Serious question for info about the "Pork "additions to the bailout bill

[Mira]

I was asked who asked for what, and why was it added on and granted.
I was so adamantly against all of it, I was too angry to pay attention, so I had no answer.

The person asking is a newly converted Bush voter. I told him I would ask around and hopefully get back to him.....(that's what the McPalins say they do and don't, so please help me out if you know)

Thanks !

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. 99% not added. The bailout was an amendment on a bill the House already passed adjusting the AMT

The Alternative Minimum Tax is adjusted every year so it doesn't reach down into the middle class.

That's the overwhelming majority of that added cost and is 1) standard, and 2) was already passed by the house.

The AMT tax cut bill was going to be passed by the Senate either way. But since the senate cannot initiate a spending bill they tacked the bailout onto an existing house bill.

So it was not "added" except in the sense that the AMT bill and Bailout bill were folded into one bill. (If they had combined the bailout bill and defense appropriations bill it would not have been properly described as adding the defense budget to the cost of the bailout.)

Just more anti-government RW gibberish.

[Mira]

2. Thank you ! Will pass it on