Here is the list of thirty-odd billion dollars (copied from CNN) of things that were cut from the original bailout bill to make the leaner, meaner, Republican-approved stimulus bill:

$55 million for historic preservation

$122 million for new Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters

• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization

• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation

• $30 million for SD salaries

• $100 million for distance learning

• $98 million for school nutrition

• $50 million for aquaculture

• $2 billion for broadband

• $100 million for NIST

• $50 million for detention trustee

• $25 million for Marshalls Construction

• $300 million for federal prisons

• $300 million for BYRNE Formula

• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive

• $10 million state and local law enforcement

• $50 million for NASA

• $50 million for aeronautics

• $50 million for exploration

• $50 million for Cross Agency Support

• $200 million for National Science Foundation

• $100 million for science

• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees

• $4.5 billion for GSA

• $89 million GSA operations

• $50 million from DHS

• $200 million TSA

• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use

• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife

• $20 million for working capital fund

• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement

• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management

• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start

• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity

• $2 billion for HIT Grants

• $600 million for Title I (NCLB)

• $16 billion for school construction

• $3.5 billion for higher education construction

$1.25 billion for project based rental

• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization

• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing

• $40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)

   I'm not exactly sure what some of it is since the descriptions are so vague, but some of the things that were cut absolutely astound me.  I'm appalled and saddened that the Congress of 2008 was totally fine giving billions of dollars to banks (which later used that money to give bonuses to people who had fucked up, and send people on ritzy $400,000 vacations), but our new Congress is not okay with giving $1 billion to Head Start and Early Start.  One billion dollars.  Imagine how many excellent teachers they could attract and retain, how many more children and parents they could reach, how much talent and intellect they could nurture that would otherwise have atrophied, how many intelligent, ambitious, self-sufficient adults one billion dollars could help to shape.  In terms of value, funding early education for the poor is one of the most efficient human capital expenditures a government could possibly make.  If I were an economist or legislator, I would have fought like a madwoman to get lots and lots of money pumped into Head Start; unfortunately, I guess some people don't understand that spending money on teaching low-income kids colors, shapes, the alphabet, counting, sharing, and reading today means NOT spending shitloads more money on their unplanned children, state-appointed public defender, prison upkeep, or parole officer tomorrow.  Me, I'd go for the more humane (and cheaper) first option.  I don't know what the FUCK Congress is thinking. 

   Other absurd cuts include: watershed rehabilitation (Katrina wasn't that bad, you guys!), school construction (hell, a little asbestos might be good for them!), the National Science Foundation (they'll teach kids we came from monkeys!  And use innocent little blastocysts to help cure diseases!  Oh, the horror!), state and local law enforcement (who needs safety?), Project 8 housing (we think cardboard boxes are an equally viable and much less expensive option), and wildfire management (our planet is already warming--what's a little more heat gonna do?  Fuck the forests!).

  I am more than happy to do my bit to fund all of these programs, and I think any responsible citizen would feel the same way.  So why are they being cut?  I understand that the purpose of the bill is to stimulate the economy right now, to free banks from bad debt so that they can resume lending, and to give citizens quick cash so that we can resume spending.  But Obama and Summers were very, very clear that they also wanted to promote long-term growth--and catching kids up to their wealthier and often more-nurtured peers while they're young, feeding them well, preventing the worst consequences of natural disasters, and funding scientific research in our country, which is falling way behind in that regard, are fantastic, worthy ways to do that--so explain to me exactly why the fuck are we not?

I'm disappointed.  I still hope it passes (sans that ridiculous "buy American" clause), but the fact that our legislators don't see fit to increase funding for efficient and effective programs is a sad thing for our country indeed.

 *Updated 2/8:$40 BILLION IN STATE AID???!!!  So they just won't pay unemployment anymore?  Or anything else?  WHAT THE MOTHAFUCK.