1. You buy supplies that would help in a pandemic, thus saving jobs in the companies that make that stuff. 2. You fund state programs, saving jobs and preserving some capacity to deal with pandemic issues. So, it buys stuff and preserves or creates jobs that serve a public purpose and could help mitigate panic in the economy should a pandemic strike. As Obama says, "it's a three-fer." Sounds like good stimulus spending to me.
But that described any spending. The idea of stimulus spending is something that goes beyond just any regular-generic spending. For example, building $50 million in infrastructure is believed to have a stronger multiplier effect than buying $50 million in IPods or giving out $50 million in rebate checks. Do we know what the $900 million was meant to be used for? Was it to buy supplies, fund research, etc? Is there anything in there that would have had an effect today?
this is grrrrreat! Conservative Activist: Flu Emergency Is 'Political Thing' To Push Sebelius Nomination Through “Some people think that declaring a state of emergency about the flu was a political thing to push the Sebelius nomination through,” said Wright. She pointed to news stories that ask whether the slow-walking of the Sebelius choice will hurt the response to the flu. “If there’s even a hint that [Department of Homeland Security] is manipulating the health situation to push a political appointee through, well, it almost defies imagination that they’d be willing to that.” Wright said that she’d heard the speculation “on talk radio,” and wanted to be skeptical, but “there’s too much of a basis in that argument to easily dismiss it.”
Tony Perkins chimes in! from the Hill UPDATE: Look likes like the swine-flu-response-equals-cover-up-for-Sebelius meme is working quickly through the right wing. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins weighed in via an e-mail sent to supporters Monday. "Liberals are already scheming how they can use the health scare to win the confirmation of pro-abortion extremist Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kans.) as Secretary of Health and Human Services," he writes Just who are these liberals who confide the truth about their secret conspiracies to prominent national conservative leaders? Perkins leaves us hanging on that one. Here's the full text of Perkins's statement:
It's probably misleading to say Collins was against the funding rather than the mechanism, but you've got to admit that it kinda is a snapshot of bad timing/bumbling by the GOP.
^Never mind. What passed in March was $156 million for flu research. Nothing for preparedness. The point stands.
When is she up for re-election? She just signed her own death warrant, regardless of the circumstance or spin she puts on it now. Dead man walking. Implosion continues...
She just got re-elected in a harsh GOP environment with over 60% of the vote. Maine loves her. She's not remotely in any kind of danger - and certainly not from this.
Well, she initially said that type of spending should be done in a regular spending bill and not the stimulus bill. And then she supported it when it was in a spending bill and not the stimulus bill.
