YOUR COMMENTS

Gee, the same Republicans who cheered on 8 years of Bush's criminal and corrupt non-leadership are getting their panties in a wad because they aren't in charge any more. The new "RoadBlock Republican" strategy seems to be obstruct anything and everything to see if they can bring the country to it's knees, pinning their hopes on Obama "failing" i.e. Rush Limbaugh's fantasy. And if the whole country goes down the tubes while they stamp their feet in the detention room, so be it.

Real patriots, those Republicans.
- Tim Seaver, Adamant,VT

Jocelyn Gallant, Salem, NH, could you please explain to all of us why additional entitlement spending for the Disabled or any other group should be included in the rushed "Stimulus" package instead of going through the normal appropriations/committee process?

This is the problem with the Porkulus Bill, its full of pandering bribes for various groups and very little economic stimulus.
- JP, Warner

People with disabilities like myself and my sister and many other will gain the benefit under the stimulus package it it ever gets pass send on the President Desk will sign the bill.

People with disabilities should not be lefted behind when it comes to the stimulus package. People with disabilities like myself and my sister and many other with disabilities needs to have a voice heard.
- Jocelyn Gallant, Salem, NH

Jim from Raymond thinks Americans should stop griping about a paltry Thirty Seven Thousand Million Dollars because its only 4.5% of the 'Stimulus.

My word, we're doomed.
- John II, Manchester

Lets be honest about what this bill is funding.

Its plain to see that it is a Government Expansion/Stimulus bill not an Economic Stimulus Bill.....all at the expense of the taxpayer, our children and grandchildren.

The Fact remains that the Congressional Budget Office came out again last week against the bill stating that it would do more harm longer term while doing little if any good short term.
- JP, Warner

Who knows how to spend your money best: You or someone else? And if you don't think the money the state will receive back won't be a small fraction of what we send out, you're sadly mistaken. The mafia federal government is going to get its cut.

They're acting as if this country is theirs, and we're just visitors. This country was supposed to be a republic, but we've not kept it so.
- Brent, Moultonborough

Richard Davies,
It appears you have very poor math skills and you have obviously not read the bill yourself. You have accounted for roughly 37 billion dollars out of 819 billion (rounded off to the nearest billion to keep it simple for you). The issues you mention accounts for 4.5% of the total bill, nice cherry picking and a spectacular cut and paste. Perhaps you need a few pictures yourself. To be honest I don’t have a problem with the spending you copied and pasted.
Here’s a partial list of where some more of that 819 billion is going
Construction projects: $90 billion
Education: $142 billion
Renewable energy: $54 billion
Medicaid: $87 billion
Unemployment benefits: $43 billion
Middle-class tax cut: $145 billion
Tax cuts for companies suffering losses: $17 billion
Law enforcement: $4 billion
Cobra: $39 billion
Feeding the hungry: $20 billion
Low-income tax cut: $5 billion
Child tax credit: $18 billion

Now, unlike you I’m not going to claim that I’ve read the entire bill however I have taken the time to do a bit of research and applied some critical thinking skills to the issue rather than a simple cut and paste that can be found on hundreds of web sites.
No bill is perfect.
As I see it you’re complaining about 4.5% of the package what about the other 95.5%?
When the bill is complete and we can look at the entire breakdown then we can make an informed decision until then it’s just rhetoric and propaganda.
If the UL wants to do a service to NH they should print a total break down accounting for every cent of the package so we can decide for ourselves.

Until then invest in a calculator your ignorance is showing.
- Jim, Raymond NH

It is sad and scary to read the comments from so many angry, vicious people who are bent on retribution. Before you launch your next attack at folks you think are your enemy, please think twice. And before you do go and read the text of the 900 BILLION DOLLAR bill that Obama says we need and if the Congress doesn't pass because Obama says so, is being irresponsible. Over 700 BILLION is to pay back political favors due, to build bigger bureacracy in Washington or to start all encompassing federal programs that will all but eliminate personal choice or responsibility for self. Is that going to solve our economic problems - is that really what the American people want? I don't think so. Look beyond your anger folks...............you have to or this Country is doomed.
- sandy, thornton

Obama is not fit to run a small town, let alone this great country. All he keeps trying to do is grease his unions and tax evading appointees. I wish us luck.
- Mr.A, Manchester, NH

Dan, Auburn - Good for you. You are the exception rather that the rule. I stand by my statement. If you don't think we have created generations of welfare recipients, you aren't looking.
- Bob H, Londonderry

If Obama is wrong or a liar or lacks leadership or is dishonest or has zero management skill it remains to be seen.

