$819 Billion Stimulus Passes House. Recovery or Pork?

The new Obama administration gets a first legislative victory with the easy passage of his $819 billion economic stimulus package. However, several questions and controversies plague the bills entry into the Senate. Is it spending the right areas? Will the effects be fast enough? Is that pork I see? Where did Obama's scalpel go?

The final House vote of 244-188 clearly demonstrated that partisan politics has not left Washington DC with the arrival of President Obama. Passing without a single Republican vote for the legislation and 11 dissenting Democrats.

However, Republicans and even some opposed Democrats are citing embedded pork, not partisian politics for their "nay" vote. Lets take a quick look at the items that have raised constituents eyebrows:

• $200 million to rehabilitate the National Mall
• $276 million to fix State Department computer systems
• $650 million to repair Forest Service facilities
• $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts

Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, freshman Congressman Walt Minnick (D-ID) explained that he voted against the bill and his party because it was "Christmas treed" with unnecessary projects that are suspect as to whether they would create jobs.

As the legislation heads to the Senate it is expected to get bigger and more contentious. Well know conservative voices like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Matt Drudge are taking up the fight. Meanwhile, GOP operatives are releasing media blitzes in Democrat leadership, like Harry Reid's (D-NV) backyards.

The victory for the stimulus package seems assured, but the boundaries of partisanship and strong President Obama approval ratings are being tested with this enormous legislative package.