What Ever Happened To All Those “Shovel Ready” Projects Last Time?

So The Whine wants to spend $50 billion now

MILWAUKEE — President Obama, looking to stimulate a sluggish economy and create jobs, called Monday for Congress to approve major upgrades to the nation’s roads, rail lines and runways — part of a six-year plan that would cost tens of billions of dollars and create a government-run bank to finance innovative transportation projects.

With Democrats facing an increasingly bleak midterm election season, Mr. Obama used a speech at a union gathering on Labor Day, the traditional start of the campaign season, to outline his plan. It calls for a quick infusion of $50 billion in government spending that White House officials said could spur job growth as early as next year — if Congress approves.

So they blow through $800 billion last year for “shovel ready” projects and every single one of their really smart predictions by the really smart people who came up with that really smart plan turned out to be really really wrong.

The only thing “shovel ready” out of DC is all the crap they spout.

categories Biz, Nanny State, Politics | | datetime September 7, 2010 6:35 am

2 Responses to “What Ever Happened To All Those “Shovel Ready” Projects Last Time?”

  1. tree hugging sister says:
    September 7, 2010 at 8:19 am

    Hmmm. I know the PoS occupying Offal Office is “shovel ready”, but can’t think of much else worth that kinda money at the moment.

  2. JeffS says:
    September 7, 2010 at 1:33 pm

    When I first heard that phrase “shovel ready” in relations to Federal spending, I nearly fell off my chair laughing.

    The only “shovel ready” spending that Uncle Sugar is capable of doing is pretty much limited to credit card purchases. The Federal procurement actively and deliberately discourages speedy contracts (with the sole exception of bona fide emergencies…..and even then with great caution).

    This applies, by and large, to the States as well, ESPECIALLY when it comes to Federal funds.

    And having any contract sitting on the shelf, “ready to go”, simply ain’t gonna happen. The Rules™, they change way too often. If the document is more than a year old, you need to review it, at the very least.

    Oh, an existing contract might be amended, but even that is difficult.

    Not to mention…….O!bambi tried this with nearly $800 billion, and failed miserably. This $50 billion is a bone thrown to his (remaining) supporters, just so he can pretend to be trying.

    What a poltroon.

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