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I like Jindal, and I consider myself conservative, but arguing over which program is proper and which is not is a waste of time.

The real question: Is this Constitutional? Is the spending part of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution?

By focusing on this program and that, we concede the larger point to the left - that the government should have the power to do whatever it wants to do, instead of living in a country with a limited government and strictly enumerated powers.

I’m sure that other people who live up here in Alaska can argue that a decent volcano watch program is a reasonable use of the federal government (I’m looking at all those clauses having to do with protecting commerce and promoting science - large numbers of volcanos in Alaska are right in the path of air cargo flights from Asia.)

However, I’m off topic. Is it Constitutional? That’s the question.

Exactly. As I have been arguing.
“Proper spending” to stimulate is a false premise, constitutionally. It isn't the responsibility of the Feds to “stimulate” (read: selectively invest in, selectively reward) the economy. The only argument that can be made for it is if it is for national security, which it most certainly is not.

The “conservative” argument is not that the ‘economy needs to be stimulated ‘this way’ or ‘that way.’ It is that the economy needs to be UNCHAINED.

What the democrats are doing is shackling the economy with regulation, financial rewards for following risky/foolish ventures. Then, when the economy falls to its knees, they pretend they can't see the seven tons of chains each business is trying to run with, they claim it is the ‘running’ itself that is causing the stumbling and that it needs even more chains.

As I've said elsewhere, the rate and amounts of the spending are such that no one can pretend this is going to help the economy, not even Keynesians and socialists. This spending is designed to kill the economy and dole out lots of paybacks while sinking the knife in its back — all to ruin the economy so that the people demand a world economic ministry and a global currency.