8 replies

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Phydeaux

October 3, 2008 9:10 PM

@tedyc03: My words! They are gone! The minds! They do nothing!

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Ein2015

October 3, 2008 6:48 PM

@tedyc03: yip

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ordendelfai

October 3, 2008 4:51 PM

@tedyc03:

Here is a good article:
[www.swamppolitics.com]

The Oregon senators were the initial sponsors of the provisions. According to Bloomberg News, the provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon

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socalrob of the 24 and a half century

October 3, 2008 9:01 PM

@ordendelfai:
So a business in Oregon does good while the rest of the country gets the shaft...

Ok bad joke hopefully somebody laughed.

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Norcross

October 3, 2008 6:29 PM

@ordendelfai: nice to see it was both a Republican and Democrat from Oregon going for it. bi-partsianship as it's best!

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:13 PM

@tedyc03:
+1

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ViperBorg

October 3, 2008 4:41 PM

@pezhore: +2

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XianZhuXuande

October 3, 2008 4:10 PM

@tedyc03: I concur.

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prag

October 3, 2008 4:09 PM

Isn't it this kind of ridiculous, self-interested politics that get us into these kinds of messes. I suppose this bill isn't important enough to stand by itself. What idiotic pol would change his or her vote based on the the repeal of an arrow shaft law? Does this not prove the politicians will vote for any piece of crap as long as there is something in it for them. sickening.

1 replies

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thelushie

October 3, 2008 5:03 PM

@undefined: This happens every time there is a major piece of legislation put out there. It doesn't make it right but it isn't new.

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GreatWhiteNorth

October 3, 2008 4:10 PM

what do you bet that somewhere there is someone who runs a business and wants to buy, sell, make, modify, import, export wooden dowels not much bigger around than your finger... and this part of the bill will give then a competitive advantage. Regardless of whether the dowels are for arrows or not.

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BoomerFive

October 3, 2008 4:11 PM

Read the rest of this, it's fascinating. Lots of crap, like a fund to train emergency workers for mine accidents, aid for American Samoa, and lots more. Worth your time if you are an American citizen.

2 replies

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thelushie

October 3, 2008 5:05 PM

@BoomerFive: I am going to assume sarcasm in your post, particularly about your first example. It seems that for every good add on, such as training for emergency workers for mine accidents (which are far too common in my neck of the woods),there are garbage addons,such as the wooden arrow thing.

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m4ximusprim3

October 3, 2008 5:57 PM

@thelushie: I'm not against training emergency workers for mine accidents, but don't you think in a rational system, that would be under some bill called \"Motion to train Emergency workers for mine accidents\" or some such, instead of being part of an economic stimulus plan which it has NOTHING to do with?

Just sayin...

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Suttin

October 3, 2008 4:12 PM

I can't wait for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report to cover this.

2 replies

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Corporate_guy

October 3, 2008 4:47 PM

@Suttin: One of the congressman pointed out the tax break for rum ensures we have the pirate vote. With material like that the daily show and colbert report are going to be great.

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Ein2015

October 3, 2008 6:49 PM

@Corporate_guy: please PLEASE link to a clip of that. PLEASE.

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xredgambit

October 3, 2008 4:12 PM

Is this some sort of joke? Really, Is there some senator out there that is owned by the All Wood Arrow Shaft Commission or the AWASC? Last I heard the AWASC is worse than PETA.

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:12 PM

This is all part of the billion+ pork add on that makes this bill \"impossible\" to not pass. By tacking on so many special interest bull, the House cannot address the specific financial aspects without dealing with all the little pet projects.

1 replies

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Mary Marsala with Fries

October 3, 2008 11:43 PM

@pezhore: Correct, except you mean \"hundred fifty billion+\". ::facepalm::

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xspook

October 3, 2008 4:13 PM

Anyone know how to find out who introduced the pork to the bill?

2 replies

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ordendelfai

October 3, 2008 4:50 PM

@xspook:
Here is a good article:
[www.swamppolitics.com]

The Oregon senators were the initial sponsors of the provisions. According to Bloomberg News, the provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon

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beboptheflop

October 3, 2008 4:22 PM

@xspook:

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)

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scoosdad

October 3, 2008 4:14 PM

I want the name of the congressman who inserted this clause. That way if the whole bailout bill goes down in flames again, we have someone to blame!

Damn special interests groups ruining the American economy! Last time this happened it was the brass plated drawer-pull guys who were responsible.