On the other hand Bush is proven to embody all of those things right out of prep school through his business life and on to the Oval Office. The jury is still out about him being the worst, second worst, or third, whatever. There may not be a worst that describes him adequately.

The fact is we have a problem in this country, the people with views like Tom in Campton. Very frustrating to see lies believed as truth, dead talking points resurrected for argument etc. But on the other hand Tom and his are out of power, we are in power.

Patience and humor is required, we just take old Tom with a grain of salt, ho hum whatever you say Tom, sure. After all we do have eight years of our guy ahead of us. My only regret here is that Obama won't come near hurting Tom as badly as Bush has hurt our nation.
- Elizabeth, Wolfeboro

The corrupt, Democrat congress (approval rating in the cellar) is using their popular "sock puppet" in the White House to bankrupt our children and grandchildren.
- Ed MacK, Smithfield, RI

I don't care who you voted for but if you think that this is going to "stimulate" the economy you really need to check into a program.

As I do agree there are several items that need addressing but come on:

-over $400 million for a home land security building
-over $200 million for furniture for the home land security building
-$600 million for government hybrid vehicles

And guess what??? All the buildings and roads and other infrastructure pet projects will need "Local Union" help. Which we all know is several times more expensive than normal skilled labor...Isn't that what's gotten the auto industry into such a pickle, or better yet something closer to home. The Big Dig.

We need some stimulus but stimulate the economy. Not the government...........
- Jim Warbucks, Manchester

You bush loving chickenhawks had no problem with spending almost 1T rebuilding a country we should have never bombed, but the thought of spending 1T to try and jump start an economy killed by 8 years of total mismanagement is such a travesty. Maybe if you hadn't voted for the biggest dunce not once, but twice and then tried to trot out a geriatric anger management poster child to take his place with a complete twit as his back up should he kick the bucket you wouldn't be pulling your hair out now! How about if Obama just ignores the mess, goes on vacation after vacation after vacation and puts on a flight suite and announces mission accomplieshed when his term is up...would that make you cons happy?
- Sid Smith, Merrimack NH

Dick in Gilmanton, Jake in Manchester, what have you guys been smoking? Have you even read any of the stimulus bill or you trusting the media to provide you an honest and truthful summary? I suspect you haven't read any of it since it doesn't have any pictures in it. I find many extreme left Dems are that way.

Let's see, for starters there's the
$50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts
$380 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children program
$300 million for grants to combat violence against women
$2 billion for federal child-care block grants
$6 billion for university building projects
$15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships
$4 billion for job-training programs, including $1.2 billion for “youths” up to the age of 24
$1 billion for community-development block grants
$4.2 billion for “neighborhood stabilization activities” (of which ACORN will receive $5.2 Million)
$650 million for digital-TV coupons
$90 million to educate “vulnerable populations”

And then there's the Stimulus for the Government:

$150 million for the Smithsonian
$34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters
$500 million for improvement projects for National Institutes of Health facilities
$44 million for repairs to Department of Agriculture headquarters
$350 million for Agriculture Department computers
$88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building
$448 million for constructing a new Homeland Security Department headquarters
$600 million to convert the federal auto fleet to hybrids
$450 million for NASA (carve-out for “climate-research missions”)
$600 million for NOAA (carve-out for “climate modeling”)
$1 billion for the Census Bureau

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in any way condoning abuse of women or objecting to Pell Grants and helping the Smithsonian, but this is SUPPOSED to be a JOB CREATION STIMULUS PACKAGE! Other than the administrative side of the house, how many jobs do you really think all this spending is going to create? And the real cost is to our children and grandchildren since they will have to pay this all back.

