I have a degree in government and as I read thru the econ stimulus program, I see wonderful, idealistic things that usually trickle down to the powers that be instead of the masses. For example, many people in Southern California love to go to Las Vegas and Las Vegas loves that, so a couple of years ago, they devised a plan for a bullet train, a high speed, levitating, superconductor train that would transport drunk people to and fro from Las Vegas to Anaheim CA. *see maglev
Now, Anaheim is a bit south of L.A. and a bit north of San Diego, but that works. And, mostly twenty-somethings are very prone to attend these weekends in Las Vegas, but heh, Las Vegas is an economic empire unto itself and if you haven't been to Sin City lately, well, you gotta go. There's been an enormous housing boom there and while most of the jobs cater to tourism, its still a boom town. People like the weather, they like the low taxes, and thus far, no income tax, but there are significant 'greater good' issues like water shortages, and piping same from the Colorado river which greatly impedes the water that goes to Southern California.
Som Sen. Harry Reid, (NEV) got his wish and the Econ Stim* plan provides money for that train. well, among other trains, but the package is for $8 billion
*The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1, S. 1) is a federal public law passed by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. Its legislative history had three versions, the first approved by the House of Representatives, a second version approved by the Senate. The final version, a conference version resulting from negotiations of House and Senate leadership was approved by both houses of Congress on February 13, 2009, and signed on February 17 by the President .[1]
* Maglev
The California-Nevada Interstate Maglev project is proposing the construction of a 269-mile Maglev train line from Las Vegas, Nevada to Anaheim, California. The first 40-mile segment was appropriated $45 million in 2005 for the planning phase. This segment would run from Las Vegas to Primm, Nevada, with proposed service to the Las Vegas area's forthcoming Ivanpah Valley Airport. The top speed would be 310 MPH.[1]
The project is being researched seriously, particularly by the German consortium behind the Transrapid, who hope to build it as a demonstration line in the hope of attracting future business; it would be the first long-distance application of Transrapid technology.[1] However, American Magline Group, working with the California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission, has received most of the government funds released so far.
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/
Update, they got a reprieve when they received billions from the econ stim package, thanks to Sen Harry Reid. I think the boom here is the Anaheim police dept. when those drunks get off the train and try to drive home, unless, of course, they have sobered up.
As for the rest of us or them, I'm not sure which:
Department of Defense facilities
Total: $7.03 billion[23]
* $4.2 billion to repair and modernize Department of Defense facilities
* $1.3 billion for medical care for service members and their families
* $890 million to improve housing for service members
* $240 million for new child development centers
* $150 million for the construction of state extended-care facilities
* $150 million for an increase of claims processing staff
* $100 million to improve facilities of the National Guard
Education
Total: $47 billion[23]
* $15.6 billion to increase Pell Grants by $500 to $5,350
* $13 billion for low-income public schoolchildren
* $12.2 billion for IDEA special education
* $2.1 billion for Head Start
* $2 billion for childcare services
* $650 million for educational technology
* $300 million for increased teacher salaries
* $250 million for states to analyze student performance
* $200 million to support working college students
* $70 million for the education of homeless children
Energy
Total: $40.75 billion[23]
* $11 billion funding for an electric smart grid
* $6.3 billion for state and local governments to make investments in energy efficiency
* $6 billion for renewable energy power generation loans
* $5 billion for weatherizing modest-income homes
* $4.5 billion for state and local governments to increase energy efficiency in federal buildings
* $3.4 billion for carbon capture experiments
* $2.5 billion for energy efficiency research
* $2 billion for car battery research
* $500 million for training of green-collar workers
* $400 million for electric vehicle technologies
* $300 million to buy energy efficient appliances
* $300 million for reducing diesel fuel emissions
* $300 million for state and local governments to purchase energy efficient vehicles
* $250 million to increase energy efficiency in low-income housing
Environmental cleanup
Total: $6.9 billion[23]
* $6 billion for the cleanup of radioactive waste
* $600 million to cleanup hazardous waste that threaten health and the environment
* $200 million to cleanup petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks
* $100 million to evaluate and cleanup brownfield land
Government technology improvements
Total: $864 million[23]
* $500 million to update the computer center at the Social Security Administration
* $290 million to upgrade IT platforms at the State Department
* $50 million for IT improvements at the Farm Service Agency
