This is one reason the bill will damage the American economy further. It will allocate money where it is not needed and where it is, no funding will be given. The only way to stimulate the economy is to create a means for all working citizens to earn more money then they need to live on so they don't need to borrow and get into debt. This won't happen so don't expect miracles from the this bill.
As I said earlier I would not like to see metric conversion associated with something doomed to failure. If it were associated then when the bill does fail to achieve its stated goals, then the metric system could be seen in a more negative light then it now is. Jerry ________________________________ From: Victor Jockin <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 12:47:17 AM Subject: [USMA:42995] Re: Action: We urgently need your help on the stimulus packge I was watching the evening news tonight, and they noted that the latest round of the stimulus bill has $198 million to benefit Filipino veterans of WW II. I have nothing against those guys, but that's in the ballpark of the 1990s cost estimate was for changing all US road signs to metric. And that appropriation is maybe a couple of percent of the entire bill. A major national initiative like converting to the metric system is not going to be slipped into a bill like this at the last minute, unfortunately. I could only imagine the shock and uproar if it were. But this serves again to make a mockery of those who argue that switching is somehow too expensive. Within the context of the US economy, it's not money. -------------------------------------------------- From: "Pierre Abbat" <[email protected]> Sent: 02/13/2009 7:44 PM To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Subject: [USMA:42994] Re: Action: We urgently need your help on the stimulus packge > > On Friday 13 February 2009 10:17:11 Nat Hager III wrote: >> I'm watching that one too, to see what the final call is on NSF funding. >> >> http://thomas.loc.gov/ >> >> >> But I don't see the final pdf posted, and even at that neither the House >> nor Senate versions posted earlier said anything about metric. > > Looking through the bill for various words, I find all sorts of provisions > that have nothing whatsoever to do with stimulating the economy. A search > for "kilogram" turned up empty. A search for "pound" turned up something > about schools making reports about whether their floors contain volatile > organic compounds, a modification to the Internal Revenue code about > deducting interest for vehicles, and something about inspection of downer > cows. > > I know we're all here for the metric system, but I'm sure that's not > everyone's only issue. This bill is full of charcuterie. Please read the bill > and alert your legislators of anything that should be removed. > > Pierre > >