Seriously guys, do some research before you post drivel like that. It just make you look stupid!
- Richard Davies, Manchester

Mike Lane - How can you with a straight face make comments like "No Obama bashing thread is complete until Tom from Campton double posts his hatred for all things Obama''? Let's change "Obama" to "Bush" and "Tom from Campton" to "Mike Lane from Manchester" and omit the "double posts" reference in your quote from Tom's post. That would sound like you talking, now, wouldn't it?
I do appreciate your posts (no sarcasm here) since you've toned down the ad hominem attacks and most insults, and, as you know, I don't agree with most of what you say, yet I read them, if only because to win any war, military or ideological, one has to know what the enemy is thinking.
- Guy Plante, Manchester

In answer to the question regarding support for the porkulus plan, and I am not sure whether the UL will print URL's here but here's your link:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/economic_stimulus_package/support_for_stimulus_package_falls_to_37

Only 37% now support the plan (overall - not just Republicans) and this support is dropping each day. Americans DO NOT support massive spending increases and fortunately, the remaining Republicans in the House don't either. It appears the Senate GOP is getting their act together as well. But, go ahead Dems, pass the plan. Go ahead! It will assuredly be a complete disaster just like the first 3 weeks of the Obama hope-and-change administation.


Vote GOP 2010.
- Mark, Amherst

I find it amusing when people quote poll results as if it is the gospel truth....reality is probably only 1000 to 1500 people were surveyed for the poll. The US population is about 303,824,640 (July 2008 est.)...tell me, how are 1500 people even close to 303,000,000??? Additionally, how the data is presented is easily manipulated. Please make sure you do your research before discussing poll results.
- Dawn, Manchester

After reading most of what everyone wrote I have to laugh. All the Democrats here say that it is Bush's fault and that he is the sole reason that we are in this mess. Then when Republicans blame Obama for flip flopping (Even though he may not be cause he can veto this) the Democrats say that it is the Republican Sen. and Cong are the ones that have the say in it and messed things up as well.
OK CIVICS 101. ALL THE SEN AND REPS have made this mess. We can not say it is only a presidents fault. Both parties got us in this cause OUR state reps in DC have FAILED us all. Not Republicans or Democrats and not a president. We have checks and balances for a reason.
"WE THE PEOPLE of THE UNITED STATES" need to stand up and be heard. We need both parties so that we the people that pay the bill get treated better.
History shows the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor and the middle class pays the bill.

We have been dealing with the middle east since Carter and it is something that will never go away. We need to make sure that those of us that work every day and try to save to retire at a suitable age have a 401k that isn't gone. Wake up people of the middle class. Vote better. DAMN
- rt, Manchester

Many of those who ended up voting for Obama did so for the following: frustration with Bush, the lingering Iraq war, high gasoline prices, a poorly regulated banking sector, or worse for the celebrity and or historical significance of the Obama campaign.
The American people did not vote for old has beens from the Clinton administartion, tax evaders, lobbyists, porkulus, or the Palosi crowd socialist agenda.
King Obama thinks that we should all shut up and just accept what he describes as a stimulus package. He has become used to glorification in all that he does from a blind arrogant left leaning media.
Now the rest or the sheeple are becoming aware what the conservatives were concerned about with this man from the beginning.
He plans to reshape America to rectify what he perceives to be all the historical social injustices that no longer exist.
This plan is designed to accomplish one major goal and it is not to benifit the people of the USA, but rather to solidify the power of the democrat party elite in Washington.
If this monstrosity passes, the people should enage in civil disobedience and stop paying taxes.
- Vincent Caruana, Bedford NH

Once again, the Union Liar gets it wrong. Less than 1% of this total bill consists of the "pork" that this article decries. The rest actually does go to programs that are time-proven to stimulate economic activity, including education and infrastructure. And yes, Brian, I can seriously and honestly state that the Bush administration wasted hundreds of billions of your tax dollars on illegal and unnecessary wars that made us much LESS safe, not more. That's not my view, that's the view of hundreds of retired generals and military and diplomatic analysts who decry where we have gone as a nation in the past 8 years. Unless you believe Dick Cheney's utter nonsense, there is no way you can't be more upset with Mr. Bush's greed, fraud and waste than you possibly could with this bill. He is the one responsible for this mess, along with his deregulating buddies, not the new administration. Get your facts straight!
- Dick, Gilmanton

$900 billion to create 3 million "temporary" jobs....in other words, a bandaid on the last 6 months, and a lifetime of paying it off. This is NOT a stimulus, it's a liberal agena trojan horse playing on the fears of Americans, who think that "anything is better than the last 8 years"....without looking closely at the facts. This bill is a disaster, however, I welcome it, becasue it will spell the demise of the liberals before thier mid-term elections, and virtually eliminate any possibility of a second term by the annointed one. We were promised transparency and accountability by our new leader. How's that going? We were told in his inaugural address "we reject fear", yet if we don't pass this bill by Friday, "we're doomed". Get the popcorn, folks, this is gonna be fun to watch!!!
- Bob, Hampstead

The Democrats will prevail, thank goodness, and the Republicans will not. The November election repudiated the failed Republican policies that got us into this mess. Now it's time to get underway. President Obama has been in office for two and a half weeks and he's already done more good than Bush in eight years.
- ed, londonderry

Democrats, if this pork bill described as a stimulus bill is so great, then pass it.