* $24 million to improve security systems at the Department of Agriculture headquarters
Healthcare
Total: $24.1 billion[23]
* $19 billion for health information technology
* $2 billion for Community Health Centers
* $1.1 billion to research the effectiveness of certain healthcare treatments
* $1 billion to fight preventable chronic diseases
* $500 million to train healthcare personnel
* $500 million for healthcare services on indian reservations
Housing
Total: $12.69 billion[23]
* $4 billion for repairing and modernizing public housing
* $2.25 billion in tax credits for financing low-income housing construction
* $2 billion for Section 8 housing rental assistance
* $2 billion to help communities purchase and repair foreclosed housing
* $1.5 billion for rental assistance and housing relocation
* $510 million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing
* $200 million for helping rural Americans buy homes
* $130 million for rural community facilities
* $100 million to help remove lead paint from public housing
Hunger assistance
Total: $20.25 billion[23]
* $19.9 billion for the Food Stamp Program
* $150 million to help refill food banks
* $100 million for meals programs for seniors, such as Meals on Wheels
* $100 million for free school lunch programs
Job assistance
Total: $4.97 billion[23]
* $3.95 billion for job training
* $500 million for vocational training for the disabled
* $400 million for employment services
* $120 million for subsidized community service jobs for older Americans
Other infrastructure projects
Total: $17.355 billion[23]
* $4.6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers for environmental restoration, flood protection, hydropower, and navigation infrastructure projects
* $4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (wastewater treatment infrastructure improvements)
* $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (drinking water infrastructure improvements)
* $1.38 billion for rural drinking water and waste disposal projects
* $1 billion to the Bureau of Reclamation for drinking water projects for rural or drought-likely areas
* $750 million to the National Park Service
* $650 million to the Forest Service
* $515 million for wildfire prevention projects
* $500 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs infrastructure projects
* $340 million to the Natural Resources Conservation Service for watershed infrastructure projects
* $320 million to the Bureau of Land Management
* $280 million for National Wildlife Refuges
* $280 million for the National Fish Hatchery System
* $250 million to improve Job Corps training facilities
* $220 million to the International Boundary and Water Commission to repair flood control systems along the Rio Grande
* $220 million for other public lands management agencies
* $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts to support artists
Other job programs
Total: $5.51 billion[23]
* $4 billion for state and local law enforcement agencies
* $1 billion in preparation for the 2010 census
* $210 million to build and upgrade fire stations
* $150 million for the security of transit systems
* $150 million for the security of ports
Other worker assistance programs
Total: $7.27 billion[23]
* $4.2 billion to provide an additional Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance payment in 2009
* $1 billion to community action agencies
* $1 billion for community and economic development projects
* $500 million to help the Social Security Administration process disability and retirement claims
* $200 million for AmeriCorps programs
* $140 million for independent living communities
* $100 million for food, shelter and support services
* $80 million to the Department of Labor Worker Protection and Oversight agency to enforce worker protection laws
* $50 million in grants for community "safety net" organizations
Scientific research
Total: $17.55 billion[23]
* $8.7 billion to the National Institutes of Health
* $3 billion to the National Science Foundation
* $2 billion to the United States Department of Energy
* $1.3 billion for university research facilities
* $1 billion to NASA
* $600 million to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
* $580 million to the National Institute of Standards and Technology
* $230 million for NOAA operations, research and facilities
* $140 million to the United States Geological Survey
Telecommunications and Digital TV
Total: $7.85 billion[23]
* $7.2 billion for complete broadband and wireless Internet access
* $650 million for DTV conversion coupons and DTV education
Transportation projects
Total: $48.76 billion[23]
* $27.5 billion for highway and bridge construction projects
* $8 billion for high-speed rail projects
* $6.9 billion for new equipment for public transportation projects
* $1.5 billion for competitive grants to state and local governments for transportation investments
* $1.3 billion for Amtrak
* $1.1 billion for improving airport security
* $750 million for the construction of new public rail transportation systems
* $750 million for the maintenance of existing public transportation systems
* $720 million for improving security at the border and ports of entry
* $240 million for the maintenance of United States Coast Guard facilities
Veterans Affairs facilities
Total: $1.05 billion[23]
* $1 billion for the Veterans Health Administration
* $50 million for the National Cemetery Administration
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