Jon Gansen said: Now that we have the Polls figured out... Whats it mean? Everything Sandy said is fact. Greece has proposed taxes on 55,000 at a 42% rate. Is that what we are shooting for? The longer we wait the more pain there will be. Prime example of goverment spending. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/12/sandy-aid-package-includes-millions-for-Smithsonian-space-center-forests/
Jon, while there might be some items such as the Smithsonian roof that they want the some money to repair repairs predating Sandy, (my question is why wasn't the roof fixed before), and that money seems pretty step, certainly amounts we might find hard to comprehend, when there is talk about mitigation items to try to prevent that damage from occurring again.
I see nothing wrong with setting aside that money, it's like for example, we found a leak in our pipe leading to our clubhouse lawn irrigation, which was in a sleeve under the front walk, when we fixed it, we added a quick coupler and an isolation valve that gives us more flexibility to make repairs with-out shutting off an entire golf hole, it was an improvement so the issue if it were to occur would not be so detrimental to us.
After the Joplin Tornado, there was extra money spent to build shelters and to strengthen building to better withstand another tornado and hopefully save many lives, that to me is good government spending.
I will grant you this, and we might not know quite how all that works, but if a time line was put together of repairs and improvements and then maybe the money asked for could be done in separate bills? Would that be more palatable?
Also think about this those areas of the country that were affected typically send more money to Washington and see less of a return compared to other states, maybe for once they should get a return. Besides the quicker they get back on their feet the sooner everything get closer to normal, they can continue on like before the storm and start sending their tax money back to Washington again.
Mel