You have the House, the Senate and The Presidency.

You do not need one Republican to pass this bill.

Calling Republicans obstructionist to this bill is a stretch from reality. The true obstructionist are the few sane Democrats, know as blue dogs, holding this thing up.

The House had eleven of them that voted against it. I'm sure there are a few Democrats in the Senate who will do likewise if they don't trim the pork.
- Michael Hexel, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.

Bob H. (Londonderry),

I must take exception to your comment:

"Welfare checks never created anything more than more generations of welfare recipients"

When I was twelve years old, my mother left my father (for a second time) after the physical and psychological abuse got too intense to bear. For the ensuing years, my mother worked at low-paying jobs, walked and took the bus, and did her best to provide for my brother and me. She made sure we had clothes, food and that we went to school. We never had a lot, but we had enough, in part, due to several government "welfare" programs.

Today, I am employed in high tech and my brother is a teacher. Neither one of us received a nickel in "welfare" after we finished our education and entered the workforce. Together, I calculate that we have paid in taxes about 150 times the money we received as a family on "welfare".

Your generalizing comment is ignorant and a gross insult to those of us who needed the support graciously provided by the citizens of the US via the government. Perhaps more importantly to you, a fiscal analysis of my case study shows that "welfare" that I received was a great investment by the government.
- Dan, Auburn

No Obama bashing thread is complete until Tom from Campton double posts his hatred for all things Obama. A good rule of thumb is that if Tom from Campton and the Union Leader are against it, then it's probably good for America. A Gallup poll released yesterday reports that public support for stimulus for the stimulus package remains unchanged at 52%. These figures are nearly identical to Gallup polling last week, just before the bill passed in the House, and are in line with public support in early January. 70% of Democrats nationwide favor the plan and 18% oppose it. Among Republicans, 24% are in favor and 72% are opposed, so it's clear who the obstructionists are.

A Gallup poll released today shows the president's 65% job approval rating in Feb. 2-4 Gallup Poll Daily tracking is roughly the same as it's been throughout his time in office. Not surprisingly, the majority of those surveyed who say they now have less confidence in Obama identify themselves as Republicans. So a great number of those who claim to be affected in a negative way probably didn't have any confidence in Obama to begin with. Let them drown in their own crocodile tears.

The Union Leader and Tom from Campton cherry pick polls to deceive the American people. Electing Republicans to run our government is like hiring a carpenter who believes hammers are the problem. I'm not surprised to learn that Drew Cline is to blame for most of the bile printed on these pages. There's a reason why no one reads his blog.
- Mike Lane, Manchester

I am not surprised. Obama wants the government involved with everything. So of course he wants tons of money to go for Federal programs. What was not mentioned was the absurd amount of money going for STD education!! Are you kidding me? I don't like this guy, and am quite upset he was voted into office.
- Maggie, manchester

As usual the progressive, populist, leftist, liberals are spouting off about how bad the economy was for the last 8 years. Were you people on crack for that whole time? Where's your economic proof to back it up? Actually, you managed to pull the same backdoor things that were done to 41. Using a Barney Frank and Chris Dodd financial "crisis" to assume power in Washington. If you latte drinkers would pay more attention to reality and less attention to the airheads in the MSM, the country might save itself from becomng the United Socialist States of America.
- Michael, Epping

Any one that supports this bill is doing nothing but supporting their "side" of the fence. This bill could be cut by 50% and still do the same amount of stimulating to the economy that it is going to do at $922 billion.
For those of you supporting this bill; please take the time to read it or at least get educated on it. Now is no the time to support "the cause" just because.
- Jesse, Orford

How could anyone here be surprised? Obama has not the leadership skills to be president; he's lied all through his campaign about Rev White and Bill Ayers. He promised his stimulus plan would not contain wasteful pork spending and we’re seeing how that promise is coming along. He promised change yet the majority of his cabinet is made of former Clinton appointees. Again I ask, how can anyone be surprised?
- Rob, Manchester

Jill in Nashua---can you honestly sit there and say that the previous administration did not keep us safe from another attack? George Bush has been blamed for a lot of things, some are fair criticism, and some are not.

