Study Shows Partisan Influence On Stimulus Spending

Democrats are feeling stimulated these days.  In a recent study, Jerry Brito and Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center tracked stimulus spending in all 435 congressional districts plus the District of Columbia.  They found that the amount of stimulus money received by a district was influenced by its partisan representation, rather than economic need. Districts with a Democratic congressman received almost twice as many dollars as those with Republican representation, whereas there was no relationship between a district’s unemployment level and the amount of stimulus money it received.

Barack Obama has broken many campaign promises since taking office, but when it comes to the comparisons to Franklin Delano Roosevelt saddled on him by his adorning followers in the media, he has worked hard to live up to the hype.  We already knew that both dishonestly campaigned against the excessive spending of their predecessors before breaking the bank on their own watch.  Now we also know that President Obama, like FDR, has abused a crisis atmosphere to direct economic relief funds for partisan purposes.

Patronage was instrumental in protecting the incumbent Democratic Party in the first mid-term election under FDR, despite an unemployment rate that surpassed 20 percent.  His administration targeted swing districts for infusions of federal dollars – spending money not to increase employment, but to maximize electoral gains.  He succeeded.  Democrats expanded their majorities by nine seats in both chambers.

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