Big Easy, Big Bill
President
will aid rebuilding
by Michael Bowyer,
Writer
09.19.05 Congress has passed through 62 billion dollars in emergency funds, including an approved a 51.8 billion dollar relief bill for Hurricane Katrina.
This bill was passed with “extraordinary speed” by a 410-11 vote in the House and a 97-0 vote in the Senate. Spending is estimated to reach
somewhere between 100 billion dollars and 200 billion dollars.
It currently is costing taxpayers around 2 billion dollars a day.
What is guaranteed is that the government, depending on how much money they spend, will be able to take care of the
citizens affected by Hurricane Katrina and restore the affected areas to pre-destruction condition.
Some are wondering where will all the billions of dollars required for this affect the rest of the
country and the arena of politics? Many wonder about the
overall effect on the budget deficit.
Politics
Some conservatives believe this will restore the era of big government and defer the President’s campaign vows.
Republicans are currently proposing different kinds of public health programs, housing, job assistance programs; such as work rules for welfare recipients be lifted and increased unemployment benefits, which are considered the legacies of the Democratic Party.
Some other proposals include federal funds to subsidize law enforcement overtime and “worker recovery accounts” of up to $5,000, a “Gulf Opportunity Zone” offering financial incentives to companies that build in stricken areas, an “Urban Homesteading Act” that offers free government land to homesteaders, and an expanded role of the military in major national disasters.
But the Republicans will be able to use this as an opportunity to press for other legislation they’ve had their eyes on for a while such as school vouchers for storm displaced children, more federal support for “faith based” organizations, and less environmental and labor protection requirements.
Certainly the Democratic Party
wont stand idly by. They have been using Katrina to propose certain legislation of their own that might have failed in otherwise normal times. They are looking to permanently raise welfare and Medicaid payments. Democrats are calling on President Bush to raise taxes; former President Clinton petitioned this on Meet The Press (MSNBC).
One thing is certain: politics and the debate over fiscal responsibility will go on.
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