You can't seriously tell me that the "waste of billions" (which by the way is a small % of the amount spent on this socialist stimulus package) did not keep us safe. There were at least 3 credible threats on this country after 9/11 that were squashed by Bush's national security team.

Open your eyes and recognize the facts. If you don't like Bush, that's fine, but the fact here is, 0 attacks on the United States since 9/11/01. War is ugly--get over it. We're not going to Iraq or Afghanistan to serve tea and crumpets. There's a job to be done, and that job is to keep our country safe from extreme terrorists.

God bless our men and women in uniform, and thank you for all you do.
- Brian, Concord

1. Obama thinks $800 billion is the number
2. The Congress thinks $920 billion is the number
3. The Senate trying to cut $90 billion from the number
4. This UL editorial lists stuff adding up to $22 billion (2.4% waste) and $79 for Education (clearly a waste?)

A bipartisan committee headed by Susan Collins, R of Maine, and Ben Nelson, D of Nebraska, in the Senate working on cutting this bill down is expecting to cut:
1. $40 billion in state aid
2. $14 billion in education programs
3. $4.1 billion federal building repairs and
4. lots of other small relatively small amounts.

As I have stated in these posts before, I think nothing should be spent. Federal government should be shrunk and taxes cut, but no taxes should be cut while debt increases. If we are bound to spend, I think it’s much better spent making federal building more energy efficient, law enforcement, NASA, National Science Foundation, environmental cleanup (superfund sites), and education, than to ensure shareholders of banks don’t lose as much money as they would otherwise, that bank bonus continue to be paid out, that privately held AIG does not go out of business, etc.
- Peter Sorrentino, Manchester

What really bothers me is the fear tactics the Congress and the pres are using - if we don't act...

Well I have one question. Isn't this what they said when they were trying to pass the 700B earlier? Tey predicted doomsday if they did not act. Wasn't that supossed to fix the problems?

Things have not improved since passing the first bill, so why are we dedicated to pass the first one?

I hate how each senator has to put in his piece of the pie - this is how gov't is broken - they have to tinker with each bill so that things pass that never should.
- Chris, Bedford

I love the title of this piece... three weeks in and the UL is painting Obama as a failure. I think it's great to see the UL throw aside their personal political agenda and show some journalistic integrity. I'm so used to seeing right wing propaganda but today I am refreshed. Blah!
- Holden, Manchester

A stimulus package should do just that - stimulate the economy into growth. While this current package may produce jobs in the short-term (nearly any spending will) there is nothing long-term that is going to prevent us from being in the same position a few years down the road. Rather than "stimulating" the economy it seems more likey that our elected representatives (both house and senate) are using this to fund "pet projects" that they couldn't get passed in the normal way.
- Dan Goewey, Rome NY

Mike Lane quotes me using words I did not write. In fact, the quote is from John McCain (whereas I voted for Libertarian Bob Barr). Lane's point is--well, there is no point; it is caricature, ridicule, and name-calling, as it is every day. What I did write, this morning, called Obama's arguments lies, to which I offered specific counterarguments. Lane does not rebut them; readers should note that one side to most debates in this blog uses reason and the other mostly tries to ruin our day and hope we go away.

Is the economy fundamentally sound? Yes, as the (private) economy operates through voluntary trade, in which both traders believe they are better off than before. If the economy starts to be determined by involuntary commerce (whether under Bush/Paulson or Obama), it will be as unsound as was Soviet Russia.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Sorry Obamabots, the vast majority of American do not support Obama's fradulent "stimulus" bill. For example, Rasmussen found on Wednesday that only 39% of Americans support it.

JC - your mistake is that you equate 'work' with 'job'. I'll give you 'work' cutting my lawn with nailclippers - is that a job?
- Tom, Campton

Not only is the bloom off of the rose, but Obama has jumped the shark. This "stimulus" bill is a fraud so outrageous that 2.5 weeks into his term Obama has lost the support and respect of the American people due to his fear-mongering in support of it.