7 replies

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ordendelfai

October 3, 2008 4:50 PM

@scoosdad:

Here is a good article:
[www.swamppolitics.com]

The Oregon senators were the initial sponsors of the provisions. According to Bloomberg News, the provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon

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Triene

October 6, 2008 5:10 AM

@ordendelfai: ...why are you spamming this article? Did you write it? Do you work for Rose City Archery? What is the deal?

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beboptheflop

October 3, 2008 4:20 PM

@scoosdad:
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)

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Shadowman615

October 3, 2008 4:32 PM

@beboptheflop: Umm, actually it was initially proposed by both Oregon senators, Ron Wyden [D] and Gordon Smith [R]. Did you leave the other one out on purpose?

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beboptheflop

October 3, 2008 5:06 PM

@Shadowman615:

Umm, no. I did see the cosponser was someone named Smith. That's the only information I had and considering it was easier for me just to look up the less common name of Wyden, his was the only one included. So thank you for finding the other name of the Senator and including him. I don't consider myself partisan (just lazy)when I'm calling out any pork, they are both jerks in my book.

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noscamsplease

October 3, 2008 4:24 PM

@beboptheflop: he should be dragged out into the street and beaten with a stick or better yet, stoned. f%^&$#ing greedy b$%#@ard!

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parkavery

October 3, 2008 5:07 PM

@noscamsplease: I think you mean, \"beaten with a tax-exempt wooden arrow.\"

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noscamsplease

October 3, 2008 5:36 PM

@parkavery: yes, thank you for clarifying for me.

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ThickSkinned

October 3, 2008 4:19 PM

@scoosdad: Why not find the names of anyone who voted yes on this bill? Regardless of who introduced which clause, anyone voting yes deserves to be voted out of office next month.

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SabreDC

October 3, 2008 5:00 PM

@ThickSkinned: Not everyone who voted yes is up for re-election next month. Most Americans will just forget by 2010 and 2012.

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Urgleglurk

October 3, 2008 4:14 PM

GreatWhiteNorth: Considering the alleged \"financial emergency that may take down the world economy\" that we have on our hands, it is irresponsible to be putting ANY pork into that bill. I don't begrudge the the dowel manufacturer, but there are far more appropriate places to insert that language.

1 replies

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GreatWhiteNorth

October 3, 2008 4:30 PM

@Urgleglurk: I guess my tone was not clear... I am not support the pork... I believe legislation should be clear, honest and above board. That politicians are permitted to play Russian roulette with the economy by adding their special interests is wrong.

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:15 PM

Its so weird to see so many Democrats following a Republican president. Especially one who has misled them in the past so many times.

3 replies

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MOFD

October 3, 2008 4:47 PM

@pezhore:

What do you mean, \"following a Republican president\"? This bill is being drafted by the Democrats - you know, the party that's controlled both houses of Congress for the past two years.

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slush

October 3, 2008 6:23 PM

@undefined:

amen

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BoomerFive

October 3, 2008 4:24 PM

@pezhore: Weird? Hell no, they get to spend 700 billion!It's a friggin liberals dream come true! And think of the tax increases they get to give us now! They are loving it, believe me.

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:16 PM

Weee!! Marcy Kaptur is speaking now. I <3 her.

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PixiePerson

October 3, 2008 4:19 PM

One of the gentlemen from Ohio I believe said this about ridiculous things like that in the bill:

$192 Million for Rum. I guess we've got the pirate vote this November -- Gentleman talking at the time.

1 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:22 PM

@PixiePerson:

Arrr! A vote for Bailout be a vote for Rum!!!!

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BeataNumshun

October 3, 2008 4:20 PM

You need to read beyond the headline, Consumerist. This \"tax break\", as you call it, is actually a fix for unintended consequences of a previous tax. That tax ended up adding a $0.39 tax on top of wooden arrows used by Cub Scouts that cost $0.30, which more than doubled the price. This tax exemption corrects that.

I know it's a lot of fun to point at silly laws as an example of Washington's stupidity, but in this case I think this tax exemption is a good thing. A case of them correcting a previous error. Isn't that what we want them to do?

Suttin: You may want to start getting your news from real sources instead of comedians.

1 replies

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orielbean

October 6, 2008 6:28 PM

@BeataNumshun: Then put it in a different bill!!! If I agree or disagree with the tax break on arrows, why must I vote for or against the bailout? THey are two different unrelated items. Don't you get it?!

