refers to the combined bills as the “essence of a swamp…..pork relief.” He writes, it is “more than a $900 billion stimulus bill.”

Concha writes, “What could be expected from a “dysfunctional tone-deaf Congress: A pork-filled cluster filled with anything and everything that has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic or relief.”

The $600 per person one time payment comes into play. Christmas this week and many will not sit down to a table filled with holiday goodies. Families will suffer. Not enough money to keep them out of poverty.

The $1.4 trillion bothers me. A significant portion of the money will never see the hands of those intended to receive it. Along the way, many pocket a piece of the money. The named recipient never ends up with the whole package.

A good portion of the $1.4 trillion is set aside for entities nowhere near important as a hungry American citizen. Or, for any human being for that matter.

One portion provides assistance for Pakistan. Not less than $15 billion for “democracy” and not less than $10 billion for “gender progress.”

Note the “not less than.” Consider also what is more important. Food for Americans or gender progress for Pakistanis. What is this democracy thing that costs $15 billion plus?

This one is a beauty. Funds for a “Resource Study of the Springfield (Illinois) Race Riot.” The riot occurred in 1908.

Another beauty. Funds for a “Study of Policy Regarding the Successes or Reincarnation of the Dali Lama.” I have to believe the Dali Lama would rather the funds go to assist Americans in its time of need rather than writing a study about him.

This one does not require monies for a study. Common sense tells everyone what is right and wrong. The funds are to be spent for a commission tasked with educating “consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers near an open flame.”

Forty million dollars for necessary expenses for the operation, maintenance and security of The Kennedy Center. The Kennedy center received $25 million in the first stimulus bill also.

A quirk. I am all for keeping The Kennedy Center in proper condition and protecting the property. However why allocate monies to the Center when it has been closed for a lengthy period and will continue to be closed in future months.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the Center closed its doors in May 2020. The time frame has been extended to April 25, 2021. The Center will only reopen when it is safe to do so. If matters are not under control by April, it will remain in shut down for a further extended period.

Then there is the pocket change. Assistance to Cambodia $86, Nepal $130 million, Burma $135 million, Ukraine $43 million, Sudan $700 million.

Money for the following could be delayed one year with no problem to anyone. The bill creates a Women’s History Museum and an American Latino Museum as part of the Smithsonian. One billion dollars.

Keep in mind money allocated for one purpose can be transferred to another. Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, except here from one account to another. Consider the number of times Trump has done it in his 4 years.

Of course, the monies allocated under the omnibus portion of the bill did not have to be. Some of those monies should have been part of the stimulus portion of the bill.

Americans must first take care of themselves. This is not the same as Trump’s America First cry. It simply means if monies are needed to feed the children, that is where it should go. America’s usual generosity to other causes can wait a year.

Concha makes an interesting observation. The stimulus bill is supported by the American people by reason of its title alone: COVID Relief For Those Struggling Due To The Pandemic.

A fraud. No mention of the omnibus portion of the bill.

The $900 billion stimulus bill added every pet project possible by combing it with an omnibus spending bill.

The entire situation from start to finish a disgusting one.

Enjoy your day!

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