His performance last night only served to dig him deeper, where he used taxpayer $$$ to fly on Air Force One to a taxpayer-funded retreat for House Dems in order to give a campaign-style speech to a fawning audience.

Pathetic. Outrageous. Everything about Obama is staged, fake, all style and no substance. Should we be surprised that his "stimulus" bill shares the same qualities?
- Tom, Campton

A stimulus package should be direct to the cause - and not the causes as a means to an end. Sen. Collins said it best when she said that a number of items in the stimulus bill should go through normal legislative channels and not the grab-you-shorts-and-run opportunity currently presented. What both sides are bellying up for is a way to circumvent the process under the title "stimulus" and "catastrophe" - and we're all eating it up.
- Elle, Manchester

According to Spike " the fundamentals of our economy are strong." This editorial and right wingers commenting believe in the same old tired policies that got us into this mess. Well, the voters have rejected the Republican idea of tax cuts for the rich. We have tried those policies for the last 8 years and that's how we got into this mess. The GOP needs to do a lot better than just being the Party of "no."

The GOP is standing against this because they see no downside to not supporting it. If it works Democrats will get credit. If we do nothing then they can use it against Democrats in the upcoming midterms. The GOP has a vested interest in seeing to it that Obama and America fails. So the GOP mantra has become obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. Too bad they never thought to obstruct George Bush. Interesting that GOP Governors have broken with their party and are supporting the Stimulus Bill. And yes, it is a spending bill - for the uneducated that's what a stimulus bill is, duh. That's the whole point.

Contrary to the assertions in the article, the vast majority of Americans are NOT against this. Only the vast majority of the lockstep Republican obstructionists are against it. They have nothing to offer except tax cuts for the rich. Tax cuts don't fix bridges, tax cuts don't pay teachers salaries, tax cuts don't balance state budgets. To the GOP I say, have fun in your continued march into a regional party status. America is moving forward without you and your tired old smoke and mirrors trickery. So long snake oil salesmen. You lost.
- Mike Lane, Manchester

After the last eight years we are supposed to listen to Karl Rove? The guy should be blogging from a federal penitentiary!

Well, UL aside, the bill will pass.

The hard right will be losing much of their power.

Wall Street won't be able to hide behind GOP skirts any longer.

Obama will be reelected to a second term.

All this in the face of Union Leader obstructionist whining.

GOP is in a sorry state of denial. As any koolaid junkie will tell you, it's not the koolaid that kills you, it's the denial.
- Tom Labrie, Rochester

To Jake's and Leon's dismay, most Americans are smart enough to see that the stimulus bill as currently written is jam-packed with out-of-control spending that targets neither job creation nor economic growth. Far too much of the proposed dollars will do nothing but fatten the Dems' beloved bureaucracies and pay off corrupt public-employee unions. Take out the crazy, useless spending, and the bill will sail through the Senate and conference committee.
- Rick, Portsmouth

Man, Does this paper favor the right a little? Come on! Three weeks of Obama, ready to crucify in this editorial. Eight years of Bush policies did us all a great deal of good. Give the guy a chance. By the way, who is the author of this editorial?

*** Editor's note: Editorials in the Union Leader, and in nearly every other newspaper, are unsigned because they represent the common viewpoint of several people. On occasion, Publisher Joseph McQuaid signs a front-page editorial. Drew Cline writes the majority of the editorials. ***
- Justin Pike, Portsmouth

Jake, Dulton. The republicans want tax cuts for tax payers. How is a payment to someone that does not pay taxes qualify as a tax cut. Also it is those filthy rich people that actually stimulate the economy by creating jobs. Welfare checks never created anything except generations of more welfare reicpients.
- Bob H, Londonderry

JC from Bradford, Actually I don't think Manchester NH has ever had a terrorist attack. What a pathetic point. You should be more afraid of a Tim McVie type than a Osama. Lets see here......We went to Iraq for WMD.....Then to Liberate the Iraqi people ...now fight them there rather than here. Talk about drinking kool-aid. Iraq is done..........we lost and we cant afford to stay there. Period! Get over it. Stop acting like a mouse, think for youself. I promise you wont be attacked in Bradford NH "snicker".
- Jake, Manchester

This just proves that in a democracy we get the Government we deserve. Vote them all out of office!
- Frank, Manchester

jc, bradford

Attacked here since 911? You are deluded. We would have hardly been attacked in Iraq, never mind here, if Bush's idiot Medal of Freedom recipient Paul Bremer hadn't disbanded the Iraqi army the minute we invaded the place and CREATED the large part of the insurgency.

