Mike Dunford was a graduate student in the Department of Zoology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he studied evolution. Life as an army spouse has since moved him on to Pensacola, where he's currently trying to figure out what to do next. While he's doing that, he writes stuff here, although not usually in the third person. He's also a contributer to Representative Tom Coburn (R-OK) has submitted the following amendment to the stimulus bill:
None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available under this act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, arts center, or highway beautification project, including renovation, remodeling, construction, salaries, furniture, zero-gravity chairs, big-screen televisions, beautification, rotating pastel lights, and dry heat saunas.
This is not a good amendment, even if we completely ignore the worst of the asshattery.
First of all, fixing things like community parks and other public areas is the kind of thing that tends to involve lots of actual people doing actual work. The last time I checked, actual people doing real work were usually paid money to do those jobs.
Second, barring money from going to zoos and museums will mean that scientists at zoos and museums will quite possibly be ineligible for funding under the science portions of the bills. And, yes, quite a bit of actual research is done at museums and zoos.
So, please, contact your Senators and ask them to vote down this amendment. And contact them soon, because the amendment could be voted on any time now.
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Here's what I sent to my Maryland senators:
While the spirit of such an amendment is no doubt to avoid spending stimulus money of silly things that most Americans wouldn't support, such a list would do considerable harm. Scientists who have museum and zoo affiliations might not be able to be involved with any stimulus related spending. And does the amendment mean that all highway improvements under the stimulus bill must be ugly? It could certainly be read that way.
I am hopeful that a productive stimulus bill can be worked out with cooperation between Republicans and Democrats. Proposed amendments like this are not a step in that direction. I hope that this amendment will be swiftly voted down.
Posted by: BaldApe | February 5, 2009 7:00 PM
There is a plaque at Penn Park in Whittier, CA that says something like: WPA 1936
Seems to me like a pretty good return on investment.
Posted by: KeithB | February 5, 2009 7:48 PM
A partial explanation of (this particular example of) Coburn's looniness can be found at http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/what-does-tom-coburn-have-against-rotating-pastel-lights.php ...
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | February 5, 2009 10:30 PM
I missed this yesterday, but I happy to see that it was voted down with only one vote in favor. Even Sen. Coburn didn't vote for it. What a waste of time.
Posted by: Marmaduke | February 6, 2009 9:41 AM
I'm particularly put out over the exclusion of zero gravity chairs from the benefits of the stimulus package. I've had one on order for months but the manufacturer keeps coming up with excuses. I was counting on the stimulus package to grease the skids and put the ZGC in my home yesterday Why the last minute delay?
After all, if you throw enough money at a problem you're bound to solve it, right?
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | February 8, 2009 10:02 PM