In states, stimulus aid favors social programs [Obama: Community Organizer-in-Chief]

The New Bedford Standard Times / The Associated Press ^ | June 5, 2009

[2ndDivisionVet]

Remember the "shovel-ready" projects lined up for all that stimulus money? It turns out social spending, more than construction, is hitting pay dirt in the huge federal effort to turn the economy around.

The public face of the stimulus package has been the worker in a hard hat, getting back on the job to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.

--snip--

The reality of how the vast majority of the stimulus money will be spent is quite different, and that raises questions about how much help the Recovery Act achieved by President Barack Obama will be to the economy in the long run.

Most of the roughly $300 billion going directly to the states is being funneled through existing government programs for health care, education, unemployment benefits, food stamps and other social services.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Unemployment insurance went up a whopping $25 a week under the stimulus plan! Wow, an extra tank of gas (in a small car) lunch at McDonald's or one more bag of cheap groceries... Meanwhile, at the White House, $500 sneakers, Wagu beef, trips to Broadway and the pyramids.

[DB]

None productive debt piled on more none productive debt...

No way to run a country...

[Brad from Tennessee]

No doubt some folks in need are getting some help from this money while some crooks are padding their lockboxes. But I gotta wonder what would have been the result if, instead of the Pork-u-lous, Congress suspended federal corporate taxes and the capital gains tax for 18 months and gave all working taxpayers a 20 percent tax cut?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

The only thing the stimuls money is helping is the greasing of Obama re-election funds for 2012.

[freekitty]

Sames like the same old crap being sold from the same old lies for a lot more money that will find its way into the pockets of political cronies like Michelle Obamas big fancy overpaid job.