[StBernard] Open Letter on the 'Stimulus' to Congress and the President

[Westley Annis]

An Open Letter to the Congress
and the President of the United States


For the last 35 years, educators and analysts at The Heritage Foundation
have been intimately involved in the nation's great public policy debates.
In all that time, we have never encountered legislation with such
far-reaching and revolutionary policy implications as the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act currently before Congress. And never have we seen a
bill more cloaked in secrecy or more withdrawn from open public exposure and
honest debate.

In addition to being the single most expensive bill ever proposed, this
measure calls for a massive expansion of the federal government's reach into
the day-to-day life of virtually every citizen, business and civic
organization in the nation. That, in itself, should be the subject of an
extensive public conversation and thoughtful debate. Instead, we have seen
Congressional leaders schedule snap votes on a 1,434-page bill that no
one-repeat, no one-has had a chance to read in its entirety, much less
digest and deliberate.

This bill has been advertised as an economic stimulus bill-despite the fact
that the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will actually weaken our
nation's long-term economic growth. While the stimulative utility of the
bill is, at best, questionable, it would unquestionably rewrite the social
contract between the American people and their government. For example:

*	The bill reverses the bipartisan and highly successful welfare
reforms of 1996 and drastically expands the welfare state. For instance, it
will start rewarding states for adding people to their welfare rolls, rather
than for helping them find gainful employment. And contrary to
long-established practice, it will entitle able-bodied adults without
children to receive cash assistance. 
	 
*	It does extreme violence to the concept of federalism-bailing out
states that have spent irresponsibly at the expense of taxpayers in states
that have been fiscally prudent. 
	 
*	It greatly shifts the responsibility and power over health care
delivery and decision making from individuals to government. Among other
things, it would create a new federal health board to decide which medical
services are "effective" in America, paving the way for government
effectively to overrule the clinical decisions of private physicians. 
	 
*	It deliberately censors religious speech and worship on school
campuses by prohibiting use of any "stimulus" funds for facilities that are
used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school of divinity. 

The list goes on. These and similar provisions will mean fundamental changes
in our society. In many instances, the bill would establish policies that
directly challenge widely held American values.

We are appalled that Congress is even contemplating such profound changes
with so little openness and due diligence. In the past, major policy changes
in our welfare system, or health care, or trade policies, etc., were always,
quite properly, preceded by extensive public conversation and full debate.
That is how a democracy should make important decisions.

The failure of Congress and the Administration to allow that debate is
damaging to our democracy. Both chambers of Congress suspended their budget
rules to push it along. And both the President and the leaders of the House
and Senate have violated their solemn promises that the bill would be
available for several days of public review prior to voting, so that the
American people might have a chance to learn what is in the bill and to make
their views known to their elected officials.

This reckless approach to governance can only undermine public faith in our
elected officials and our government as a whole. We call on Congress and the
Administration to live up to their promises and stated ideals, and give the
democratic process a chance to work.
 
Sincerely,

 Ed Feulner 
Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President
The Heritage Foundation