Maine: White House

AUGUSTA, Maine — The doors to the federal bank seemed to swing wide open this week as announcement after announcement came from Washington, D.C., about economic stimulus cash headed Maine’s way.

For a small state like Maine, the numbers were eye-catching, to say the least.

— $100 million for renovations to federal buildings, including $53 million for the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor.

— $100 million more to help rural Mainers purchase homes.

— $48 million for the state’s public schools.

And that’s just a partial list.

With so much money flowing so fast, there are concerns that some of those taxpayer dollars will be squandered, or end up in the pockets of people who didn’t do a thing to help get the economy back on track.

I have never served in the military, and only have limited knowledge of how the VA medical system works. For example, I didn't realize that currently when a vet is treated at a VA hospital for something not related to her or his time in the service, the VA bills that person's 3rd party insurance company. And at first blush, this seems like a reasonable method.

The Obama administration is proposing that this billing system be extended to all treatment that a vet receives, and this troubles Rep. Mike Michaud, and he notes in this letter to Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs:

Dear Secretary Shinseki,

With the release of the Administration's first budget request, a new policy proposal has been introduced as a means of collecting revenue for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through billing of veterans' third-party insurance for the care and treatment of a disability or illness incurred as a result of honorable military service.

Good morning.

You can start your day - and hence your week - with this bracer by Paul Krugman:

As I read it, this dismissal - together with the continuing failure to announce any broad plans for bank restructuring - means that the White House has decided to muddle through on the financial front, relying on economic recovery to rescue the banks rather than the other way around. And with the stimulus plan too small to deliver an economic recovery ... well, you get the picture.

Sooner or later the administration will realize that more must be done. But when it comes back for more money, will Congress go along?

Republicans are now firmly committed to the view that we should do nothing to respond to the economic crisis, except cut taxes - which they always want to do regardless of circumstances.

Good afternoon.

President Barack Obama convened a summit on health care reform, but according to this report from Democracy Now!, it may have been better labeled a summit on health insuance:

JUAN GONZALEZ: President Barack Obama convened 120 experts to the White House Thursday for a summit on healthcare. Participants included doctors, health insurance companies, lawmakers and patients. Obama vowed to make passing healthcare reform a priority this year.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: In this effort, every voice has to be heard. Every idea must be considered. Every option must be on the table. There should be no sacred cows. Each of us must accept that none of us will get everything that we want and that no proposal for reform will be perfect.