This is the same as bundling in bridge funds into a war spending bill, or cramming in money for a golf course tax break into a crime bill............ITS CRAP

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MayorBee

October 3, 2008 4:20 PM

You know there's gotta be some tax break for fiddles sold to members of Congress provided they play them while Rome is burning.

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mizj

October 3, 2008 4:21 PM

I hate the whole idea of this bailout. I hated it then and I hate it now.

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noscamsplease

October 3, 2008 4:21 PM

$ estimates range from $112-115 BILLION dollars in pork inserted into the bill, and people say i'm unfairly anti-government.

1 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:25 PM

@noscamsplease:

What's utter bullshit is that due to that ~115 billion, this will probably get passed - only adding on to the overall cost to the tax payer.

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GreatWhiteNorth

October 3, 2008 4:25 PM

Senate Speaker:\"The Speaker recognizes the Esteemed Senator from ButtPoke WestArmpit.\"

Senator: \"Mr. Speaker I have a small rider I would like to tack on to the bailout bill as I think it would both ensure that the bill passes and it will do a lot of good in ButtPoke WestArmpit. This rider will redirect all the monthly bills for Visa, Mastercard and Amex for myself and my immediate family, extended family, relatives, close buddies, friends, hangers on, and anyone else who's vote I can buy with this legislation. The bills will be redirected to the Federal Government who will pay them in full and on time so as not to adversely affect our credit reports. Thank you\"

Senate Speaker:\"You are welcome Senator. NEXT!\"

1 replies

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pezhore

@GreatWhiteNorth:

You're not too far off from Rep. Dan Lungren ... \"She [Lungren's 91 yr old mother] has no pension; she has what my dad left her,\". He's voting for the bill to \"save his 91-year-old mother's finances.\" [economix.blogs.nytimes.com]

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jaydez

October 3, 2008 4:27 PM

I will be taking note of all the senators and reps who represent me and be sure to send them a letter telling them they lost my vote for any future elections because they voted yes on this shit.

1 replies

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MercuryPDX

October 3, 2008 4:43 PM

@jaydez: I already did. Bye Bye Brian Baird.

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Shadowman615

October 3, 2008 4:29 PM

Check out a very incomplete top-ten list here:

[www.swamppolitics.com]

1 replies

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thatgirlinnewyork

October 3, 2008 8:23 PM

@Shadowman615: looks like those oregonian reps are working overtime for pork...this is what held up the bill?? pathetic!

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YardanKabolla

I have a kinda weird comment.Now I do not support the Confederate States of America (The CSA) but the Confederate Constitution did have one very very nifty thing in it:

\"A bill, or any resolution carrying the force of law, could only deal with a single subject, which had to be stated in the title.\"

Just think what would happen if we implemented that today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_Constitution
Its in the Changes from U.S. constitution section.

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Blitzgal

So...was this measure voted down because the ensuing chaos and fear would allow for all kinds of extra crap like this to be added? I know, conspiracy theorist. But, come on!

2 replies

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orlo

October 3, 2008 11:05 PM

@Blitzgal: That's how the US government works now, no conspiracy theories are necessary.

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YOXIM

October 3, 2008 6:35 PM

@Blitzgal: You're not that far off from the truth, I'm afraid.

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ordendelfai

I already emailed all the senators I could telling them no vote from me for voting yes.

And this wooden arrow is disgusting. I want to know who introduce this and other porky items into the bill so I can send them letters too. >:-(

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ajresch

October 3, 2008 4:34 PM

The Michigan can thing DOES work, if you do it on a small scale. (Say you take back 70 cans a trip and can buy yourself a free lunch.)

Of course, you have to be making the trip anyways.
Say you are from Wisconsin and go to school in Upper Michigan, for example.

Don't ask me how I know this...

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narq

October 3, 2008 4:36 PM

THIS should mark the absolute need for ridding of earmarks. Wooden arrow shafts. That is the worst earmark I've ever heard of. Who does that help? So by the time this bill gets passed, if it does, only like 5 bucks will go to the market. The rest will be earmarks.

Can we add an earmark where people with natural red hair get $75 billion? I mean we are one of the smallest minorities and it really would benefit me to offer more employment opportunities.

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MercuryPDX

October 3, 2008 4:38 PM

How effing ridiculous. This just furthers the point that this bailout is unnecessary BS. We STILL do not know the impact if nothing is done, when STILL don't know the impact if it's approved and they get the money, and Congress doesn't want to \"take it seriously\" enough to pass it w/o crap like this \"hidden\" in it.

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TracyHamandEggs

October 3, 2008 4:40 PM

The funny/sad part. The congressman who this \"sweetener\" is actually aimed at (company in his district) has already said he's not voting for it anyway.

