Anyone who thought that hope and change was coming to Washington should already be having their bubble popped. In the current stimulus bill headed to congress for a vote - a stimulus bill that is said to be for jump-starting the economy - is included $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. I have no problems with the National Endowment for the Arts, I love art, but the fact of the matter is that no one in their right mind can argue that giving them $50 million is going to stimulate this economy.

This of course is American's fault. After having the lowest approval rating in history in the last congress, Americans went back to the polls and by and large voted in the same individuals that they were so angry about. Now they are getting more of the same. Some will wonder why. I mean didn't we elect a new president?

Also included in the stimulus bill is $200 million to rehabilitate the national mall. Our leaders in congress couldn't seem to find anything better to spend that $200 million on that would help stimulate the economy more on a national level.

Obama is pushing for all of this hard. On Saturday's radio address he was a pure salesman. And fear is being used to try and trick the American people into supporting this "more of the same". Obama officials are warning that if we don't pass this pork laden stimulus bill that unemployment rates could hit double digits. I'm shaking in my boots. They went around the Sunday morning talk shows spreading this fear far and wide.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting the feeling that change is not coming to Washington anytime soon - as if I felt that was even a remote possibility with the same names in the House and Senate.

All of this pork and "stimulus" is going to add up to a total of more than $2 trillion that you and your children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews will have to pay for. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer that my portion of that $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts went elsewhere - something that would actually stimulate the economy and not just be a handout to an endowment that has seen a downturn in private donations. I guess they're just too big to fail. After all, they are as important as the auto industry that they feared people into supporting.

Now the Congressional Budget Office has done a study of the stimulus package and they say that only 7% of the money slated for infrastructure projects in the stimulus bill would find its way into the economy. House Dems have poo-pooed this study saying they know better. I mean after all the same group has been in charge for almost 3 years and have done such a bang-up job of getting the economy back on track. How dare we question them?

And for all this raping of the money you have paid Washington, they have noted that you too will receive a little kickback. A kickback in the form of $500 per individual that will come straight out of your payroll taxes. In other words, you won't be receiving a check, just that your paycheck will be slightly bigger. How much bigger? Well if you are paid bi-weekly you will be receiving a whole $20 extra every two weeks. Yep! I'm sure that money is burning a hole in your wallet already with all the things you want to spend it on.

Democrats are pointing to a report by Mark Zandi of Moody's who says the bill will create 4 million new jobs. Yes, this is the same Moody's that was giving AAA ratings to banks that were lending sub-prime mortgages and who thought it was a good joke on investors to recommend they put their money into banks on the brink of failure. I wouldn't trust Moody's to babysit your kids. The Democrats would though.

The bill is expected to fly through the House on Wednesday as all the little liberal Democrats line up to vote "Yea" on spending your money on all these non-stimulating project and more. For instance they are also including $2.5 billion to upgrade low-income housing. How that stimulates the economy is beyond me. It sure stimulates all the low-income people who voted for Obama. Maybe that fresh coat of paint was worth their vote.

Also in the bill is $400 million for NASA scientists to conduct climate change research. Really stimulating. I'm all for NASA funding, but put it in a different bill. They are also giving $426 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more facilities. I'm anti-disease, but does this money belong in a "stimulus" bill.

In the end we see no change. Pork is still laden throughout this so called stimulus bill and "the arts" portion is just the most outrageous example in my opinion. Of course no matter what you do, whether it be calling your representative or yelling at the TV, they will pass this thing and you'll like it, because you are just an idiot and they know better.