Yes-23 » Stimulus Bill

Response from Congressman Charles Gonzalez 20th Congressional District San Antonio Tx. To Concerns of Stimulus Spending

RodZ — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:09:00 +0000

Dear Mr. Zagala:

I want you to know that I understand why the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1) concern you, and I hope I can offer some reassurance.

The idea of borrowing more money, when our national debt has double in recent years, is counterintuitive at the least, but it’s a necessary move in our present situation. The best way to get our country out the red is to get Americans out of the red. That means putting Americans back to work, not just trimming wasteful government spending. The private sector is too frightened to hire people or begin projects, so cutting corporate taxes will just put millions into big companies that aren’t willing to spend it. By cutting individual taxes, from income tax to sales tax, for 95% of workers, we are giving the American people the money to buy necessities and creating consumer demand to spur private company spending. By providing contracts for construction companies, we not only get new roads and an updated electric grid, but we create business for those companies, all of their suppliers, and all of their workers, who can then go out and buy from other private companies, so the cycle builds on itself.

There have been plenty of rumors about wasteful projects supposedly hidden in HR 1, from the misleading claims about a $30 million dollar program for a mouse to baseless talk of honeybee insurance, but the bill is actually pretty well targeted and transparent. Much of the spending will go to the states, through established formulae, to keep teachers teaching and firemen on the job. The big projects will be under constant review – not only from Congress and government, but from you on the website www.Recovery.gov – and could lose their money if it isn’t spent within 90-days or if they’re wasteful.Putting money in the hands of Americans, through unemployment benefits or social security bonuses, will help mitigate the suffering of people innocent of causing this crisis. By getting our economy going again, we’ll be able to protect our citizens and pay down our debt in time. With HR 1, we have put a down-payment on our future. That’s a mortgage I’m ok with.

Sincerely,

Charles A. Gonzalez

Member of Congress

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Stimulus money

Lady Kathleen — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 08:22:09 +0000

Money

Lessons Learned from the Stimulus bill:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn’t that stimulating the economy of Japan?
A. Shut up.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:

If you spend the stimulus money at Wal-Mart, the money will go to China.
If you spend it on gasoline, your money will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer, it will go to India.
If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
If you buy a car, it will go to Japan or Korea.
If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan.
If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.

Instead, keep the money in America by:

spending it at yard sales, or
going to ball games, or
spending it on prostitutes, or
beer or
tattoos.

(These are the only American businesses still operating in the US.)

Conclusion:

Go to a ball game with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a yard sale and drink beer all day!

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Obama Administration Has No Clue.

RodZ — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:36:04 +0000

Deficit commission to be formed by administration to recommend cuts two years from now. Wow there’s a political cover if I ever saw one. Are you telling me that our elected officials have thrown in the towel and are admitting they cannot do the job they were elected to do? You know make the hard decisions, like cut spending and manage the budget of this government. Are you telling me that the solution is to form a so called bipartisan committee, with no authority to implement changes? This is the only answer? Yes, I remember the Grace commission, yes a lot of changes were implemented and had a very good effect. Perhaps this is the answer, perhaps the government is so dysfunctional a committee is required, but will any changes come in time? Will the government implement them?
Have you read last years stimulus bill? This administration is touting how wonderful it was, it saved 2 million jobs. Recovery.gov shows that North Dakota and Washington got some jobs, yes the Federal employment rate is reaching 3 million. This bill was loaded with money for liberal agenda items that do nothing to create jobs or an economic environment for business to create jobs. I have posted several examples of this bills waste of tax dollars and you can read the bill for yourself if you doubt me.
I believe this President is creating political cover when he speaks of nuclear power and an $800 billion loan guarantee, how do you guarantee a loan when you are broke, it’s like co-signing for someone when your credit score is 400. It’s laughable. A nuclear power plant will never be built in my lifetime, just look a the lefts reaction to this announcement. Look at the regulations, look at the problem with storing the waste and look at the water resources required for cooling. Never going to happen, just a nice political statement saying, well I tried.
The deficit needs to be reduced, the $500 plus billion not spent in the stimulus could cut that in about half, the waste fraud and abuse in the medicare, medicaid and social security programs could further reduce that deficit, new social programs need to be put on hold and current programs need to be eliminated or cut. This all could be done by our elected officials this year and followed next year by additional reductions in spending. Tax increases only go to further allow our elected officials to waste our money. If a politician sees a tax dollar they will spend it on new programs, therefore if any tax increases are implemented they must go to the deficit along with cuts, across the board. The deficit is a serious problem as is the total federal budget, both must be reduced.
The administrations shift to “jobs” is a political move, the administrations is not showing any real movement to improve the economy as demonstrated by its continuing support of liberal agenda items, such as the current health care reform bill and a new stimulus bill. I say you cannot BS the American public any longer.