1 replies

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Rectilinear Propagation

October 3, 2008 5:37 PM

@TracyHamandEggs!: Good for him. Hell, he probably found it insulting. I know I would have. He's supposed to vote for the worst idea ever for the sake of arrowheads?

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:41 PM

\"We will be back next year to do major work on the finances...\" Not if we (the sane americans) have anything to do with it.

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tande04

October 3, 2008 4:41 PM

I supported the \"bailout\" in the begining but this is downright ridiculous. Turns out that the favorable tax benfits to \"sweeten the pot\" was nothing more then a ton of washington pork.

As others pointed out the wooden arrows is just part of it. $100 million for race track owners, $148 for wool research, $192 for Rum (which we're all going to need more of so maybe that wasn't so bad). If there was ever a bill that should of lived or died on its own merits it was this bill. If it had to be sweetened with pork none of those people deserve a job anymore.

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katylostherart

October 3, 2008 4:42 PM

glad they're covering all the things that matter!

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tgrwillki

October 3, 2008 4:44 PM

it'd be a shame if they ever pased a law limiting the number of items that could be includd in a bill.

Of course, I'd hate to se how much pork would have to be on that one to get it passed.

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Hongfiately

October 3, 2008 4:45 PM

Taxpayers are getting scammed. This bailout bill is such a fraud, it's unbelieveable (even for Washington). Whatever the merits of giving a break on taxation of wooden arrows, could that not be a part of a standalone bill? And all the other stuff in it, too... can that not be in standalone bills? Why is all of that other stuff needed to pass an emergency bill? Also... Congress took off for Rosh Hashanah. Emergencies can wait, I guess.

2 replies

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TracyHamandEggs

October 3, 2008 4:53 PM

@Hongfiately: Cause obviously Congress works on Easter and Christmas?

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Blitzgal

October 3, 2008 5:20 PM

@TracyHamandEggs!: Yeah, that's what I always point out. Christian holidays are taken off, there is no reason to ignore the holidays of other major religions.

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katylostherart

October 3, 2008 5:29 PM

@Blitzgal: how about since congress is supposedly filled with government officials that aren't all jewish, they don't take any religious holidays off that they don't personally observe.

or any religious holidays at all.

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Blitzgal

October 3, 2008 5:33 PM

@katylostherart: I would be in favor of NO religious holidays being observed, definitely. But, since that isn't the case...

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TracyHamandEggs

October 3, 2008 5:33 PM

@katylostherart: Because debating/voting on a crucial bill when 10% or so of the congress is in religious services is impractical. Especially when you consider that some key figures in the debate are Jewish (like Frank, Levin and Feingold)

Or is ok with you to exclude minority groups that you aren't in?

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katylostherart

October 3, 2008 5:45 PM

@TracyHamandEggs!: have you noticed that they don't all show up for votes anyway even when there isn't a holiday. 10% isn't that different from the average that don't show up anyway.

nice way to be irrational though. i guess i'll just everyone from congress since they're all minorities one way or another.

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katylostherart

October 3, 2008 5:45 PM

@katylostherart: *exclude everyone from congress.

key verb that.

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Skeptic

October 3, 2008 4:45 PM

The question should be \"Why is there a **Federal** sales tax on archery equipment\" in the first place?

2 replies

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kidgenius

October 3, 2008 6:13 PM

@undefined:

Here's the story. There is a federal excise tax on arrows (and other hunting equipment I believe) that goes to support like the department of the interior, or some department in the federal government that ensures there is wildlife, etc. Now a few years back some of the larger arrow manufacturers that were making aluminum and carbon arrows were upset about this excise tax (something like 3% or such), when their arrow shafts were costing $10-15 per shaft. So, the lobbied to get a flat tax implemented at like 50 cents or something. Well, the wooden arrow boys their shafts only sell for like $2-3 a piece, so this unfairly hit them more than it hit the other guys. So, they now sell their wooden shafts as \"hobby dowels\" and such. So, this lowers the excise tax to a more reasonable amount for them. It actually is probably a good thing to have implemented, but this is by far the worst place to put it.

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:47 PM

@Skeptic:

Because you can shoot an arrow across state lines... that makes it federal. :)

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QrazyQat

October 3, 2008 4:50 PM

A little online searching informs you (if you don't want to be ignorant all your life) why this tax was repealed, and it makes perfect sense for it to be repealed:

Long story short: All hunting equipment is taxed, the taxes put into some sort of trust and then sent back to the states as matching grants for their hunting management/support programs.

