Anybody know if the 25 Mil for ATV trails was kept in the stimulus bill when it passed? I think the whole thing was a farce, but if we are going to get screwed by the government, at least we might get something out of it!

 

I'm not sure but the entire stimulus bill is posted on a website for all to see where the money is going. If I get time today I will start looking...

 

So far, the only thing I can be sure of about the stimulus bill is if it's anything I liked, needed or wanted, that was the part they cut out.

 

This is what I know. "The amount of money involved [in the stimulus bill] is staggering. With 90 million tax filers who actually pay taxes, the $787 billion means the average taxpayer will pay over $8,700. By itself, adding $8,700 to the average tax bill should get everyone's attention. But that is on top of everything else that we are spending this year. ...[T]his year's deficit is already at about $1.7 trillion -- almost $19,000 per taxpayer." --economist John Lott

 

It irritates me to no end that those of us who acted responsibly have to pay for those that did not.

Several years ago, I turned my brain off and ran a credit card bill up to $15k. A little here and a little there, it adds up. I just finished paying it off. Never again.

And these people crying on TV that they're losing their homes - I keep hearing the same story. They somehow 'accidentally' bought a house that was way too big and fancy, took out an interest only mortgage, didn't pay any principal, and now the house is worth half what they owe on it. Stupid doesn't even begin to describe those people.

So, yeah, kiss your trails goodbye. Some clown with more greed than brains gets the money instead.

 

The government stimulated the housing boom by relaxing mortage regulations. For over a decade, it looked like a good thing. Housing construction boomed, and the spillover stimulated the rest of the economy. Now the boom has busted with the impact is felt throughout the economy. The lesson here is that anything the government does will probably turn out badly, including, I fear, the current stimulous package. Admittedly I can't see how a bunch of new ATV trails would be a bad thing, but it will probably turn out that way. Pardon my cynicism.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Deeplaker60

The government stimulated the housing boom by relaxing mortage regulations. For over a decade, it looked like a good thing. Housing construction boomed, and the spillover stimulated the rest of the economy. Now the boom has busted with the impact is felt throughout the economy. The lesson here is that anything the government does will probably turn out badly, including, I fear, the current stimulous package. Admittedly I can't see how a bunch of new ATV trails would be a bad thing, but it will probably turn out that way. Pardon my cynicism.</end quote></div>

 

Not only did the government relax mortgage lending, they demanded that loans be made to people who could never pay them back. All in the name of "everybody" reaching the American dream of owning a home. That along with greedy people thinking that if they bought a house two or three hundred thousand dollars more than they could afford, they would make big money when the value went up another couple hundred thousand dollars. That didn't happen, and the values went down so they want everybody else to bail out their gamble. Maybe if I go to the casino tonight Obama will cover my losses under his bailout! A government that provides the people with everything can TAKE everything from them including their rights!!!!!

 

Oldman is correct. It started with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government loan institutions. Under the stellar call of Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank the federal loan institutions were forced to give out loans to people who shouldn't have qualified for loans. Later the government oversight of private banks (the FDIC) was told to pressure banks into making more loans to minority or impoverished customers. If they didn't they would be written up. My wife worked at a bank in Brookline, Massachusetts and spoke directly with the FDIC as she is an internal bank auditor. I remember her talking about it in the 90s when Bill Clinton was at the helm. And the greedy speculators that got in over their head now are being bailed out by the Democrats. I wish every mistake I've made that was costly could be corrected by the government. Oh yeah, you need to give up your dignity and go beg big daddy for the cash. No thanks. I'd rather tough it out on my own with help from my God.

 

Don't forget Barney Frank who was head of the committee regulating fannie mae was the boyfriend of fannie mae's assistant director Herb Moses. They were butt buddies when frank was pushing for the loosening of lending rules for fannie mae. Nothing improper there.

Oh well, the sooner the whole rotten corrupt mess collapses the sooner scores can be settled and things put right.