"We the People" - The American Relief and Recovery Bill and the Housing Industry.
I read with surprise and disappointment the "Recovery Bill" which is supposed to be agreed upon by both the United States Senate and the House written, supposedly, to put those in the unemployment lines back to work, shore up the Housing Industry, bail out the Banks, and stimulate the Economy. Thus far it appears to me that, other than the funding of Rural Housing and multifamily spending, there are no relief measures in sight for the Real Estate Industry or those experiencing financial hardship with payment of their home loans.
In reading the "Bill" http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/RecoveryBill01-15-09.pdf, that is supposed to be agreed upon by the US Senate and House, there is little to no funding for troubled property owners or incentives for potential purchasers of primary residences purchased in 2009 to purchase a home. The Amendment to the Bill to stimulate the Housing Market brought forward by Senators Isakson and Martinez which would have given a $15,000 tax credit to all 2009 purchasers of homes used as their principal residence appears to have been struck.
Where is the promised aid and help for the housing industry? Where is the buy down of the interest rates to refinance homeowners who can't make their current payment and for purchasers of primary residences?
Where are the promised incentives? It also appears a large amount of the money stays in DC rebuilding and or "maintaining" government property - in DC and the various agencies in the Government. This "Bill" as written appears to be about "We the Government" instead of "We the People." It will in fact put some people to work. Doing what; for whom; AND, how many of "The People" will the work actually affect? Special Interest Groups or "We the People?"
It's time we all stand up and SHOUT that we're tired of "pork barrel" spending; we want to know what we are about to purchase, and eventually pay for, and whom we are going to pay it to.
During the election campaign much was said about "the current administration..." and their spending habits. Too much was being spent on special interests and needless add-ons to the bills being passed which did not relate to the bills. The People spoke and said "You're Right. Out with the old and in with the new." However, there are still many of the "old" crew in power and I can certainly see their "special interests" all over this bill.
What happened to those campaign promises to "fix the housing industry?" Or, maybe that was simply the convenient wording at the time; or, maybe it was only their own house they were speaking of. 
Why don't the Senators and Representatives voting in favor of this Bill, as it stands, explain this to the 20% of Realtors who "lost" their job (which of course doesn't show up in the unemployment figure,) or the construction workers, engineers, tradesmen, haulers, and suppliers who now have no work and are losing their homes? How are they going to explain why a Serviceman's home has gone to foreclosure because their family couldn't make the payment and there was no one to go to for aid?
And, why aren't the Members of Congress taking a 10% to 20% reduction in their wages to offset the higher expenses?
It's time for all of us to stand up and SHOUT that we disagree with the current "agreed upon" Bill. Former President Abraham Lincoln won't mind it if we don't have the "Bill" signed before it's a full and complete package.
It's time we remembered that "We the People" are the Stockholders in this Company - our Country. It's time we let our Board of Directors know what we expect of them and hold them accountable for the results of their actions.
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