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Republicans Stepping up Anti-Stimulus Rhetoric

July 10, 2009 11:41 AM

Wolf ABC News'  Z. Byron Wolf reports:

Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee stood beside a large, orange “Road Work Ahead” sign draped with reflective road worker vests today to complain that the stimulus hasn’t worked in creating the jobs it was supposed to.

And they called on the Obama administration to work to address the $20 billion shortfall that threatens payments for non-stimulus road and infrastructure projects paid for through the highway trust fund.

“There's a new definition for dismal failure. Stimulus. This stimulus,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, whose home state of Florida suffers from high unemployment.

The Congress people all suffer from high unemployment in their states and pointed to a GAO report released this week that shows many of the areas with the highest unemployment are receiving proportionally less stimulus money. In large part, this is due to the formula by which the funds have been dispersed.

“It’s absolutely shocking that after five months later continue to be mired in red tape. it takes far too long to get projects under way,” said Rep. John Mica, R-FL, who is the ranking Republican on the Transportation Committee.

 “Michigan, with the highest unemployment in the nation, is 45th in the nation in our receipt of transportation dollars,” said Rep. Candace Miller, who said her district has the highest unemployment in the nation.

She said the Obama administration and Congress should change the rules for stimulus-funded projects to cut through red tape. They pointed to the quick response to the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, which took 437 days to rebuild, although Congress passed a special bill to authorize its contribution to that project.

 “Cutting through all of this, we would have so many shovel ready programs,” said Miller of red tape that she said is snarling projects. “we would be really turning the dirt right now.”

They also faulted the Obama administration for its plan to ask Congress to authorize the borrowing of $20 billion to replenish the Department of Transportation’s highway trust fund, which faces a funding shortfall.

July 10, 2009 in Stimulus | Permalink | Share | User Comments (17)

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This is nothing but a pack of vicious lies from Republicans...and it's about six months too late to make a difference.

And of course the anti-Obama media is eating it up...

Posted by: matt | Jul 10, 2009 12:36:46 PM

Please matt, the so called stimulus is nothing but payback for votes.

Posted by: Lizzie | Jul 10, 2009 1:59:04 PM

The way to "stimulate" is tax cuts.

Posted by: Ron | Jul 10, 2009 2:52:28 PM

ron--yes tax cuts for the working class and double the tax on the filthy rich that caused america to fall.

Posted by: real T here | Jul 10, 2009 5:52:29 PM

@Lizzie = The stimulus that was passed has tax cuts for consumers and small businesses. Ask the GOP leaders whose taxes they really mean when they say small business. If you look at the republican alternative, they proposed extending the bush tax cuts and more tax cuts for the corporations that sent our jobs overseas. If the Bush tax cuts were going to work (needed extending), we would not be in this mess because they would be working now. As for cutting the taxes of corporations, why, the job it creates won't be in this country?

The GOP is trying to shift the nations attention from health care back to the economy. They want American to believe that the stimulus failed because we didn't listen to them so health care will fail because they have nothing constructive to add. They know average American's and small businesses taxes HAVE been cut so if that was the easy solution this would all be fixed by now.

The stimulus was designed and advertised to work over time so it will take some patience to see the fruits. In the mean time, enjoy your tax cut, buy American and keep faith in this great nation of ours.

Posted by: Chuck | Jul 10, 2009 7:53:42 PM

Hello..earth to libs...the stimulus is a failure. You tell me how Nancy Pelosi getting her friends 30 mil to study some damn mouse is helping the economy! You tell me how some damn turtle tunnel helps the economy. Jobs continue to be lost...never mind "Saved". Which BTW, is an unprovable stat but you BHO sycophants don't get that.

Enjoy my tax cut? You mean the $4.00 a week?


I would say do you your homework but you Obamabots are just to stupid to grasp the concept that you've been had!

Yup...that 1 trillion that we borrowed from China for the "Stimulus" is working wonders all right...at least it is in the fantasy land you Barrack fans live in.

Next up...free health care for those illegal aliens and then reparations!

Posted by: MBNA Joe | Jul 10, 2009 8:25:00 PM

And now the negative neocon spin cycle comes back around to the stimulus! The "pubs" are pathetic! Desperately trying to make a case on virtually any issue that anybody will listen to! The crybaby antics are starting to get very old. Their new slogan "Got nothin for ya" is really starting to fit!!

Posted by: js45601 | Jul 10, 2009 8:36:41 PM

js,

Yeah, Dems are offering up a grand "new" strategy, since they have none of their own, they are going for Bush cubed.

Simple example of why Dems will destroy what left of the economy.....

Some TARP funds have been paid back and wow, we the TAXPAYERS have actually made some bucks on the deal. Now we have Bumbling Barney Frank wanting now to CHANGE the TARP LAW and SPEND the money that has come back in from that program. The TARP profits were supposed to be for paying down the debt!!!

Now instead, that moron Frank wants spend, spend and spend some more. Dems whine about how bad Bush did with the deficit, but so far in barely 6 months they have managed to spend like there is no tomorrow. Frank hasn't found a dollar yet that wouldn't spend along with 2 more that he doesn't even have!