Since toy wooden arrows are not used for hunting, a specific exception is made for them. It's really just to stop toy arrows from being miscategorized as \"hunting equipment,\" subject to the tax, when they're obviously not that at all. It's pretty much the same as a bill saying that toy cap pistols shouldn't be hit with a general tax on firearms.

2 replies

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ordendelfai

October 3, 2008 4:54 PM

@QrazyQat:

Good info - but it still should not be on this bill.

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Blitzgal

October 3, 2008 5:22 PM

@ordendelfai: Exactly, and that's the main point. This bill is meant to be an emergency fix to a serious economic problem that could spell disaster for our nation. But let's make sure that every random side project gets tacked on for good measure!

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Ber'Zophus

October 3, 2008 4:55 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again, democracy simply doesn't work.

1 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:56 PM

@Ber'Zophus:

Maybe its like communism. In theory, it works great. Its when it comes to practice that things get fucked up.

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SushamaJiblical

October 3, 2008 4:56 PM

If we killed the pork out of this bill it would include the bailout package. The bailout package is an ammendment to an exsiting minor bill. It was that minor bill that had this lump of pork, not the bailout portion.

The senate did an end run around the constitution here. The senate can not orignate spending bills. They MUST come from the house. The senate is cheating this by attaching the bailout package to a bill with a bunch of comparitvely little things (small SEC rule change, this lump of pork). This tax cut was part of a trivial bill not one of the \"sweeteners\" in the bailout package.

BTW... this provision was put in the minor bill before the senate knew that the the bailout pork would get attached by the Honorable Gentleman for Oregon Mr. Wyden. (Interestingly he rejected the final bill with the bailout package attached)

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 4:58 PM

Come'on Pelosi, say something incredibly partisan!!

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Gorphlog

October 3, 2008 5:04 PM

How is it even possible to add this kind of stuff in the bill. I always understood the law being that every bill could only have one topic, and anything not related to the content of the bill could not be added and had to have its own bill

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 5:07 PM

There's so much talk about passing this bill now, and determining who to blame and discovering the core reason for this financial crisis later. Is it just me, or is that very, *very* backwards? Without knowing the reason for the current crisis, how can we expect to handle the issue properly?

Ugh.. here comes the vote.

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chiieddy

October 3, 2008 5:07 PM

Remember, McCain promises to veto any bill with pork in it crossing his desk.

And he voted for this bill.

1 replies

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Blitzgal

October 3, 2008 5:22 PM

@chiieddy: Yeah, spending freeze on everything but military, right!?

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scoosdad

October 3, 2008 5:14 PM

And you know, the sad part of this is that this pork barrel stuff happens with just about every major bill in Congress. We're all just hypersensitive at the moment and it seems worse while our financial futures twist in the breeze.

1 replies

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crabbyman6

October 3, 2008 5:20 PM

@scoosdad: Yeah, I was explaining this to someone yesterday. So much crap gets passed because while the congressman might want to vote no on issue B, it was tacked onto issue A which will get a unanimous vote. This is where a lot of the \"well so-and-so voted for THIS\" crap comes from too that politicians love to use so much.

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johnnya2

October 3, 2008 5:15 PM

Do you people have any clue about how legislation works? Is this the first you realized this happens? The question is, will the bill pass? If it is a good bill, everybody will try to get something. The Oregon senators could just say no and not vote for it at all by saying it gives all the money to New York city wall street types, and those of us in Oregon want some too. The entire idea of one penny bailing out incompetent so-called free market business people is more outrageous than anything worth so little overall. Unfortunately most of you will vote den or republican without realizing there are other choices, or think if you wish hard enough the problem will go away.

2 replies

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mdoublej

October 3, 2008 5:26 PM

@johnnya2: I'm sure most people here realize that add-ons to legislation is pretty much par for the course. Speaking for at least myself, I expected the gravity of the situation to make this the one time this didn't happen.

I'm writing in Ron Paul.

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MercuryPDX

October 3, 2008 5:32 PM

@mdoublej: Agreed. Even though I am against the bailout I thought the urgency of the situation would keep this pork free.

@johnnya2: It's great we have other choices, but how many of them are realistic? I don't forsee any change from a \"two-party\" system in my lifetime.

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 5:23 PM

Annnnd I've just recieved well over $10,000 in debt.

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BeeBoo

October 3, 2008 5:27 PM

I hope the House votes this BS down again.

