Occupational Safety and Health Administration Logs

Why don't people realize what an absolute JOKE the "stimulus" package is?

http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary01-15-09.pdf The above is a government link that breaks down the stimulus package... It seems to me that at LEAST a THIRD will not directly stimulate the economy... "Scientific Research • National Science Foundation: $3 billion, including $2 billion for expanding employment opportunities in fundamental science and engineering to meet environmental challenges and to improve global economic competitiveness, $400 million to build major research facilities that perform cutting edge science, $300 million for major research equipment shared by institutions of higher education and other scientists, $200 million to repair and modernize science and engineering research facilities at the nation’s institutions of higher education and other science labs, and $100 million is also included to improve instruction in science, math and engineering. • National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research: $2 billion, including $1.5 billion for expanding good jobs in biomedical research to study diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, and heart disease - NIH is currently able to fund less than 20% of approved applications – and $500 million to implement the repair and improvement strategic plan developed by the NIH for its campuses. • University Research Facilities: $1.5 billion for NIH to renovate university research facilities and help them compete for biomedical research grants. The National Science Foundation estimates a maintenance backlog of $3.9 billion in biological science research space. Funds are awarded competitively. • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: $462 million to enable CDC to complete its Buildings and Facilities Master Plan, as well as renovations and construction needs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. • Department of Energy: $1.9 billion for basic research into the physical sciences including high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences and improvements to DOE laboratories and scientific facilities. $400 million is for the Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy to support high-risk, high-payoff research into energy sources and energy efficiency. • NASA: $600 million, including $400 million to put more scientists to work doing climate change research, including Earth science research recommended by the National Academies, satellite sensors that measure solar radiation critical to understanding climate change, and a thermal infrared sensor to the Landsat Continuing Mapper necessary for water management, particularly in the western states; $150 million for research, development, and demonstration to improve aviation safety and Next Generation air traffic control (NextGen); and $50 million to repair NASA centers damaged by hurricanes and floods last year. • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development, Pandemic Flu, and Cyber Security: $900 million to prepare for a pandemic influenza, support advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and for cyber security protections at HHS. • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Satellites and Sensors: $600 million for satellite development and acquisitions, including climate sensors and climate modeling. • National Institute of Standards and Technology: $300 million for competitive construction grants for research science buildings at colleges, universities, and other research organizations and $100 million to coordinate research efforts of laboratories and national research facilities by setting interoperability standards for manufacturing. • Agricultural Research Service: $209 million for agricultural research facilities across the country. ARS has a list of deferred maintenance work at facilities of roughly $315 million. • U.S. Geological Survey: $200 million to repair and modernize U.S.G.S. science facilities and equipment, including improvements to laboratories, earthquake monitoring systems, and computing capacity" The above was copy and pasted straight out of the article so you can get a glimpse of it in case you don't want to use the link... How exactly is funding science research gonna stimulate the economy? Or provide jobs for factory workers who got laid off??

Public Comments

1. When Obama speaks you do not question, lest your tounge be cut from your mouth.
2. Whoa that's a long post.
3. Just to let you know, that doesn't look anything like the bill that went on the floor. Looks more like a suggestion. But yeah, I can see right-wingers, that think allowing businesses to move overseas creates jobs, thinking that cash flow would not do a consumer based economy good. Funny how some half-wits claim rich corporations trickle wealth down by spending money and creating jobs, but when money hits a scientist's pocket, it stops there.
4. Because all they hear is 1) Stimulus and 2) Free Money and they are all on top of that like a fat kid at Sizzlers
5. I didn't think of it as much of an economy booster but hey!... i don't mind the extra cash to help me on my move to Australia haha
6. Whatever happened to creating jobs for "regular" people, sounds to me like alot of scientists will get jobs, what about everybody else?
7. in fact i think i will report you to Obama's youth sqads
8. They will realize it when it is passed, whoops, too late.
9. Using money to create jobs isn't a joke. The stimulus package is still in the makings too, what gives you the right to judge it now?
10. Basic scientific research will stimulate the economy with new discoveries for new and emerging industries (like green technology and alternative energy sources) that will provide jobs for those out of work factory workers. Not to mention there is a lot of construction involved in several of these projects and that will help contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers of building supplies. Apparently the blind spot on science Bush created keeps many from seeing the value of science and what it can do for everyone.
11. It is disgusting!!! But how dare us question the chosen one.
12. * National Science Foundation: someone has to BUILD and repair those facilities (construction jobs and factory jobs for the materials). Someone has to BUILD that equipment and its components (factory jobs). * National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research: More researchers to study and attempt to cure those diseases is a good thing. * University Research Facilities: somebody has to Renovate those facilities (construction jobs and factory jobs for the materials). * Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: somebody has to renovate and build those facilities (construction jobs and factory jobs for the materials). * Department of Energy: More researchers looking into alternate energy sources is a good thing. Also construction/factory jobs for the improvements to labs/facilities. Need I go on? In every case you list, there are construction/factory jobs behind the money. You're focusing only on the "research" aspect; but researchers need state of the art equipment and facilities, and someone has to build that stuff.
13. In a fair world research is always done before granting millions and billions of dollars. Some research will especially need to be done when it comes to green building and new infrastructure. I personally have a problem with the amounts of money suggested not the research itself. I'd like the building regulations, standards and codes being based on some prior information. Factory workers aren't the only people out there being knocked out of their jobs. When manufacturing stops, it affects all job areas and services, even healthcare and science.