Senate OKs $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill

(AP)  The Senate has passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that includes budget increases for vast areas of the government.

The measure, a year-end package that covers about half of all federal programs, goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. The Senate vote was 57-35 on Sunday.

The bill includes about $650 billion in mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Democrats, who supplied most of the votes, say the spending increases were needed to meet the needs of a recession-hit nation.

Looming in the week ahead is a separate spending package to encourage growth in the job market.

Republicans assailed the new spending in the face of mounting federal deficits.

[justdatrooth]

Wow!!! This little community organizer sure knows how to spend, spend and spend some more!!!!

[justdatrooth]

Obamie's nose is growing faster than Pinnochio's.

[cbs_tom]

Rather than balancing the budget or working within the budget, we go and get another loan. This seems to follow the trend of many homeowners who have filed for bancruptcy. In order to get through a recession or depression, we need to cut back and pay the debts until we are fiscally balanced. It is the responsibility of our government and we the people to do this. It is odd during a time in which has been called the worst since the last, we want to increase our debt with new programs which will cost us more. Is the real aim here to get us back on track or to change society as a whole? Is it best to teach one to become independent and self reliant or to teach them how to become reliant upon the government to meet each of our needs? Independence is what makes a country great, not enslavement to those who think what is best for us. Reconcilliation of debt or riddence of it starts at home. We love our country and way of government, but let it not control every aspect of your life.

[starving1968-1]

by ffoulkes-2009 December 14, 2009 8:25 AM EST
Healthcare 'reform' will just increase that to 1.2 trillion or more for government paid medical.






And the source of this information can be found..... where exactly?

[ffoulkes-2009]

do the math for yourself for once.

[starving1968-1]

In other words you lied, I called you on it, you can't back up your Fox News inspired lies and BS, so you attempt to turn YOUR lie into MY responsibility?

Yeah, that says a lot about YOUR credibility.

[rightbehind]

Most people don't understand what pork is. While there is some I would consider waste the majority is actually public works projects. More than 99% of it. Things like improved infrastructure, libraries, good scientific research, etc. This money more 99% actually spent on the people who pay the taxes rather than the wealthy and military. I would like to have post lights for my neighborhood. Pass the pork please!

[ffoulkes-2009]

Wow...and this is just HALF the budget for this year!!! Holy smoke!

[starving1968-1]

"The bill includes about $650 billion in mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid."





And you STILL don't think that health care needs to be reformed?!?!

[ffoulkes-2009]

Healthcare 'reform' will just increase that to 1.2 trillion or more for government paid medical.

[Stevenapoli7]

OMG, government hand outs are huge.

[guest173]

don't think that just because they call themselves christian that they know what a christian really is, the bible says many are hypocrits, even christian leaders, they don't practice what they preach (a lot of churchgoers don't read the Bible to learn what Jesus said). so don't be mistaken thinking politicians who call themselves christians, or even televangelists, are really christians like the bible talks about (the bible even says many church leaders are hypocrits, they are the kinds who went and crucified Jesus too, the church leaders).

[gbotherwick]

It's also depressing the Americans have learned nothing from their own history.

They - especially the Christian right - use their view of their history to warp their view on just about everything.

For "uranitwit"'s benefit, your founding fathers took pains to ensure that religion did not interfere in the constitutional development of the American state.

But I guess that is an inconvenient truth.

[gbotherwick]

Oh dear, the Christian right is out in force and, like the Catholic Church, is resisting anything that smacks of progress for humankind.

Even Americans - dare I say it - are entitled to a fair distribution of wealth and decent health care.

These "Christians" must be the Wall St denomination.