1 replies

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azntg

October 3, 2008 8:48 PM

@BeeBoo: Amen. I hope so too!

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Moonshadows

October 3, 2008 5:28 PM

This isn't the pork, this was the bill. They tacked the bailout money onto an existing bill in order for it to be passed by the Senate. Something about no funding initiatives can begin in the senate, but they do have the abilitiy to add funding to an existing bill.

Now why all this stuff was in one bill to start with is an entirely different question.

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YardanKabolla

October 3, 2008 5:29 PM

Can we not just make Pork on Bill illegal?

Not more then 2 attachments to a bill which must be clearly named in the title of said bill?

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Ber'Zophus

October 3, 2008 5:29 PM

What's annoying, even from an outsider perspective, is the amount of arguments that this bill is needed for America so vote Yay and don't think. Now with the number of tacked-on-pork on it, it'll likely be passed. \"Oh, you voted no, you must be against renewable energy tax breaks and increased FDIC insurance coverage...and the American economy! Ur against America!\"

I don't really want to argue whether this bill (and really, I only mean the bailout portion of it not the sweeteners) is what's good for America, but the bill is ridiculous. If this is truly what America needs, does America need their wooden arrow tax break at the same time? Why is this in here???

A question....all those accountability issues with the first one....are they addressed in this one? At all? Or is this the equivalent of giving away a free pepsi for signing up for a new 29.99% APR credit card?

2 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 5:37 PM

@Ber'Zophus:

Its the equivalent of free pepsi and a cool tshirt.

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Ber'Zophus

October 3, 2008 5:44 PM

@pezhore: And it passed. God bless america? I can haz t-shirt now?

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howie_in_az

October 3, 2008 5:33 PM

There was also a clause about motorsports facilities having 7 (or so) years to recoup investments or something similar.

Hopefully something good will come out of this bill -- perhaps Formula One will come back to the US!

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smartmuffin

October 3, 2008 5:34 PM

Wyden is such a joke. I'll bet DeFazio is in on this too...

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Rectilinear Propagation

October 3, 2008 5:42 PM

What kind of fuckery is this?!?!?!

1 replies

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howie_in_az

October 3, 2008 5:57 PM

@Rectilinear Propagation: The worst kind: government fuckery.

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Roy Hobbs

October 3, 2008 5:47 PM

That does it. I am voting against every single incumbent this year, on every level, from dog catcher up to Senator.

3 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 5:55 PM

@Roy Hobbs:

Now, now... make sure one of the incumbents didn't vote against this crap bill. Wouldn't want to send the wrong message.

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Blitzgal

October 3, 2008 6:22 PM

@pezhore: My wonderful Russ Feingold voted against it (just as he voted down the Patriot Act). My political crush continues.

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MercuryPDX

October 3, 2008 5:55 PM

@Roy Hobbs: Do it responsibly... not everyone voted yes.

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Mistrez_Mish

October 3, 2008 6:12 PM

Awesome! This is going to so totally fix the housing crises and guarantee that banks will start making loans again (at amazingly reasonable rates too!)!!!

Oh wait... this bailout/rescue doesn't do anything of the sort?... damn... we're all still pretty screwed

At least we're keeping the pirates at bay - more rum?

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econobiker

October 3, 2008 6:13 PM

Are there any subsidies for wooden wagon wheel makers???

2 replies

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Sir Winston Thriller

October 3, 2008 6:24 PM

@econobiker: I have been lobbying day and night for the buggywhip industry, to no avail...

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 6:14 PM

@econobiker:

No, the wooden wagon wheel issue will be revisited in about 3 months when Paulson comes back asking for more money.

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Tmoney02

October 3, 2008 6:18 PM

\"This one is even better than the $0.10 Michigan recycling refund.\"

Are you ridiculing Michigan's pop can deposit program? Because that would just be stupid. Every state should have a deposit program.

1 replies

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mpaquette

October 3, 2008 6:36 PM

@Tmoney02: Right on. Anything that keeps this crap out of the landfills and/or off the side of the road is good. Every state should have a similar deposit law.

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Marshfield

October 3, 2008 6:19 PM

The version of the bill that I saw that had this in there also had a provision for money for bicycle commuters. Now THAT I can support! I bicycle commute nearly all the time.

Also in the interest of fairness they added 2 more years of letting sales-tax only states residents deduct their state sales tax from their income on the 1040. Why that isn't permanent is beyond me.

