Let’s Be Frank, Mr. Vice President: The Stimulus Failed
by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)Today, the State of Georgia welcomes Vice President Joe Biden for an update on the administration’s so-called stimulus bill. With national unemployment sitting today at 10%, and worse in Georgia, the White House’s credibility on stimulus success is dubious at best. Yet as proper manners would dictate, we owe the Vice President an opportunity to make his case.
President Obama tapped Mr. Biden to oversee the stimulus program because, as he put it, “nobody messes with Joe.” While that may be so, as the Vice President has been traveling around the nation touting the various spending priorities of the stimulus bill, their alleged benefits have yet to materialize into jobs. So if the Vice President is visiting to have us believe expanding broadband is how jobs are created or that we can “weatherize” our way back to prosperity, it may be Joe who is messing with Georgia.
It’s actually quite telling that the Vice President is visiting us to discuss the stimulus package on the same day that President Obama is setting off for Copenhagen to promote a job-killing National Energy Tax as a means to combat global warming. Because what was evident in the stimulus package, and has been reinforced through subsequent actions, is that this administration places a higher premium on its social goals than on putting people back to work.
To demonstrate this point, just take a look at the projects funded by the stimulus package. The hodgepodge of wasteful spending has included $3.8 million for an urban art trail in Rochester, N.Y., $1.5 million to streetscape a Detroit casino, and $578,000 to fight homelessness in Union, N.Y., a town with no reported homeless people. Rather than anything resembling a jobs bill, the package was awash with pet projects for Democrat members of Congress and their special interest allies.
Perhaps no agenda was more apparent in the bill than that of transforming our economy to the liking of Al Gore and his friends. The bill was loaded with billions of dollars to “green” America. The merit of each “green” initiative can be debated, but what is indisputable is they have nothing to do with sparking immediate economic growth. If taxpayer-funded rebates for the purchase of more energy efficient dishwashers were the key to putting folks back to work, I’d be all for it. But the “Cash-for-Clunkers: Home Appliance Edition” program included in the bill is not what will cure unemployment.
The unfortunate reality is that with its promises of an immediate impact and jumpstarted job growth, the stimulus has been a demonstrable failure.
We were told we’d see up to 4 million jobs “saved or created.” The Vice President’s own economist, in a now infamous report, told us if we passed this emergency package that unemployment would be contained to 8%. Instead, over 3 million Americans have lost work since its passage, and unemployment is expected to remain near 10%. In another promise, the President said 90% of the jobs “saved or created” would be in the private sector. The jobs the administration actually can pinpoint, however, have been overwhelmingly in government.
One thing that the stimulus has created without any dispute, though, is an unprecedented budget deficit. This past year, the budget shortfall was $1.4 trillion, nearly four times the deficit of the previous year. And Congress will soon be forced to increase the federal debt limit that already sits at $12.1 trillion. This will be the fifth increase in the debt limit since Democrats took control of Congress just three years ago.
The deficits created by the stimulus are not only unsustainable in the long-term, but have grown so large they threaten economic stability today. As the big-government approach has predictably let Americans down, it’s time for a new approach. That’s why, working with my Republican colleagues, I have introduced a pair of measures that would pull the plug on the ill-fated stimulus and put into action real incentives for economic growth.
For starters, our REBOUND Act, H.R. 3140, would rescind the large unspent portions of the stimulus bill, as well as the TARP bailout funds, to pay down the deficits. And our Economic Recovery Act, H.R. 470, would offer across-the-board tax relief to American families. The legislation reduces economic burdens on businesses, small and large, so they may expand and hire workers once more. And finally, the legislation includes spending reductions, because downsizing an overgrown Washington can no longer wait.
Our solutions revolve around a basic principle that it is people, businesses, and markets that create jobs, not government borrowing and spending. We can talk all day long about double sealing our windows for the winter, but we won’t see real recovery until the Vice President and this administration recognize that government can only do so much, while the economic potential for unburdened and economically empowered Americans is unlimited.