Guess What, Dems own this thing now, and some of them are now beginning to understand that going home to all those unemployed and those who are fearing job loss is in their future is going to very very difficult. Spend, Spend, Spend....and oh just wait, the "Stimulator" will keep unemployment under 9%...oops...10%....oppps....

We wil give you healthcare...but we have no idea what the coverages will be & premiums will cost will be.

We will give you the Enery/Climate/Jobs...oh, well...maybe not jobs Bill.

We gave Dems the ability to drive the bus all on their own, and they are lead footing it right at the cliff!

Posted by: Mike_C | Jul 10, 2009 9:27:25 PM

The stimulus was not designed to work, it didn't have time to be "designed" to work and it wasn't read. It was a payoff to democrats. The reports now say the blue states are getting the bulk of the payouts, but I do believe ALL the citizens will have to pay for it. It's a darn shame pelositicians are so generous with my hard earned money. Six days of work a week in my business for no paycheck, so I can pay employees can't last forever.

Posted by: Gary | Jul 10, 2009 10:55:16 PM

Ron SAID "
"The way to "stimulate" is tax cuts."

---------------------------------------
Bush cut taxes three times during his presidency. In addition, they kept cutting interest rates to practically nothing. Did all that cutting help stop this recession from happening???? The old "tax cut" retoric does not work. Spending money does, just check the history of recessions and how they ended and then point out one that ended by cutting taxes. Ahh, I bet your going to say Reagan's cuts worked! Actually Reagan cut taxes in 1981 along with slashing deregulations. Result - a huge recession in 1982 (the biggest one since the great depression until this one beat it out) despite the fact that everyone (including business) knew for a year that the cuts were going into effect. People were layed off anyway. It's kind of interesting that they are saying the places with the least recovery are the places with the least stimulus money. COULD IT POSSIBLE BE BECUAUSE the stimulus money works.

Posted by: Olivia | Jul 11, 2009 3:27:00 AM

matt: What are you smoking?
"The Anti-Obama media"?
The only criticism in the MSM comes
from Fox and maybe The New York Post.
The rest are all "in the tank" for
President Obama and the Democrats.
Are you saying that anyone who opposes
the president's aganda is "Anti-Obama"?
The last time I looked freedom of speech
was still allowed in this country!

Posted by: reaganfan | Jul 11, 2009 2:35:44 PM

reaganfan - Your name says it all. I too liked and respected Ronald Reagan but, unlike Hannity and others, I don't believe his economics worked then nor would it work now. But that is a legitement source of disagreement.

My problem is with all the "mis-information" presented as fact by, FOX and others, who wish to discredit the President. I welcome opposing views as long as they are REAL and not based on mis-information. I received an email just the other day claiming that Michelle Obama took a government plane to take her kids shopping in England JUST THIS WEEK (according to the email). This shopping trip happened, of course, during the regular Presidential trip to Europe in early June. But the email said "just this week" like this is something that just happened in addition to the other trip. The comments were critical of the trip that never happened. All facts were twisted to make their point. This is the kind of garbage that makes me and others so angry. I sent the email back to everyone on the list (over 100 names) with proof that it was not true by several sources. The response I received from a couple people was, "they must be liberal sources". One was factcheck.com which is neither conservative nor liberal..they ding both sides when they need dinging. Another was the actual picture posted in their own e-mail. It showed a picture from the Washington Post with the picture of the Obamas shopping. The newspaper actually had the early June date right on the bi-line and the heading of the paper. Something, the emailer must have overlooked. I just wonder how many people were convinced this was true and are spreading it around.

Posted by: Gretchenmom | Jul 11, 2009 7:14:53 PM

Amazing..!!!..The Republicans are complaining about the stimulus not working and creating jobs..when almost all of them voted AGAINST...the plan..For the stimulus to began working, projects will need to get started...but first permits have to be issued, and this takes to much time...The Republicans know the stimulus will work, in time...and I think that is what bothers them.

Posted by: DirtyShame | Jul 12, 2009 9:11:35 PM

Republicans are determined to undermine the efforts President Obama makes to fix problems that republicans caused with the reckless policies and complete fealty to Bush and Cheney. If republicans gave a darn about us they would be working hard to make things better for Americans instead of being the obstructionists that do nothing but oppose anything and everything.

Posted by: Morecan | Jul 12, 2009 9:31:25 PM

People act as though they have never been unemployed before..I have been umemployed several times, each time I would make the necessary changes, go back to school, is the best way to change your situation. Keep in mind, your situation depends on your actions. You can sit around and cuss the government all you want to, but that is not going to make things better. Now I am working in construction, I know this job will soon end, and I have my next self improvement planned.

Posted by: DirtyShame | Jul 12, 2009 9:43:23 PM

DirtyShame wrote:
Amazing..!!!..The Republicans are complaining about the stimulus not working and creating jobs..when almost all of them voted AGAINST...the plan..
Yes Dirty, they voted against the plan
because they knew it wouldn't work and
it hasn't!
What part of that don't you understand?

Posted by: reaganfan | Jul 13, 2009 2:49:19 PM

After eight years of the republican's economic destruction of America, some would realize that this stimulus is not like instant oatmeal. It took time to get us into economic trouble, it is surely going to take time to get out of this mess. The republican's simply are trying to find some type of voice.

Posted by: jbmotogp | Jul 14, 2009 3:20:56 AM

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