Bush prevented nothing whatsoever, nada. He utterly mismanaged the reconstruction in Iraq, wasting billions without so much a second thought. This is why he's hiding like a coward in Texas. Maybe you need to go join him there!
- Jill, Nashua

I am sure that the president has noticed this bill is being twisted. I will bet he saw it going another way. Step back and let the man work. Even for an insider the realities of the president's office mean that he has inherited the deals made by the last administration and must abide by them. It is the Congress and Senate that must be reined in by us. Time for us to get to work - the president cannot do it all by himself. Time for advanced civics, people!
- Joe Mixon, Stratham

The items listed ARE infrastructure (improvements to federal buildings etc) and or will create jobs. Superfund cleanup, science research both sound proper to me. What do you expect them to do, build a forty lane highway from Nowhereville Texas to East Pimple Utah? That's what the GOP would do.

Karl Rove in the Wall Street Journal? That's hilarious, the Journal agreed with Bush on most things. Foolishness to listen to that proven liar. A "Rasmussen Report" ? Oh boy that's important!

UL is just obstructionist as per usual, nothing in this op-ed worth wrapping fish in.
- Robbie, manchester

Mark from Amherst- Please post your documentation of the vast majority of Americans who are against this... by the way i thinks ome of the stuff is wrong as well. But we all know what the R's are really up to...
- fred, alton

Virtually everything I see mentioned in the editorial requires that work be done by someone. Isn't funding work going to create jobs? We've tried the "tax cut" route for 8 years and while I'm sure the people on Wall St with their 6 figure bonuses appreciate getting a tax cut for screwing us blind, but for most Americans it hasn't worked. The Republicans cling to the "take care of the rich and the rich will take care of you" mantra and we now can see that it's the biggest Ponzi scheme this side of Madoff. It's time for a different approach.
- JC, Newfields

JC, "Dear", any story sounds true until someone tells the other side, but then you're not willing to open your ears anyway - seems like this shoe fits you too.
I totally agree that there is way too much spending in this "stimulus" package and I sincerely hope that some of it is eliminated before it gets passed, but at least the details are right there for us to plainly see, unlike the behind the doors spending of the previous administration.
- Molly W, Manchester

Did anyone catch C-SPAN last night while Sen. Tom Coburn was offering an amendment to eliminate any part of the "plan" that were for munsumes, parks....well, just about everything in the plan?
Between Glenn Beck and CPSAN Americans really should undertsand this is not about economic recovery. In fact there are people commenting right here in The NH U L today that have better ideas than those in D.C.
Saturday 8:05-noon wezs.com to discuss this fiasco - no make that Obama's Fraud!
bnyoung@metrocast.net
- Niel Young, Laconia

Just goes to show who wears the pants in the Obama administration - and it isn't Obama!
- R, Raymond

Would anyone just point out where the change is in all this? All I keep hearing is Obama and others using scare tactics to get us all to step in line and let them spend us into poverty. Make this spending bill open to the public for review so we can see where the money is going. If that is asking too much then we are not be represented in an honest fashion. Change for me will mean no more blind faith in our leadership.

All we hear about are the evil business people but it is congress who gave them the money with no accountability attached. If they have shown they can not be trusted then why has no one been held accountable? Why is no one in congress accountable? There are plenty of good business leaders we could give low interest loans to in order to create jobs and maybe even build some manufacturing plants for those of us seeking a job. The only jobs I keep hearing about are government and union and those require tax dollars to keep afloat.
- Ross, Derry

If my elementary school math serves me, 5% of 819 billion is about $40 billion for infrastructure improvements. That is still a significant amount invested in our country.

