Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublicans Slam Stimulus On Fifth Anniversary — But Most Took Credit For It Back Home
Republicans Slam Stimulus On Fifth Anniversary But Most Took Credit For It Back Home
By Igor Volsky
Monday marks the five-year anniversary of the passage of the American Recovery Act, President Obamas $800 billion stimulus stimulus package that invested in everything from infrastructure projects to electronic medical health care records and alternative energy sources. Every single Republican in the House and almost every Republican in the Senate with the exception of Former Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) voted against the measure and today the GOP continues to deride the law as wasteful an ineffective.
But as ThinkProgress reported throughout 2009, over half of the GOP caucus praised the effects of the stimulus or took credit for the federal dollars in their home districts and states despite repeatedly voting against it in Washington D.C. Below is a list of the top 13 stimulus hypocrites:
<...>
TIMEs Michael Grunwald reports that the Obama administration will release a report this week showing that the Recovery Act increased U.S. GDP by roughly 2 to 2.5 percentage points from late 2009 through mid-2011, keeping us out of a double-dip recession added about 6 million job years (a full-time job for a full year) through the end of 2012 (and) directly prevented 5.3 million people from slipping below the poverty line. The Congressional Budget Office and most economists agree that the law created higher output and employment than would have occurred without it.
UPDATE
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/02/17/3298561/stimulus-hypocrites/
By Igor Volsky
Monday marks the five-year anniversary of the passage of the American Recovery Act, President Obamas $800 billion stimulus stimulus package that invested in everything from infrastructure projects to electronic medical health care records and alternative energy sources. Every single Republican in the House and almost every Republican in the Senate with the exception of Former Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) voted against the measure and today the GOP continues to deride the law as wasteful an ineffective.
But as ThinkProgress reported throughout 2009, over half of the GOP caucus praised the effects of the stimulus or took credit for the federal dollars in their home districts and states despite repeatedly voting against it in Washington D.C. Below is a list of the top 13 stimulus hypocrites:
<...>
TIMEs Michael Grunwald reports that the Obama administration will release a report this week showing that the Recovery Act increased U.S. GDP by roughly 2 to 2.5 percentage points from late 2009 through mid-2011, keeping us out of a double-dip recession added about 6 million job years (a full-time job for a full year) through the end of 2012 (and) directly prevented 5.3 million people from slipping below the poverty line. The Congressional Budget Office and most economists agree that the law created higher output and employment than would have occurred without it.
UPDATE
In a video released Monday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) argued the stimulus clearly failed, noting that unemployment remains stubbornly high and our economy isnt growing fast enough proof that massive government spending, particularly debt spending, is not the solution to our economic growth problems. But in December of 2009, Rubio told NBCs Tampa affiliate WFLA, Ultimately I would have accepted those portions of the money that would not have put Florida in a worse position off in the future than it is right now. Rubio later clarified his position to the Weekly Standard: Its one thing to say youll accept the funds from the federal government. Its another to actively advocate those policies, which I think are disastrous for America.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/02/17/3298561/stimulus-hypocrites/
Here's the list of 13 stimulus hypocrites:
1. Paul Ryan requested stimulus funds for jobs in his district.
2. Eric Cantor held a job fair with organizations that received stimulus funds, supported using stimulus funds.
3. Mitch McConnell bragged about stimulus projects, requested more money.
4. John Boehner admitted stimulus funds would create much needed jobs.
5. Lamar Alexander asked for a stimulus job grant.
6. Cathy McMorris Rodgers took credit for $35 million in stimulus highway funds.
7. Jack Kingston issued a press releases bragging about bringing stimulus jobs to his district.
8. Steve King claimed credit for highway stimulus funds he voted against.
9. Phil Gingrey handed out giant stimulus checks in Georgia.
10. Kevin McCarthy praised stimulus funding for local courthouse.
11. Louie Gohmert signed a letter requesting stimulus funds for NASA.
12. John Cornyn wrote two letters asking for stimulus funds.
13. Lindsey Graham claimed it would be crazy not to accept recovery dollars.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 494 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Republicans Slam Stimulus On Fifth Anniversary — But Most Took Credit For It Back Home (Original Post)
ProSense
Feb 2014
OP
It would make a good ad to hammer home if the Democrats were really serious...
Historic NY
Feb 2014
#2
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)1. Figures: GOP=fucking hypocrit!!!
Historic NY
(37,453 posts)2. It would make a good ad to hammer home if the Democrats were really serious...
about winning the mid terms...this year. I mean day after day week after week along with health care on the radio, and local stations to target them..
ProSense
(116,464 posts)3. Yes, but
"It would make a good ad to hammer home if the Democrats were really serious..."
...how often is pushback against Republican distortion of the effects of the stimulus met with "worked for who"?
Democrats have a way of stomping all over any positive message.
Of course, there was also the lost opportunity that would have strengthened the recovery.
The Jobs Program That Wasnt
Macroeconomic Advisers on the American Jobs Act, proposed a year ago:
Of course, it that had happened, Obama would be more or less a lock for reelection. Instead, having blocked the presidents economic plans, Republicans can point to weak job growth and claim that the presidents policies have failed.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/08/the-jobs-program-that-wasnt/
Macroeconomic Advisers on the American Jobs Act, proposed a year ago:
We estimate that the American Jobs Act (AJA), if enacted, would give a significant boost to GDP and employment over the near-term.
-The various tax cuts aimed at raising workers after-tax income and encouraging hiring and investing, combined with the spending increases aimed at maintaining state & local employment and funding infrastructure modernization, would:
-Boost the level of GDP by 1.3% by the end of 2012, and by 0.2% by the end of 2013.
-Raise nonfarm establishment employment by 1.3 million by the end of 2012 and 0.8 million by the end of 2013, relative to the baseline
Of course, it that had happened, Obama would be more or less a lock for reelection. Instead, having blocked the presidents economic plans, Republicans can point to weak job growth and claim that the presidents policies have failed.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/08/the-jobs-program-that-wasnt/