"Little Tiny, Yes, Porky Amendments"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEfICUoWKBw

Don't read further until you watch the YouTube video above.

You've watched it. Good. Now, is this the "change" that the American people voted for in 2008? The Democratic Party now controls the Presidency and the House of Representatives, and if Norm Coleman's challenge in the Minnesota Senate race fails, they will also control the U.S. Senate.

This video shows Senator Charles Shumer, D-NY telling the Senate Chamber that the American people "really don't care" about the "little, tiny, yes, porky amendments" in the stimulus act. Are you kidding, Senator? How can you describe these amendments as "little" or "tiny"? Like 88 MILLION dollars for a new Coast Guard vessel design? Like a 246 MILLION tax break for Hollywood movie producers? Like 650 MILLION dollars for digital TV converter box coupons? Like 6 BILLION dollars to make federal buildings "green"?!?

In terms of the whole 800+ BILLION dollar stimulus package, on top of the existing 750 BILLION dollar TARP program from last year, hundreds of millions of dollars for individual programs may seem like "little" or "tiny" but in terms of the amount of money that must be collected from all revenue sources like personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, tarriffs, bonds, and the like, this is still a LOT OF MONEY. More importantly I think that somebody needs to remind the Honorable Mr. Shumer that this isn't HIS money. It's not the Federal government's money. It's MY money, YOUR money. It's OUR MONEY!!!!

Is there some reason why the American people can't get a funding package from our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES that doesn't have a bunch of earmarked special pet-project funding? Is that really too >expletive delete< much to ask?