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This is a great opportunity for Smokin Joe to show us his "Presidential" skills. HaHa.
This administration needs to understand that, despite their good intentions, more government will not solve our economic problems. Government needs to step aside and allow the free market to operate in the best interests of America. For example, removing the senseless ban on domestic oil drilling would generate more jobs than any government program and generate tax revenue. Fast-track the building of nuclear plants and oil refineries and watch the unemployment rate go down. Remove the artificial barriers to business created by the now-disproven climate change hoax and watch our economy grow to new heights.
Get government out of our way and our future will once again be bright.
recall impeach repeat
Great ! What could go wrong with the "GAFFSTER" speaking half truths while his pal ObamaPOS jets off on our plane to kill American jobs to satisfy his narcisstic ego with Europa ! He will feel right at home with the violent "green" protestors. It's the Chicago way !
The stimulus is for bureaucrats. Our poor starved government officials who starved through 14 years of Republican Congress.
I'll have to do some research on those proposed bills of yours, but so far, you have my support. Good luck to you!
I guess I still have trouble understanding how a group such as Congress, or the current administration in the White House, can't just sit down and brainstorm some ideas of what this country needs more of, and then enlist unemployed citizens to create it. Surely jobs can be created. Take the money Obamacare would cost and instead use it to put people to work maintaining federal roadways, or doing the grunt work in relandscaping city parks, etc. It's not glamorous, but it's work.
"And so today I am announcing the suspension of the United States Constitution, the declaration of martial law and the nationalization of American industry. My deficit-neutral plan to place dissidents into work camps and confiscate all corporate profits will guarantee full employment, balance the national budget and pull our nation back from the brink of depression. Hooray for me!"
So right! Federal jobs are plentiful and lucrative right now.
Spending taxpayer money to 'create jobs' kills more jobs in the private sector than it creates in the public sector. A Jobs Bill is like pouring government gasoline on a fire. It always increases unemployment. This has been amply demonstrated in the last 12 months. None of the promises made going into the failed economic bailout were met. Private sector jobs were lost at a higher rate than if nothing had been done. The fact that a large portion of the bailout is unspent has been the only bright spot in this chapter.
"The beatings will continue until morale improves."
Does a gaff on a lie equal the truth? Every time I hear Biden's name I start laughing and crying. He's only a heartbeat away from the presidency. Of course he's too much of a buffon and wouldn't be the running the country. It would Nancy Pelosi doing it by fiat. Excuse me I've got to puke …
But one can't get one for being competent. Only correctly politically aligned and then politically connected with copious kickbacks. Sadly, I'm only half kidding.
Pelosis to the left of me,
Reids to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with Barack O'Biden.
The newest poll shows how sick Americans are of both parties and their ridiculous bickering in Washington. They get elected on promises we know they can't keep. Tell us the truth in the first place. We are big boys and girls and can handle it. We need a Manhattan Project and we need it now! Get these ideas implemented and let's get America back to work! Obama misread the American public big time. He thought that a 51% win was a good thing? What about the ones that were on the fence? What about the ones who were independent and BELIEVED what he was saying? He is just like all the others we have sent to Washington to CHANGE business as usual. Ha. The Unions and Lobbyists run this Country and our elected officials fall right into their hands. Why do you think the so called Tea Party is gaining? Those are the real Americans.. Sick and tired of business as usual. They are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, immigrants and everything else in between. It is a ground swell of angry Americans seeing their country ruined.. Let's get some of the so called Smart People together and let's get America back to work. Obama missed it when he let healthcare get in the way of jobs! If America was working they would at least have a chance at having some healthcare – not working – no healthcare.
I agreed. STIMULUS FAILED. Why pass another 155 BILLION more? Did we hear Pelosi said to pay teachers and policemen? I thought that was the State jobs? OMG. While we are drowning in debt, we have all these politicians flying all over the world complete with bodyguards, chauffers, masseuse, wives and mistresses in tow. Drinking tea at 40 bucks each!
