In the last two days I have heard 2 interviews with Senator Specter defending his position on the stimulus bill. He keeps bringing up the Great Depression, and using fear tactics to try to tell the American people that if we do not pass this bill that our economy will go into a complete tailspin, and we will be on a one way track into a Depression that we, in this generation, have never seen. When confronted with serious flaws with this bill he reverts to "I gave my word, and I will not go back on my word."
1st of all why is this bill the do all end all of our economy? If this bill were to not pass, and it appears it will, it's not like we won't do anything to stimulate the economy. A new, reasonable bill would be written. The only reason the politicians want this bill to go through, and go through now, is so that the American people don't have time to fight the waste portion of this bill.
WHY do we have to have to have all of the extras in such an important bill? If the politicians truly want to help our economy they would put forth a clean and clear bill with only true stimulus line items included in it! I have heard it put forth that this bill should be split in 2. One half for true stimulus and one half for spending/waste, and I wholeheartedly agree.
I understand that all of these unrelated line items are how Washington is run, and how politicians get their, and sometimes, their constituents' interests through, but sometimes we just need a black and white, this is what needs to be done, no pork, no extras just a straight forward, this is what is best for the country as a whole- bill. This is one of those times.
Secondly, and most importantly, who exactly did Mr. Specter give his word to that he doesn't want to back down from? Fellow politicians?! Isn't his, and all other Congressmen's, first and foremost responsibility to represent his constituents? Isn't he there on our behalf? Why wouldn't he back down? If he learns that the majority of his constituents are against this bill who is he to decide he knows best and his opinion is the only one that counts?
If he was promised something in return for his vote I, for one, would love to know what that is.
