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2008-12-07 Home Front Economy

B.O. discusses economic plan to save, create jobs

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Posted by Fred 2008-12-07 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 There are what, 13 million, illegals---just deport them and you'll have 13 million jobs.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2008-12-07 06:10|| 2008-12-07 06:10|| Front Page Top

#2 Still awaiting 'the details' of his plan are we?

Posted by Besoeker 2008-12-07 07:40|| 2008-12-07 07:40|| Front Page Top

#3 ... invests in the country's roads and schools.

So where's all that federal gas tax money been going to? [Rhetorical question - its been dumped into general revenue and an ever smaller cut committed to the actually roads and bridges it was justified upon.] And as for the schools, compare local and state government increases in outlays since 1980 with most other aspects of the society and you'll find you haven't got any return on investment. So, what makes anyone think that throwing more money [to the same suspects responsible for poor performance in the first place] is going to change anything.

You want 2 million new jobs? How about 100,000 new border guards and another 25,000 lawyers and 25,000 ~~lobbyists~~ paper expediters for ICE to enforce existing laws? Are we going to see that rather and Chicago style work ~~handouts~~ projects to build a dependent ~~patronage~~ clientele to vote to keep their jobs next time around? Socialism is marvelous.

Instead of reading up on the mythology of FDR, put down that book, and start watching a couple seasons of Mike Rowe's "Dirty Jobs" and see the kind of work that Americans are willing to do, at least those who 'want' to work.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-12-07 08:59|| 2008-12-07 08:59|| Front Page Top

#4 A plan like this *could* help, given a downturn in economic activity, and taken in moderation. Especially since America's infrastructure needs shoring up. Now is the time to build.

However, the democrats will go totally overboard. Then add the lard. Public projects are their stopped clock solution in good times and bad. Given the excuse of bad times and with single party federal power, it will be pigs at the trough^n.

As to the "miracle" of FDR, read Amity Shlaes "The Forgotten Man".

Posted by Minister of funny walks 2008-12-07 09:41|| 2008-12-07 09:41|| Front Page Top

#5 So, what makes anyone think that throwing more money [to the same suspects responsible for poor performance in the first place] is going to change anything.

P2K, you sadly miss the point ...

Posted by Steve White 2008-12-07 10:13|| 2008-12-07 10:13|| Front Page Top

#6 Construction jobs are tough, isn't this is one of the jobs Americans don't want to do? Most of the construction workers I see are immigrants so I would think that most of the money will go back to Mexico. I'm sure Calderon is pleased.

Posted by bman 2008-12-07 12:12|| 2008-12-07 12:12|| Front Page Top

#7 ...isn't this is one of the jobs Americans don't want to do?

As the aforementioned Mike Rowe series shows and the long lines of Americans at packing plants the days after a major ICE raid demonstrate, Americans will do the jobs, but not under a thuggish management which treats them like disposable crap. Particularly, management which suspects some one in the group might actually understand the law, like the Fair Labor Standards Act. That kind of management prefers peons who don't talk back and can be threatened with arbitrary firing.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-12-07 12:41|| 2008-12-07 12:41|| Front Page Top

#8 Dunno, Min of Funny Walks, this "infrastructure" mantra has been the generic macro stimulus thing pushed by Dems for two decades now. As you note, it's their "stopped clock" solutions to downturns.

However, I question whether that nice metaphor really applies, since that stopped clock is probably not "correct" even in a downturn. First, I am skeptical that there is net benefit from any stimulus, of any kind - and fairly certain there is far less benefit than one would obtain from superior choices, all of which consist of the state sector getting out of the way (lower taxes, deregulation esp. on small business).

Second, the "infrastructure" string has been pushed on for some time now. Does everyone forget the worst of the bloated Bush II era spending bills - the "highway bill"? Besides, states have most of the responsibility for infrastructure, and I don't see too many states that have been exactly restrained in their spending lately.

I find it very very difficult to believe that infrastructure is any sort of real problem across America today, any more than it usually is. And where it is, states are the primary culprits in falling behind on maintenance.

I fear the current approach - addressing a downturn stumble resulting from an over-leveraged economy by creating even MORE leverage in the form of sovereign debt and money creation - cannot end well. It surely poisons the investment environment - which is battered enough by the absurd bail-outs, the "anything goes" mentality they reveal, and the prospect of even dumber excesses by the incoming jacka, er, Donk admin.

Posted by Verlaine 2008-12-07 13:11|| 2008-12-07 13:11|| Front Page Top

#9 project delivery is a defined schedule for most large infrastructure projects. 1-2 yrs prelim engineering 2-3 yrs enviro process (even longer if it's controversial), 1-2 yrs final design, right-of-way acquisition 6 mos bidding, and voila! you're right into the next administration. Perhaps the O will be willing to waive environmental review? Didn't think so.

There aren't a lot of huge (or medium) projects sitting on a shelf for bailout funds to kickstart the construction. He's an idiot

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-12-07 13:22|| 2008-12-07 13:22|| Front Page Top

#10 Maybe the enviro process could be collapsed, like totally, as part of a bi-partisan effort.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 13:41|| 2008-12-07 13:41|| Front Page Top

#11 Every one of these jobs will have UNION companies getting preferential bidding contracts. We are going to use tax dollars to create an enormous resurgence of UNION jobs who will in turn create UAW like monsters again, whose dues coffers are going to sustain the Democrat party's dominance over the US for decades. Right in front of your eyes they are cementing one party rule...... and making you even more of a tax-serf than you are now!
Change you can believe in - changing your basic political rights to those of an indentured servant, whoase earnings are used to pay the compant store!

Posted by NoMoreBS">NoMoreBS 2008-12-07 14:44|| 2008-12-07 14:44|| Front Page Top

#12 ...company store.
(Darn fingers)

Posted by NoMoreBS">NoMoreBS 2008-12-07 14:45|| 2008-12-07 14:45|| Front Page Top

#13

project delivery is a defined schedule for most large infrastructure projects. 1-2 yrs prelim engineering 2-3 yrs enviro process (even longer if it's controversial), 1-2 yrs final design, right-of-way acquisition 6 mos bidding, and voila! you're right into the next administration. Perhaps the O will be willing to waive environmental review? Didn't think so.

There aren't a lot of huge (or medium) projects sitting on a shelf for bailout funds to kickstart the construction. He's an idiot.

Fixed that for ya', Frank. ;-p

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-12-07 16:32|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-12-07 16:32|| Front Page Top

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