As far as the rest of the spending, every one of the categories outlined in this editorial will absolutely create jobs. $12 billion spent on building and upgrading federal buildings is $12 billion going to construction workers, suppliers, contractors etc. in the United States, perhaps some of the most affected people in this economic downturn. $150 million for rural law enforcement is $150 million going to new police officers in the United States. $25 million for tribal alcohol abuse treatment programs is $25 million going to counselors in the United States. Clean water, arresting child pornographers, cleaning up environmental disasters are all needed and worthwhile programs, not pork, and every one of those dollars will put people to work and make our country better. Just because a great deal of money is being spent does not make the projects it supports pork barrel spending.
- Andy, Candia

A Rasmussen Reports poll ...this is how you supposedly legitimize your conversation..A Faux news classic that had McCain LEADING by 2% the day before the Election.
Rasmussen polls were another attempt by conservatives to to try to keep the electorate thinking they were voting with the majority and not get disenfranchised.
Funny how only Faux News, Manchester union leader and the confederate review use this polling service.
Perhaps we need to try lessair faire goverment, trickle down economics or SHOCK AND AWE baby....
- bob, Nashua

Jake, dear, has your neighborhood had a terrorist attack? Without $ spent to fight the war on terror on THEIR soil, bet your bottom dollar we would have been attacked in the US after 9/11. Many other countries have experienced terrorist attacks, eh? Money spent to fight in Iraq or anywhere else other than the US won't matter once you and your neighborhood get blown up, then if you're still alive, you just might "get it" and correctly interpret that Repubs are not "whining." While it's not highly publicized, there have been how many twarted terrorist attacks on the US since 9/11? 28+...Bush kept us safe; Obama is not as tough on terror and thinks he can reason w/a terrorist in Iran who places no value on human life like we do here in the US. You'll see the light once Obama's messianic complex and his uninformed, blinded by love, followers turns us into a socialistic society and you, too, have your freedoms taken away :) God bless our military for keeping us safe! You watch too much left-wing, liberal, dishonest news who only tell one side of every story. Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side, Jake, but then you're not willing to open your ears anyway.
- jc, bradford

The Republicans want more tax cuts for the rich. The Democrats want to spend money on things that have nothing to do with stimulus.

Keep the tax cuts as they are, cut out the frivolous spending. Sign the bill. Why is that so hard?
- Thad, Dalton

So paying people to clean up superfund sites, or to construct whatever is needed to provide clean water in triabl areas will, according to karl Rove et al, have no stimulating effect on the economy. But pouring Billions of dollars into the pockets of corrupt Iraqis and Afghanis over the past several years was apparently sound fiscal policy.

I know that, in the dire economy they created and bequeathed to the Obama administration, Rove et al must be finding it hard eek out an existance, but this fiction writing exercise is getting tedious.

A profound apology for the last 8 years followed by a dignified silence while the grown ups try and clean up the mess would be appreciated.
- Leon, Manchester

Hey Jake - bad news for you and the "sit down and shut up" crowd. This isn't just Republicans opposed to this pig of a spendulus bill - it's the vast majority of Americans. Soon this Democrat pork-fest will have lower poll numbers than George W Bush. The election is ancient history. The Republicans are now on the side of the vast majority of Americans regarding this ridiculous legislation. And in 2010, you will look back on November 2008 as your high point. It's all downhill from here.
- Mark, Amherst

To counter Obama's lies: (a) We are not in a national crisis, we are in a deep recession caused by government promoting unsustainable borrowing. We come out of recessions with or without government "packages." (b) The bill will not "create jobs." It will transfer jobs to Washington, replacing satisfying the customer with serving the needs of politicians. If figures are to be believed, it may extinguish 2 or 3 private-sector jobs for each job it lets Obama say he created. The only macroeconomic goal our legislators are pursuing is that the dollar amount must outdo Bush's bailout. It is inconceivable that this irrational process will help the country. Even arbitrary goals like "going green" should wait until individuals see a financial payback from doing so.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

To Carol Shea Polosi, In writing to me in a response to my letter to you that and I quote,"Although this legislation is not perfect, I support it because it will rebuild our economy by making investments that will create jobs,modernize our schools and repair our roads and bridges" It will do none of that. If you had taken a moment to actually read the bill and offer up amendments, you would have being doing the people of the 1st NH Congressional district a good deed. Instead you decided to march in lock step with Nancy Polosi. That's right, you always vote with her because she is always right. You need to start representing us here in NH and stop being a stooge for the Madame of San Francisco. Lest I remind you and all the readers you will be up for election in a short time and I promise you, you will be made accountable for your vote.
- Joseph Santaniello, Kingston,NH

It does my heart good to listen to Republican whining. 7 years of pouring money into Iraq etc and suddenly they worry about money? Democrats won this election . Listening to the Republicans point of view at this point in time is the worst thing President Obama can do. After the mess they have made they should just shut up, watch, and learn (if that's possible "snicker").
- Jake, Manchester