Congress's 5,593-page porky 'relief' bill is essence of the swamp [Opinion]

thehill.com/opinion ^ | 12/22/2020 | Joe Concha,

[BenLurkin]

The topline from the bill says a mere $600 per adult and $600 per child goes to those eligible, which is half of what adults received in another relief package passed earlier this year (the per-child payment was $500). Not hard to see that this amount is hardly enough to keep those struggling from staying out of poverty.

So where is the rest of the $1.4 trillion going?

Exhibit A: "Of the funds appropriated under title III of the Act that are made available for assistance for Pakistan, not less than $15,000,000 shall be made available for democracy programs and not less than $10,000,000 shall be made available for gender programs." Yep. $10 million. For gender programs. In Pakistan.

Exhibit B: Funds for "Resource Study of Springfield (Illinois) Race Riot." That riot occurred in (checks notes) 1908.

Exhibit C: "Statement Of Policy Regarding The Succession Or Reincarnation Of The Dalai Lama." We'll just leave that one there.

Exhibit D: There's actually a commission tasked with educating “consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers for flammable liquids near an open flame."

Exhibit E: Another $40 million will be allocated "for the necessary expenses for the operation, maintenance and security" of The Kennedy Center, which received $25 million in another COVID relief bill earlier this year. Also in a related story, the Kennedy Center has been closed.

Exhibits F, G, H, I, J: $86 million for assistance to Cambodia; $130 million to Nepal, $135 million to Burma, $453 million to Ukraine, $700 million to Sudan.

Exhibit K: The bill creates a Women's History Museum and an American Latino Museum as part of the Smithsonian. Overall, the Smithsonian gets (checks notes again) $1 billion.

[AnthonySoprano]

‘
$500 Million more to Ukraine.

Lindsey Graham added money for the FBi.

And Spending Joe is talking about crumbling roads and Bridges!

You know what’s coming!

‘

[AnthonySoprano]

‘
Somebody related to Pelosi or Schumer must work at the Kennedy Center. Money for them appears in every bill.

Sick!

[Kevmo]

Why did it take Trump this long to recognise pork?

[pepsionice]

It’s reaching the stage where some kind of control needs to be enforced on draft laws...to limit pages.

I would suggest that no bill can be brought up and voted upon within 24-hours, unless it’s 50 pages or less. Once you go over the 500 page threshold...there ought to be a 30-day read-and-understand period enforced upon it. And nothing ought to go over 1,000 pages.

If you can’t read this over a weekend, then there’s no reason to vote on the draft.

[aquila48]

What’s happening to The Hill?

This is the second article in a week or so that is right wing.

[aquila48]

It makes you wonder who are the lspecial interest obbyist that wrote this atrocity, and how much kickback are the politicos getting. (probably not a lot - they’re cheap whores}

[x]

The article is by Joe Concha, a conservative. The other article probably also was.

[pierrem15]

The foreign aid is less about actually aiding foreigners than about funding the parasite foreign policy class that feeds off the aid: all those luscious "consulting" contracts, foreign officers, USAID officials and left-wing NGOs.

It's the international version of a Chicago "public works" contract where half or more of the money is siphoned off by groups associated with the political class.

[BuffaloJack]

NO BILL OR LAW SHOULD EVER BE LONGER THAN THE CONSTITUTION.

[aquila48]

I realize that. But that the Hill would publish a conservative piece is what’s surprising.

[Vaduz]

Kennedy Center the D.C. insiders party palace it’s why they give them so much money.

[AnthonySoprano]

‘
Thank you