Stimulate Me

About 10 months ago I ranted a bit about the so called stimulus package then President Bush threw together. I didn't then and still don't like the idea of just throwing money at the consumer's and expecting them to go on a spending spree. I think last year's package was more of a stroking of his ego to try to get his approval rating up and a stroking of his Republican/Conservative base to try and show them he could "give back" to the people and try to put up a dust cloud to block out the god-like image that was being cast upon Obama at the time. All of this was put together during the final stages of the Democratic Primary and took some of the focus away.

If you would like to view the entire text of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 please feel free. But allow me to just give you some highlights.

TITLE I--RECOVERY REBATES AND INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS INVESTMENT

Sec. 101. 2008 recovery rebates for individuals.

Sec. 102. Temporary increase in limitations on expensing of certain depreciable business assets.

Sec. 103. Special allowance for certain property acquired during 2008.

TITLE II--HOUSING GSE AND FHA LOAN LIMITS

Sec. 201. Temporary conforming loan limit increase for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Sec. 202. Temporary loan limit increase for FHA.

TITLE III--EMERGENCY DESIGNATION

Sec. 301. Emergency designation.

TITLE I--RECOVERY REBATES AND INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS INVESTMENT

What is says is pretty much, everyone gets a little bit of money, Fanny and Freddy get alot of money and we're gonna put a little bit aside just in case.

Fat lot of good any of this did anybody! What did you do with your $300, $600 or $1200? Did you even get a rebate? We all know what happened with Fanny and Freddy, cuz they went back to the well and pull some more out of Bush's ass later in the year. And what happened with the "Emergency Fund"? Where did that go?

I will never be a fan of throwing money at anything to make it better. To me that is a bourgeoisie attitude (hi dad!).

Now it is a new year, we have a new President and we still are in the throes of a "recession". No one is quite ready to call it a depression, it will be interesting 50 years down the road to read the history books and see how it is classified. Ok, back on subject, new year, new President and oh yeah looky here we have a new stimulus package.

Again, if you would like to read the entire text of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for your self you are more than welcomed. But please let me give you the gist:

DIVISION A--APPROPRIATION PROVISIONS

TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

TITLE II--AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

TITLE III--COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND SCIENCE

TITLE IV--DEFENSE

TITLE V--ENERGY AND WATER

TITLE VI--FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT

TITLE VII--HOMELAND SECURITY

TITLE VIII--INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT

TITLE IX--LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION

TITLE X--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF STATE

TITLE XII--TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

TITLE XIII--STATE FISCAL STABILIZATION FUND

DIVISION B--OTHER PROVISIONS

TITLE I--TAX PROVISIONS

TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS AND STRUGGLING FAMILIES

TITLE III--HEALTH INSURANCE ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

TITLE IV--HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TITLE V--MEDICAID PROVISIONS

TITLE VI--BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS

TITLE VII--ENERGY

And my favorite part - There is a PURPOSE:

SEC. 3. PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES.

(a) Statement of Purposes- The purposes of this Act include the following:

(1) To preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery.

(2) To assist those most impacted by the recession.

(3) To provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health.

(4) To invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits.

(5) To stabilize State and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases.

I know this was long, but bear with me.

I can stand behind this stimulus package. Ya know why? Old Chinese Proverb says: "Give a Man a Fish, Feed Him For a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, Feed Him For a Lifetime"

Last year Bush gave me a fish (and not even a big ol sea bass, all I got was a tiny sardine), this year Obama may actually give me a job. Creating jobs and getting things done to boot? What a concept.

Exit Polls and Polls in General

I am a good person to call if you are taking a poll. I will usually answer all of your questions honestly and concisely. And I think general polls are a good thing, as I have mentioned here before, if I don't tell them how I like something, how will they know to do it my way?

But the polls I think that should be abolished are the ones done during an election. I mean c'mon we all know what liars people are especially during an election. You know that whomever is calling to ask who you are voting for has your party affiliation in front of them so of course you are going to say your party's candidate for fear of the polling police coming to snag you for voting against your party.

And then there is the whole "racism" aspect of this year's election. Would a Dem who wasn't going to vote for Obama be considered racist if he/she said so? Would a Rep who wanted to vote for Obama but didn't want his/her friends to know admit it to anyone? So you see polls during the election are screwy.

Exit Polls are the same way if not worse. Your vote is your business. It should be illegal to ask someone who they voted for. If for no other reason than that they are unaffective and inconsiderate.

According to Time magazine the first Exit Poll was done for CBS in 1967. 1993 AP and major networks join to create the Voters News Service to conduct the Exit Polls and disseminate the information to everyone a the same time. In 2000 we saw how effective the Exit Polls were when the networks first called the Presidential race for Gore, then for Bush and then for an unprecedented "neither". In 2002 the VNS computers break down on election day and the VNS is disbanded the following year. So now it is a free for all with everyone getting and disseminating their information at their own pace. Beginning in 2004 the "pollsters" are now confined to a room in New York City with no internet or cell phone acess until 5pm est.

What really bothers me the most regarding Exit Polls is the same as someone online talking about a show I can't watch for another 3 hours. If you read Kathy's post you know we had a great turnout at our polling place this year. But I think it could have been even better. According to People Magazine the race was pretty much called by 10pm EST. But the parties waited to make their speeches until after the West Coast polls closed at 11pm EST. But that didn't stop the news organizations. We in the polling place (unbeknowst to the constituents coming in to vote) knew long before the polls closed what the outcome was. And so, I think did our voters.

Our great turnout all happened before lunch. After that voting dwindled. With results starting to be reported from the East Coast, apathy again began to set in. It leads to the thought that "my vote doesn't count". Unfortunately, by the dinner hour, voters were scarce to come by at our polling place and between the hour of 7 and 8 they were even more invisible.

California had many important issues on the ballot this year, and I think because of the Presidential race being called so early, that a lot of people didn't bother coming to the polls. And what about Alaska and Hawaii, really what incentive is there if the results are announce hours before they close their polls?

I am not one to bitch and moan without thinking through a problem and trying to find a solution. So here are my two cents, for what they are worth.

Universal polling times. All polls across the country open and close at the same time. Unfeasible? Maybe, but it could be done.

Gag order. How about the counties count their votes and put them into a sealed envelope and DONT TELL the news organizations until all polls are closed? No one knows anything until ALL the votes have been counted. For that matter not until the vote by mails are counted as well. Will it kill everyone to have to wait 24-48 hours for results?

Maybe it is me being idealistic, maybe in a perfect world we can figure this out, maybe in another 200 years our democracy will work itself out.

What do you think?