Stimuwhat? Stimuthis

I just received a lovely bit of columnar from our dear friends at the Austin Statesman about their proposal for their slice of the stimulus pie.

Nearly a million in Frisbee golf.

Not kidding either. Austin wants to build a new 36-hole Frisbee golf course in addition to the other mainstream repairs to roads and infrastructure for which the stimulus seems most intended for. Apparently from the desk of the Wall Street Journal (who so callously and tyrannically doesn't allow free access to their material...the old timey print-media types), and claim that Austin may have been outdone in their attempts at frivolity.

Chula Vista, California wants a leash-free area for dogs at a half-million, Lincoln, Nebraska wants a new golf course for three easy payments of $999,999.99, and last but not least, Boynton Beach, Florida put in for a multi-million dollar butterfly and turtle cage. I mean, we're talking about billions for dollars in buy-outs, what's a couple half million.

I've had lengthy discussions with my friend, an Austin-native, now a Dallas refugee, and I can't for the life of me put my finger on the exact problem, other than that this seems like an inherent affront to the sensibilities of what this bailout is supposed to be about.

It seems bad because there are people across the country — Detroit, for example — where people aren't struggling to find a way to squeeze in eighteen holes of butterflyful golf, but trying to make dollars out of dimes, scrapping the very bottom of the very last piggy bank they can find.

But Arkansas — although not so frivolously — has already brought up a potential snagging point with this stimulus. I got to interview Gov. Mike Beebe's assistant when Obama made his outline for the stimulus on January 8th.

While on board with the stimulus, Beebe said that a lot of his discussions with Pres. Obama were based around making sure that Arkansas was not left out of the stimulus picture, even though the state was and is doing relatively well in the trenchant economy. Beebe used the term "good stewards" to describe the state of Arkansas' economy.

Austin is doing very well, a positive and thriving economy based primarily on the technology industry. So, shouldn't it stand to reason that they ought to be rewarded for their good management of their economy? Ought they be rewarded with a couple of holes of Frisbee golf?

My concluding thoughts — and I suspect my Longhorn friend's are as well — are that no, they ought not be granted such luxuries while others toil in near financial ruin. Their reward is that they don't need the stimulus. Their reward is that when it's all said and done, God willing, everyone will be doing well, while they are doing the best. That initial inkling of suspect spending seems to be right on. This stimulus is a pickle, indeed.

But it's a nice thought. With this Frigid February breathing down my neck, I could toss a discus or two.