In this economic climate, you would think that our congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., could find somewhere in the $819 billion House package to give people what they really need.
President Barack Obama hailed the plan as one that will “save or create more than three million new jobs over the next few years,” according to The Washington Post.
The bill includes some provisions for the creation of jobs — which is a different topic entirely — as well as increased unemployment benefits, health care and food stamps programs. Tax cuts are also included.
However, the House stimulus package also includes a lesser-known provision: expansion of contraception and family-planning programs.
If this seems like a strange item to put in a stimulus package, you are not alone. At a time when people can barely pay their rent or car payments, handing out free condoms hardly seems like an effective stimulus.
The program’s champion, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, was asked several times why the provision was included. Her answer to ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos’s inquiry was, “One of those — one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception — will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.”
The argument that fewer people means more economic growth is mind-boggling. It was first attributed to economist John Malthus in the 18th century, but was disproven even in his own time.
Perhaps England, France, Germany and Japan would likely think otherwise. When the aging population increases and the younger generation decreases, economic growth tends to stagnate.
This would be especially devastating to the U.S., where the baby boomer generation is beginning to retire and will continue to start retirement for the next 15 to 20 years. Decreasing the labor force at a time when those workers are essential for job growth is simply ridiculous.
Given the reason for the provision — reducing costs to states and the federal government — it seems that the package is aimed at those who already receive government assistance. So it is yet another program in the stimulus package for those already in trouble, rather than those trying to hang on by their fingernails to avoid getting into trouble.
This economy is hurting many by eliminating their jobs. Too many of my friends have lost jobs in the past six months. However, there are many more of my friends who have jobs and are hanging on by a thread. What is in this package for them?
An economic stimulus package shouldn’t be wasting time on increased incentives for digital TV converter boxes and contraception. In this economy, there are plenty of other things we can be spending that money on.
The greatest asset a country has is its students, especially those in college. They will become the new teachers, engineers and politicians — often in only a few years.
Perhaps we should take that $87 billion for family planning and spend it on student loan forgiveness for students who are now out of school because their programs have been eliminated, grants for middle-class students and funding for graduate students. You know, things people actually need. But hey, maybe that’s just me.
Janne is a criminology and criminal justice graduate student and can be reached at janne.gaub@asu.edu.