1 replies

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pezhore

October 3, 2008 6:27 PM

@Marshfield:

Hate to pick on you Marshfield (esp, since my last name is Marsh), but its adding provisions like the bicycle commuter cut out that carried this bill. Its not that I oppose the wooden arrow provision (actually it sort of makes sense as another Consumerist commentator has shown) - but this bill, having major impact on the future free market should have had the smallest amount of extraneous provisions added to it.

Fer christ's sake, the main bill was to require mental health issues to be treated the same as physical health problems. So what now... those who voted against this bail out are also against the mentally handicapped and clinically depressed?

We saw what happened on Monday when the bill was $700bil with little earmarks - it got shut down. The Senate then used a can't fail bill and amended the crap out of it to ensure it would pass both the houses of Congress... amendments that added almost $150bil to the overall cost.

This is utter horseshit.

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henrygates

October 3, 2008 6:24 PM

Finally Americans will have access to the wooden arrows they need. They can use their credit card!

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Ayo

October 3, 2008 6:36 PM

Yeah, i read this on yahoo news this morning. i thought i was going to die. I hope Steven Colbert address this issue, he could do wonders with it.

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trademarked67

October 3, 2008 6:53 PM

Wouldn't the line-item veto help minimize some of this crap? Of course the vetos would probably fall along party lines...and the argument that it gives the prez too much power. But this is bs.

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vildechaia

October 3, 2008 7:00 PM

I just may write-in Harry S. Truman come this November. I mean, really, arrows? Wool? Seems we've got a big bunch of morons in congress. Time to get 'em all out of there.

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly

October 3, 2008 7:04 PM

i waited and waited and waited....
and no one did it.
i have to. can - not - resist - temptation -any - longer ---

if the bill doesn't pass, toy arrow makers are going to get shafted.....

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AtomicPlayboy

October 3, 2008 7:06 PM

I grudgingly supported the original bill on the proposition that it was absolutely necessary to stanch the bleeding of an extremely volatile financial sector. Now that a week has passed and there has been no massive collapse, and now that I see that Congress has had enough time to shove in a heap of the obligatory pork, I'm much less convinced of the urgency of this distasteful solution when there are slower but more responsible alternatives. I'm thoroughly convinced of the bipartisan incompetence and corruption of our Congress.

Susan Davis, if there's anything I can do to ensure that you never serve in the House of Representatives again, I'll make sure I do it, starting Nov 4. John McCain and Barack Obama, you've done nothing here to demonstrate any of the \"change\" or \"reform\" you've been peddling even when given a perfect opportunity to show some sober, responsible leadership. I think a 9% congressional approval rating is generous.

1 replies

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Tmoney02

October 3, 2008 7:34 PM

@AtomicPlayboy: All I have to say is....ditto...

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Triborough

October 3, 2008 7:10 PM

This thing needs to be vetoed, since it has more pork than a shipping container filled with Spam. We are supposed to be a in a crisis and these asshats want to blow money on their little pet projects. Typical!

2 replies

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Ubik2501

October 3, 2008 8:05 PM

@Triborough: Wait, are you sure Spam has actual pork in it?

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AtomicPlayboy

October 3, 2008 7:24 PM

@Triborough: Problem is, it isn't going to get vetoed by a president who, along with his (histrionic) SecTreas, championed the whole bailout all along. Ugh.

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spyz88

October 3, 2008 7:38 PM

I really cant believe that they had the balls to pass this bill. I am going to vote against all of my state reps who voted for this.

And you have got to love the change from \"bailout bill\" to \"rescue plan\". Gimme a break...

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Ubik2501

October 3, 2008 8:04 PM

Man, this is just like the gub'ment - affirmative action for dem damn Injuns! I demand a tax break on wagon circles, dagnabbit!

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postnocomments

October 3, 2008 8:08 PM

The other white meat.

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JediJohn82

October 3, 2008 8:11 PM

This should be illegal. Imagine the reduction in federal taxes if they would eliminate gross spending like this. If a state, city, or county wants to have pet projects then have those that live in that state/city/county fund those projects with increased LOCAL taxes.

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kmiles

October 3, 2008 8:39 PM

Hmmm... while the wooden arrow and other interesting (read: stupid) provisions that were tacked on to this bill are a sign of what politics in the US has come to be, I think we maybe missed something more important here (Or maybe I'm one of the few worried about this).

[wattsupwiththat.com]

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TorrentFreak

October 3, 2008 10:03 PM

This is ridiculous. How the F--- is a government that is broke ($4 trillion in debt) supposed to pay for this?