BackwardsBoy
You need to understand this administration does not have 'good' intentions.
What is happening is what they want.
The stimulus money may have worked if Obama would have used it correctly and used it all. Instead he is holding back so he can use it later and show employment up in the third quarter so he can get re-elected. Does he think the hurting Americans without jobs now will forget? No way! We have figured it out and it won't get you re-elected. The Americans who lost their homes to unemployment won't forget that you forgot about them. The seniors (55-64) who had to cancel their insurance because of the cost won't forget. We know he inherited a mess but that is old news. He dropped the ball and hasn't kept any of his promises.
Jayspry, you have no idea how close to the truth your statement is!
Now here's one for you…because of the business we run all employees must pass a background check. We did a check of applicants for the past year and found that of the 86 that applied, 47 could not be hired for failed background check. Most all the failures were minor, such as speeding tickets, and other such items. A couple had felonies, mostly for pot, had "paid their debt" and were otherwise well qualified. But we couldn't hire them.
Now what is going to happen to all those out there that can't pass a simple background check? That amounts to about one third of our population. Do they become permanently unemployed?
Weatherize! Remember those cozy fireside chats form "Jimma Cater"…..turn down the thermostat, wear one of these funky cardigans, drive 55 mph….oh don't worry about the 22% interest rates and the misery index. Hope there is another Regan in the wings, to identify the government as the problem not the solution. One who will identify our enemies rather that kow-tow to them. Just as "Jimma Carter" cratered to Iran this re-incarnate in the WhiteHouse is following the same path. Americans are winners not whiners, when called upon to show resolve they are unbeatable, be it resolved, current polling shows over 60% are not happy with this bunch, the revolt at the ballot box is coming. Joe Biden is the perfect foil for Obama, his gaffes often reveal more that the Chi-Town thugs want.
Once again, the insane are running the asylum and they bolted the doors shut.
But it's not UNION work. Doing favors for the SEIU is what the 'Won' primarily wants.
I will vote to anybody who starts investigating all corrupt politicians. We have an empty prison west of Illinois, a perfect retirement for them.
Too bad we can't have background checks on the idiots in Washington!!! I don't think any of them would pass!!!
That would be Sarah Palin!!!
Quick grab the gas and torches
Its quite Simple Sarah, the Administration and the majority leaders aren't not the least bit interested in the ideas of the minority. They have ideological, and political commitments to do things a certain way; and no amount of discussion or reasoning will change that. Its not about whats good for the United States of America, its about whats best for the progressive movement, the Democratic party and their various interest groups. They don't care about people's jobs, they don't care about health care, and they don't give a damn about "the children." What the progressives in our government want, is expansion. The more people they have dependent on the government for their jobs (i.e. bureaucrats) or dependent of those bureaucrats for their daily needs (i.e. food stamps, housing, health care etc) the better; they can maintain their power indefinitely as they have done in the UK, where the National Health is the single largest employer int he WORLD. Dependent people vote for the politicians who take care of them.
Obama, Biden, Ried, Peolois etc. resign. The economy would be up and running within a quarter.
Ah they are using that for Terrorists right? WOW, that would be even more appropriate, though I am not sure I want them talking to AQ types, probably create something even more horrible, a progressive islamist.
Very well put AJ. I would only add one thing, and it is with great hope that I say; the progressive transformation movement in America seriously jumped the gun.
The indoctrination was not complete. Had they waited another generation – there would be little to no resistance.