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Budget Deficit, Freeze?

RodZ — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:05:51 +0000

Here we go again, magic numbers, borrow your way out of debt and put forward as many of your ideological programs as you think you can sneak through. I would think every American in this country is cutting spending, reducing borrowing and trying to reduce their debt. They realize that they can no longer deficit spend or pay debt with more debt, not our government though. I don’t care if you are Republican or Democrat, I don’t care if the Bush administration had a trillion dollar deficit you inherited, I don’t care that the country is in a depression, you cannot borrow your way out of debt.
Has anything changed in the past year to change the practices of the our banking institutions and how they do business? Has Congress accomplished anything that will benefit and protect the American people?
The Congress focused on health care and cap and trade for a year and voters sent them a message. There are various in opinions of what that message was but the politicians have decided it is JOBS. I think there was a little more to the message than jobs. I think there is a real concern for our debt as a nation, I believe the people have a strong belief that our politicians are not listening to them or addressing their needs, I believe the American people are tired of the extreme separation between the political parties and the simple fact they cannot agree on anything or get anything done that benefits the American people.
Why is a high speed rail system being funded in Florida? 8 billion dollars will not get a mile of track laid when you consider all the money required for the various environmental studies, right of way acquisitions and on and on. They want a new jobs stimulus bill when the last one is not working or fully implemented. The President said almost two million jobs have been saved or created yet the recovery.gov report says only around 600k jobs have been created as a result of the stimulus and only about $54 billion has been spent of the total allocated.
I think they actually believe were are stupid, they have shifted focus and are embarking on a new campaign trail with a new sales pitch to convince us they are actually listening to us and are going to produce what we want. But what has changed? The Obama administration wasn’t going to do no-bid contracts and yet they gave one to a large campaign contributor until Fox News reported it and then they tabled the contract. What’s up with that?
I watched the President meet with the Republicans, the exchange was less than inspiring. The President told them to bring him ideas and plans and he would consider them. I guess he will but I believe he will never embrace any of them because, contrary to his statement, he is an ideologue. When you need an excuse any excuse will do.
We have the 2011 budget proposal moving towards congress and the net results are the largest deficit in the history of this country, where will we get the money? I predict all of our taxes will rise and we still will have to borrow the majority of the money if we can find lenders. There are tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan and other issues not to mention we already owe them close to a trillion dollars. I don’t see how we can fund this budget without substantial cuts to almost everything. What about the $500 billion in Medicare savings they claimed they could get during the health care debates? Is it no longer possible to achieve those savings? Oh I get it, it is a political issue, you cannot cut Medicare. What about all that waste, fraud and abuse.
We need to reduce all phases of the government budget and not implement new spending programs. Yes, I know this is a simplistic view but it is the way most people approach their own budget, cut what you can, pay what you need to live and do without.

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Glenn Beck Show: The most telling letter written in decades

RodZ — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:03:41 +0000

I wish I could have written this letter. This lady says it better than I ever could!

The following letter read on Glenn Beck’s show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends ….

GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation’s leadership:

“I am a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel theRepublican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer
feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. Instead, we are burdened with Congressional Dukes and Duchesses who think they know better than the citizens they are supposed to represent.

There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you’re willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now.

You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would feel so horribly disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut-job am I? Well, these briefly are the views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I’m not a racist. This is not to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the STIMULUS bill. I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you No, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars. I want the circumvention of our constitutional checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution, and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There are many conflicting opinions and it is too soon for this radical legislation. Quit throwing our nation into politically-correct quicksand.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision that will burden me, my children, and grandchildren. Don’t you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night without even reading it. Slow down! Fix only what is broken — we have the best health care system in the world — and test any new program in one or two states first.

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. More is not better! Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real [Constitutional] obligations. Why don’t you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes — how did they pull that one off? Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census with our taxpayer money. I don’t trust them with any of our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs — and that is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person! Why do you want me to hate my employers? And what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Every company must sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we’ll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. (Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid?) We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let’s have it. Let’s say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please stop trying to manipulate and appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will
only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now. Take a breath. Listen to the people. Slow down and get some input from
nonpoliticians and experts on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed-reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I’m busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not.

It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is needless urgency and recklessness in all of your recent spending of our tax dollars.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold
to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on bringing our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzwords like unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don’t want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we’re morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we’re so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work, pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone… and we are now looking at you.

You have awakened us, the patriotic freedom spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the
polls on voting day to usher you out of office.

We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn’t ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don’t care. Political parties are meaningless to us Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution, and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired.

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