Tax money? (Thanks a f---ing lot)

or tell the Federal Reserve to print more money (Yay! Hyperinflation just what I always wanted.)

How come the rich get bailout, the poor get welfare....WTF does the middle class get besides getting s__t on? I mean seriously, why does the middle class ALWAYS have to be the one that sacrafices? Im tired of it.

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usa_gatekeeper

October 3, 2008 11:17 PM

Pork provisions are tacked onto bills all day long, year in and year out, by both Republicans and Democrats, in both the house and senate. Has been for years and will continue for years.

Why the sudden shock?

1 replies

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TorrentFreak

October 3, 2008 11:27 PM

@usa_gatekeeper:

I hate the bail out bill period in anyway shape or form. Reverse Robin Hood blows. The pork added on is just grainy salt added to the wound.

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hhole

October 3, 2008 11:27 PM

I've never been a single issue voter like the Iraq war, abortion, etc.

HOWEVER, with this not frickin' sweet, corporate handout package I will make an exception now and forever. If you were dumb enough to vote for this than you'll be dumb enough to vote for other stuff.

I don't care if we're in agreement 99.99% of the time. If you voted for this hunk of crap you will not be able to buy my vote. That would just make me a hypocrite like you. I hope those pieces of silver you sold out the country for, to the damn lobbyist who is lining your corrupt pockets while getting his/her slice of pork pie, burns a hole through your pants and ass*%$e!

I am so pissed that this piece of FUBAR piece of legislation passed. Everything is aOK in DC, SNAFU is in place everyone.

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ageshin

October 4, 2008 4:13 AM

It's bad enough that we are giving 700 billion to the very folks who screwed up, but on top of that we are again giving tax breaks. Instead of tax breaks we should be taxing those folks. The can afford to help pay for their own salvation. They should bail out the poor and middle class and give us tax breaks.

2 replies

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RayDelMundo

October 4, 2008 11:30 PM

@ageshin: The poor don't need tax breaks. They pay no income taxes.
38% of all American households pay no income taxes.

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TorrentFreak

October 4, 2008 5:11 AM

@ageshin:

+1

Exactly Where the F is my bailout? I got bills too. Our government doesn't give a damn about the middle class. They have failed us.

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QrazyQat

October 4, 2008 3:24 PM

The bailout bill, in any form they've done, is not the solution to the problem we face. Sweden had a terrific solution that worked when they had the same problem in the early 1990s; why not just use their solution? It helped the people, the economy, and didn't reward people who'd done a lousy job.

But this wooden arrow tax repeal was a good, sensible thing, which I notice no one here is wondering. Shouldn't you wonder what's going on with your government and try to find out? Living in ognorance isn't a good way to run a democracy, in fact, Jefferson specifically pointed out that it can't be done. And when your ignorance can be cured with a 5 second online search it's really inexcusable. Here's why the wooden arrow tax was repealed; it's because the tax is supposed to be for hunting equipment and they realised that toy wooden arrows aren't hunting equipment, so they thought kids' toys shouldn't be used to subsidise spending for hunters' interests. Does anyone here really not agree that kids' toys shouldn't be used to subsidise spending for hunters' interests?

And Why Was the Wooden Arrow Tax Exemption Passed 93-2? Because It's Utterly Uncontroversial

Long story short: All hunting equipment is taxed, the taxes put into some sort of trust and then sent back to the states as matching grants for their hunting management/support programs.

Since toy wooden arrows are not used for hunting, a specific exception is made for them. It's really just to stop toy arrows from being miscategorized as \"hunting equipment,\" subject to the tax, when they're obviously not that at all. It's pretty much the same as a bill saying that toy cap pistols shouldn't be hit with a general tax on firearms.

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squish123

October 5, 2008 8:07 AM

when are you people going to learn that (almost) nobody in government gives two @&(%'s about you or your well-being.

everyone join me and watch from the sidelines as our government for and by the people votes to make us more impoverished and the make the rich richer.

more of the same. if you're surprised you haven't been paying attention.

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xkevin108x

October 5, 2008 1:32 PM

The federal government has just as much business worrying about wooden arrows as they do your home mortgage - NONE. Washington has turned into Peewee's Playhouse. This country is screwed.

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redkamel

October 5, 2008 11:04 PM

not trying to justify pork (ie wooden dowels), but I believe one reason some of these pork \"bills\" are attached are because it takes longer to pass a bill to train mine workers for emergencies (or whatever) than it does to just paste a paragraph on a bill that is already going to go through, and possibly sweeten that bills chance of being passed at the same time.