However, the growing resistance to their methods and motives is heartening. Indeed, the sleeping giant is awakening. We the people have taken off the blinders of apathy, ignorance and 'party'. There are still enough Americans that believe in and know what our country was founded and built upon, and they are not going to give up on it as easlily as the transformers had calculated.
they pad the payrolls and give out raises while spitting in our eye
i say pare down the federal payroll 100 jobs a day start with the pages at congress they are mostly toys anyway
Actually, the primary problem is that we can't handle the truth and if the pols told us we would run them out of office. Therefore, they're forced to lie. Health care is a perfect example. The only way to really cut spending (Europe spends only 1/3 per capita what we do) is through very aggressive rationing. We could do this without having a major impact on our health care…would just have to agree to longer waiting times for non-critical stuff, and denial of high cost/low benefit stuff. But, nope. We've become used to having it all and despite the $12T national debt (expected to reach $19T by 2021), we still…don't…get it.
I think you're onto something here. I could never understand why the Dems crafted a stimulus bill where 80% of the money didn't even get spent to 2010. IMO they wanted 2009 to be really really bad…to scare people into supporting their radical legislation (remember Rahm's quote about not wanting to waste a crisis). THen, when the bulk of the money got spent in 2010, unemployment would drop a bit just in time for the election cycle.
In 1902, Argentina was one of the world's richest countries, little more than a hundred years later, it's poverty-stricken country struggling to meet its debt obligations. Their destruction began with Hipólito Irigoyen (FDR) and total destruction after Juan Peron (Obama). We all know that anything the government touches becomes bankrupt, as Argentinian history has shown, unfunded entitlement programs will bring utter disaster. Socialist Obama and his Socialist buddies in the WH are enslaving future generations of Americans to poverty and misery. They will be gone when it implodes – when the piper must be paid. They must be stopped….contin
They need to make more political handouts.
contin…..Rep Price, the word must get out to the general pop that we have a Socialist in the WH. Sound bytes with inferences to his Statist ideology would be a start – then when it becomes the norm, it can become a full-blown mantra. You can help get it out there, for example, every time you all talk about the health care bill, call it – 'Socialized Health Bill' – 'Socialized Medicine' – 'Socializing our Health Care System' etc… You wouldn't be lying because that's exactly what it is and use words like, radical and ideology, you know what I mean…
Rep Price, much as I dearly love your gentlemanly ways – please try and get a little more aggressive.
Fight, fight, fight – Delay, delay, delay.
God bless you all,
Annie
Socialized health care (and Socialized Global Warming), will control every single aspect of our lives. For example, guns inflict 'expensive' wounds plus hurt people, data is fudged, guns become labeled as a great expense plus a grave health concern, thus removed for our own good.
Tom:
We love you here in Georgia and will continue to vote for you as one of the few sane folks in Congress. Please heed Annie's request to get more aggressive. Those of us who want to leave this country a better place for our grandchildren feel like we are rapidly losing the battle. We need you to be a voice of reason against what looks like a total government takeover – and eventual economic meltdown – only to be told by the Chinese what dance to perform with the music they'll play. Please heed our counsel.
John, Have you ever wondered why we Americans run to the doctor so much? Because we aren't taking the money out of our pocket and paying for it. If we could wean ourselves off of using insurance for every little mundane incident i.e. stitches in our finger, yearly exams, doctor visits for a cold, etc., we could change the whole picture of health care reform. Make our insurance for important medical necessities, cat scans, MRIs, heart attacks, cancer, etc., then maybe we could have some affordable health insurance. Did you know that if you pay cash up-front for medical services rendered most doctors and hospitals will cut your bill by 60%!! Yes 60%!! It would be cheaper for us to pay as we go and only use our insurance for the catastrophic necessities of life. Health insurance reform starts at home.. We are a spoiled society that expects the government to take care of us but that is not how it is supposed to work. America will be like Argentina sooner than later if we don't wake up.
So much has failed. Please read this and just hope we help just one family effected by this . My God it is Christmas time and we must spread the word about this:
http://americaspeaksink.com/2009/12/unemployment-...
Would that be Biden's BFF Barney "backing him up" Frank?
