A wee bit of sense in the debate over Porkulis

In a rather stunning admission, the Chairman of the Senate Budget committee said that 20% of the upcoming 'stimulus' package should be cut!

While I admire this move, the 20% is just a START. The bill as it stands contains many things that should be handled through the normal budget process. Many of the others should just be scrapped altogether.

In an even more stunning development, George Voinovich actually said something that made sense!!!


Now, George was our Governor here in Ohio for much too long. I was so glad to see him leave. Sadly, he left and went right to the Senate. But, I digress.

George suggested some criteria for the stimulus:

• Is it a federal responsibility? Since I have read the constitution (you should try it), the only things that would really be 'OK' would be roads/bridges and anything related to the Military. So, by that standard, strictly applied, most of the stimulus package would fail.
  
• Is it shovel-ready. Here he means - can we do it quick? It is not much of a stimulus it is 3 years away.
  
• Is it proper. Ok, he had 2 out 3 good ideas. Just by his history, this is a big improvement for George. Anyway, I am not clear as to what 'proper' means. I would have deferred to 'is it constitutional?', but that is me.
  

I am glad to see George finally adding some value in Washington. I am also glad to know he is retiring. He has been taking up oxygen there for too long.

Anyway - it is good to hear this serious discussion, from both sides, about the outrageous size and stunning scope of Porkulis.