Tuesday, December 22, 2020

The Absolutely Crazy Details of the COVID-19 "Stimulus" Bill Are Starting to Emerge

The COVID-19 stimulus bill agreed on Sunday by Republican and Democratic leadership is part of a larger 2021 government continuing resolution spending program. In total, it is a spending bill of $2.4 trillion.

The entire bill is 5,593 pages. 

Here is what the bill looks like:


Who the hell in Congress is going to read that?

What is worse is the House has a rule to give everyone 72 hours to read bills. Democrats in the House voted to suspend the rule for this package. That is each congressman will have around 8 hours to read the entire 5,593 pages before voting on the bill. 

The bill has 544 pages for coronavirus relief, 1,915 pages for appropriations, and 3,126 pages for extensions and corrections.

Even AOC understands the madness (UPDATE: But she voted for it):


Think about this. The COVID-19 stimulus part of the bill has a price tag of $900 billion but only $600 per person is going to individual Americans.

There are exceptions, but even if we assume every American gets $600 that is only $198 billion. Where is the other $702 billion going?

This bill is an early Christmas gift for global leaders who bow when the Empire says to bow, lobbyists, cronies and those who appreciate absurdity.

Here are some early outrages and absurdities spotted in the bill.

There's $5 billion in military aid to Israel.

Here is aid other countries are getting for various projects:

Egypt = $1,300,000,000

Sudan = $700,000,000

Ukraine = $453,000,000

Israel = $500,000,000

Burma = $135,000,000

Nepal = $130,000,000

Cambodia = $85,500,000

There's $1.4 billion for "Asia Reassurance Initiative Act"

The bill will establish a new Smithsonian  American Women's History Museum and a Smithsonian  National Museum of the American Latino.

The  bill creates a commission tasked with educating “consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers for flammable liquids near an open flame."

Representative Thomas Massie reports that $10 million is designated for gender programs in Pakistan.

The bill mandates new hiring measures to ensure diversity in the intelligence community.

The bill decriminalizes unauthorized use of the Swiss Coat of Arms or Smokey the Bear

The bill spends five pages laying out the process for determining who will be recognized as the next reincarnation of the Dalia Lama.

The bill outlays funds to address gender inequality amongst statues.

The Covid relief bill stipulates funds can’t be used for accessing pornographic websites unless it’s “official business”

Here is the entire bill, please leave in the comments any outrages or absurdities you spot in the bill.

And this, from Don Boudreaux, sets the scene for the part of the COVID-19 package that isn't crony:

Can Anyone Tell Me… 

… why we should take seriously politicians who think that concocting increases in nominal spending power will keep the economy secure in the face of (1) government lockdowns that forcibly prevent a great deal of production from taking place, and (2) government- and media-stirred popular derangement that further dampens actual productive activity?

We are “governed” – a more appropriate term is “lorded over” – by people who, if we judge them by their publicly spoken words, are imbeciles. And these imbeciles, sadly, are cheered on by most intellectuals (some of whom even boast advanced degrees in economics).

I would simply add that "nominal spending power" is never a good idea, just bad Keynesian economics.

-RW

UPDATE

The House has passed the bill.

UPDATE 2

The Senate has passed the bill.

UPDATE 3

The bill passed in the Senate 92-6.

Voting "NO" were:
 
Blackburn
Cruz
Johnson
Lee
Paul 
Scott (FL)

9 comments:

  1. Thank heavens we have a two-party system. Otherwise, all sorts of obscene things might get passed.

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  2. This embodies the entire point of government. Steal money and hand it out to whoever TF you want to.

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  3. They should filibuster bills by reading them

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  4. I wish the appropriate me a few dollars he seemed to be handing it out just more Fiat money going all over we're going to lose the dollar strength

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  5. Some of these are great and I honestly don't have a problem with most of what is highlighted here. Knowing who the right Dali Llama is doesn't seem important, but that's 5 pages that could have been spent detailing how they are going to perform torture strategies on libertarian dissidents.

    I lived in Pakistan for a couple of years in the late 1990s and I am very amused by the idea of a gender studies training seminar being held in the tribal areas near kashmir.

    One has to look on the bright side. After all, the purpose of you creating wealth - at least for government - is for them to steal it. That has always been the way. At least be happy when they steal it for pointless frivolities.

    David B.

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  6. foreign free stuff , pure lobbyist bullshyytt

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  7. the Banana Republic marches on....as Klaus Schwab prepares to take over.

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  8. I laughed out loud at the second part of Boudreaux's statement because it so accurately describes our absurd situation. Some of Humanity, drunk on the success of discovering property rights and the productivity of the division of labor have forgotten how we got to this relatively wealthy situation. Many, even the crony businessmen seem to believe that stealing something (if you can get away with it via democracy) is the same as earning it. I fear we have a long way to fall before we hit bottom.

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    1. I never met anyone who equated stealing and earning if they were the victim of the thief. I think, perhaps, they have a sizable hole in their moral fiber.

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