'nobody messes with joe' – i wonder why? here we have the VP of the US, and a former Senator who has no qualms with straying from the truth at the drop of a hat, and then the fringe media (formerly the MSM) eat it up like pablum. gosh, how does one combat that sort of thing?
2010 is just around the corner – and November just a short summer away.
Because they are imbecilic libs they bolted the asylum door on the OUTSIDE ! Now we have them locked in with one another….. They will eat each other alive… Be patient…. Results at 11:00…
All I want for CHRISTmas is for Ole Joe to get on TV and make some kind of speech while O is away. Please Ole Joe, will ya?? We never know what will come out of your mouth and you are always happy to please us by your flub-ups! Then you will be put back in the closet for a few more months because you stuck your foot in your mouth once again. LOL
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The Noble Patriot, raymond blanco. raymond blanco said: RT @TheNoblePatriot: Let’s Be Frank, Mr. Vice President: The Stimulus Failed http://j.mp/6dYWYF [...]
I still can't understand why the Dems would craft a Stimulus Bill where 80% of the money didn't even get spent until 2010; it was guaranteed to do virtually nothing in 2009. Obama's excuse that they underestimated the severity of the recession is BS too; Obama & Co. repeatedly told us this was the worst recession since the Great Depression. IMO it's a comination of incompetence and corruptness. Incompetent because they squandered a $787B chance to keep unemployment down, and corruption because it paid off Dem party loyalists and IMO was designed to spur the economy in mid-2010…just in time for those pesky elections.
Actually, the primary problem is that we can't handle the truth and if the pols told us we would run them out of office. Therefore, they're forced to lie. Health care is a perfect example. The only way to really cut spending (Europe spends only 1/3 per capita what we do) is through very aggressive rationing. We could do this without having a major impact on our health care…would just have to agree to longer waiting times for non-critical stuff, and denial of high cost/low benefit stuff. But, nope. We've become used to having it all and despite the $12T national debt (expected to reach $19T by 2021), we still…don't…get it.
Rep Price America is in agreement with you. The stimulus has failed miserably and the only beneficiary's are the big banks! I've tried working loan modifications for 11 months on $1.3M in investment property. All I have gotten is the run around. Banks have made up rules that prohibit the ability for a modification to take place, the first being that the debtor must have financial's that show positive cash flow on the current mortgages before consideration of a loan modification! Then multi-unit properties must be fully occupied! This is farcical in itself as if an investor wanted to purchase a property, the bank qualify the borrower using 50% occupancy or revenue! The banks will only 'consider' the modification if the property is 100% occupied. Thomas Jefferson was soooo right. A central bank is nothing but a standing army against the people and the people are finding themselves homeless in the land their forefathers created.
Congress cant do anything but stand in the way of creating jobs. American people create jobs, when they are left alone to work at their passion.
With the attitude its not glamorous its work, is any thing other than printing and collecting paychecks going to get done ?
Joe reminds me of Clarabelle the clown.
How well I know. I was merely being polite to Rep. Price.
This administration has no concern for the average American. If they did, we'd see it in their actions.
Looks like Slo Joe got messed with!
BackwardsBoy
True.
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For most families, daycare expenses form a huge chunk of their monthly budget, and it has become extremely difficult for them to see a way through it.
A PLEDGE is for the people and by the people,,,not this backroom ( BATHROOM) sneak,,,,they took for the rich and by the rich,,,,,I am so sry RIP IT UP,,,or let the american people vote on it,,,or are u afraid of the american people voting on it,,,,,do u think we are to stupid? You people ,,,think u are too dam smart,,,not this time,,,the rich ARE going to getted taxed,,maybe not this reach around:)
oh, yeah,,i forgot to say,,,u dont have my vote,,,and dont get comfy u wont be there long!!!! we will vote u out!!!! Rip up the pledge u sneak and liar,,,we made u rich and u turn ur back on us! How do u sleep at nite?
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