Opinion: Stimulus Plan Stimulates Trouble for Obama -- Sphere News, Opinion and Analysis »
Posted By pc25 3 weeks, 3 days ago in Political OpinionWhen President Barack Obama promised in February that the $787 billion stimulus bill would unleash "a new wave of innovation, activity and construction," he probably didn't have tidying up gravestones in mind. But that is what some of the money has paid for, along with frozen fish sperm, Taser guns and an ongoing political headache that Obama easily could have avoided.
As reporters start to pore over the details of the stimulus spending reports the White House released a little more than a week ago, they're turning up lots of gems like this. In addition to the above, reporters at ProPublica found stimulus money spent on tickets for a musical version of "Little House on the Prairie," a cotton candy machine and breakfast at Fuddruckers.
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pc253 weeks, 3 days ago
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http://www.propublica.org/ion/stimulus/item/stimul...
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Breakfast at Fuddruckers: $19.24.
Snow cone and cotton candy machine: $146.89.
Six extra preview performances of “Little House on the Prairie – the Musical”: $50,000.
Last week, the federal government released the first comprehensive tally [1] of the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package. And while the White House has heralded marquee projects [2] like road construction and solar panel factories, the stimulus package is also made up of hundreds of smaller purchases like office supplies, gasoline and lab rats.
Some of the more unusual purchases are bristling stimulus critics.
“This was not what people had in mind when they were talking about job creation,” said Leslie Paige, spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government Waste [3]. “It was a gigantic pork barrel project from the first day out of the box, and it has proven itself to be every bit as swinish as we thought it would be.”
Waste, of course, is in the eye of the beholder.
Among the 150,000 stimulus expenditures released last week are dozens of iPods, toilets and trips to resort hotels
g the 150,000 stimulus expenditures released last week are dozens of iPods, toilets and trips to resort hotels. But, according to the reports, those seemingly questionable purchases are being used to enhance technology in the classroom, make bathrooms accessible to the disabled and train special education teachers. -
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pc253 weeks, 3 days ago
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FTA
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- The Associated Press found that a pay raise for 508 employees was counted as 935 jobs saved.
- The New York Times discovered that $1,047 for a rider mower for a cemetery in Arkansas was credited with saving or creating 50 jobs.
- In Milwaukee, reporters at the Journal Sentinel uncovered examples of double counting, jobs for projects that hadn't received any stimulus money, and other problems.
- The Chicago Tribune found that $4.7 million sent to schools in North Chicago was credited with saving 473 jobs in a district that employs only 290 teachers.
- USA Today reported that a $26,174 grant to fix a fence and repair roofs in Texas was reported to have created 450 jobs. Actual number of jobs involved: six.
Even assuming the total jobs number is right, the administration is also defending itself against claims that the cost per job -- based on $159 billion spent so far -- comes out to more than $240,000. -
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TOD3963 weeks, 3 days ago
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I love the part that 4.7 million was used to save 470 jobs where only 290 teachers are employed.
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This is the kinda stuff obie campaigned that he would end, if elected. But, let's remember, how much lying to the public can obie curb, after only 10 months in office? Libs will tell you that it took 8 years to get here and obie just can't come in and stop lying all at once. He has to ease into it. It takes time. I truly don't expect to see nothing of any substance on this thread from libs, other than their avatars in the "people who dropped this story". That is a shame. It would be amusing to see the imagination they have, put to the test to spin this into a postive for obie, while at the same time blaming Bush for the stimulus not producing any real job recovery.
When obie comes on and states "I spent 878 billion, and I saved 600K jobs" and you see we lost 600,000 jobs, it makes you wonder where the truth lies. I see the truth everyday. People are scared to death as a result of this economy, and now we have another 800 billion in debt to add to it. Thanks obie. Hey obie, the next time you want to do something good for the country, try leaving it. -
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pc253 weeks, 3 days ago
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clueless as always.........the stimulus was passed this year or dont you remember.......you were all clamoring for it and then the libs all applauded when it was passed, and then the libs started to drop all the articles that referred to it as porkulus ..........dont you remember. you were one of the Obots leading the charge. my how things change.
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as the saying goes Success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan......the stimulus now is an orphan....... -
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TOD3963 weeks, 3 days ago
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" I truly don't expect to see nothing of any substance on this thread from libs, other than their avatars in the "people who dropped this story". That is a shame. It would be amusing to see the imagination they have, put to the test to spin this into a postive for obie, while at the same time blaming Bush for the stimulus not producing any real job recovery"
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Thanks dio, I almost thought I would hit the trifecta, but you came thru for me on two out of three. As stated, i knew you would drop this story, but to have you come forward with the "Blame Bush" theme, was more than I should have asked for. Here we go, the stimulus was rammed through by obie for obie and it was done well after Bush went home. But hey, don't let facts get in the way.
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Wolfie20073 weeks, 2 days ago
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While millions are unemployed the Obama administration continues their orgy of spending on parties, golf, date night and vacations. The stimulus that was touted by Obama to keep unemployment under 8% has been partially spend and each job it created cost taxpayers approximately $125,000 each. Obama is saving the bulk of the stimulus to get democrats elected in 2010 and his own reelection in 2012. In the meantime unemployment is over 10% and all we get from the Obama mob is excuses and lying spin about jobs saved. How's that hope and change working for you?
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