SWGA Politics

Way To Spend Folks!

Anyone else remember that $787 billion in stimulus money? The money that was supposed to go toward making our nation a better place economically? It was supposed to create jobs and help people keep jobs? An enormous segment of the population was against their adoption, but still the proposals passed both chambers of Congress and it was swiftly signed into law by President Bush.

And now it’s not even being used in the states that need it most!

I’m not a fan of stimulus packages like this. I don’t feel they work over the long run, they merely prolong the pain. Besides which, we’ll have to pay back all this money sooner or later, so why not just let us keep our money where it belongs? In our pockets?

But pass the stimulus plan they did, and now we find that the states who need it most are getting comparatively little of it. Michigan, for example, has been hurting with the recent hits to the auto industry and they expect more coming as GM goes into bankruptcy. However, only $21 million of that $787 billion has been spent in Michigan. That averages out to just 21 cents per person, hardly enough to make a dent.

Oregon, who’s unemployment rate is similar to Michigan’s, is averaging $2.12 per person. Both of these states are well below the national average of $13 per person.

So, this leaves the question of “Why bother then?” If the United States Government can’t target the states that need it effectively, then why should they be trying to do this at all? Perhaps the secret is to cut spending and cut taxes, putting more money in our pockets so we can buy things that will stimulate the economy over all.

It ain’t that hard after all.