Our Congressman will give a press conference today about the failure of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was signed into law one year ago today. From his press release:
SANTA CLARITA, CA – One year ago tomorrow, Democrats passed a $862 billion stimulus bill that they claimed would immediately spur job creation and economic recovery. Since that time, the nation’s economic health has deteriorated and roughly 3.5 million jobs* have been lost. California’s unemployment rate is sitting at a painful 12.5%.
Businesses in individual communities across America are suffering. For instance, A-V Equipment Rentals, Inc. in Newhall has suffered greatly despite the “so-called” stimulus. Rather than invest in job producing initiatives, Democrats chose to inject millions of dollars in new programs leaving companies such as A-V Rental to lose half of its employees since the stimulus was passed.
What McKeon won’t tell you is that while he voted “No” on the ARRA, he put his own pork in it and has been more than happy to take credit for federal funding he voted against. For example:
- He helped secure $333,000 in the ARRA “to assist Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in designing and building a helipad” LA TIMES
- The bill also included $167,000 he got for the Autry National center of the American West LA TIMES
- In January, Buck McKeon held a press conference in front of the South Valley WorkSource Center in Palmdale. He announced “that $100,000 in federal funds [have] been secured for the South Valley WorkSource Center.” That money was attached to the fall Omnibus Spending Bill, which McKeon also voted no on LINK
If he thought this bill would be such a failure, why did he load his own spending in it before voting no?
McKeon is also not likely to mention that the ARRA has directly benefited local government agencies and non profits during a terrible recession and massive state budget cuts. According to the Recovery.gov website, some $26 million has been distributed to local agencies and non profits including:
- $42,500 to the Santa Clarita Valley Boys and Girls Club
- $331,362 to the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging
- $10.09 million to the City of Santa Clarita
- $8.9 million to the William S. Hart Union School District
- $353,780 to the Santa Clarita Community College District (COC)
- $140,000 for LARC Ranch
In addition, the Recovery.gov website says $630,351 in contract money has been awarded to local private firms, many of which are located in the Valencia Industrial Center.
Moreover, the stimulus act included nearly $300 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses, something Republicans like McKeon always push as a solution to economic recession.
And it included the famous “Cash for Clunkers” program which was successful at driving auto sales locally so much so that Cheri Fleming of Valencia Acura said, “Wow, we’re busy. We might be back in business.”
Has the ARRA worked as well as the Administration said it would? Obviously not. They sold it as a cure-all and they were either far too optimistic about its effects or they had vastly underestimated how deep the recession actually was.
But it’s undeniable that it has benefited local communities and softened the effect of the economic downturn. It has likely saved jobs in public agencies and non-profits and, as Vice President Biden said today, it’s not done yet as only half of the funds have been distributed.
All I’m asking for is a little honesty and nuance from Buck McKeon. We’re all in this recession together and it’s not over by a long shot. It sucks that AV Equipment is suffering through hard times, but just blaming the Democrats won’t solve the issue and it’s dishonest to claim that the stimulus has been a total failure.
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Great Writing.
Jeff,
While your arguments for the stimulus may be good I do find fault in your disagreement with McKeon. It was the right move for him to add his pork request before voting no. I don’t agree with the stimulus handouts either but if some idiot is going to give money away I’ll be in line to get it. It’s the old addage, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” True bi-partisanship.
“All I’m asking for is a little honesty and nuance from Buck McKeon.”
You’re obviously asking for too much!
Couldn’t have said it better myself. %-)
Jeff – I agree with you that the stimulus is not a total failure. I am glad that the stimulus has helped save jobs for teachers, local agencies etc.
I just wanted to offer my perspective from the private sector. My company in the entertainment industry continues to suffer. The studios continue to lay people off and our company went through another round of layoffs just last week. The stimulus hasn’t helped any single studio or the vendors in the area that support the entertainemnt industry. I ahve seen many friends in the industry lose their jobs and it’s not slowing down.
Additionally, I wanted to tell you a story about a new client we brought in to our fulfillment business. There is a company I would prefer not to name that was based in Connecticut. Recently 2 partners purchased the business and decided to lay off everyone in the company. They have since outsourced all customer service and order processing to call centers in India. All of their product is now stored and shipped from our facility here in Valencia. Yes, this does help our bottom line for our company here in Valencia, but I can’t help but feel terrible for the families that suffered from the actions of these 2 partners.
In my opinion, the ARRA and new regulations are not stopping the corporations and wealthy from taking advantage of the economic crisis. They are using the economic downturn as an excuse to outsource, cut costs, reduce jobs, freeze salaries and ultimately increase profit margins.
I now find myself working 12-14 hour days, and am losing hope in the whole system. I haven’t seen you for a month!
navigator – Then Buck will be whining about them liberals putting pork in all those bills. This was pure politics and Jeff called.
I have been waiting for Republicans to come up with solutions… little tougher to do that then just find some problems with Democrat Solutions.
Republicans are reminding me of John Kerry in 2004.
“It was the right move for him to add his pork request before voting no. ”
I see. So if Democrats include pork, they are big tax ‘n spenders. If Republicans include pork and then vote no, they get criticism Immunity, like on Survivor or something.
Completely fair!
HAHA Republican require 15 pieces of Flair.
I am still trying to figure out how Republicans who are responsible for 8+ trillion of the 12 Trillion in National Debt get a pass?
Could it be that they have figure something out… criticize all spending and the public will give you a free pass to spend whatever you want, then once the debt is compiled blame it on your rival.
“If Republicans include pork and then vote no, they get criticism Immunity,”
The difference is that Dems put up the pork and then vote it in. The Reps put up for the pork and try to vote it down.
Great comments Jeff.
I think what irks me just as much as you Jeff is that the Republicans that voted no are taking credit for when good things happen in their district such as funding coming in.
McKeon is being a hypocrite. If you think the stimulus is a failure and you voted against it, that is fine. Stick to your guns. You should not be able to get any credit for when something positive happens especially since you cast a NO VOTE!
McKeon is not the only Republican doing this. Its happening all over America. Republican Aaron Shock from Illinois is doing the same thing and Rachel Maddow called him out on it on last week’s Meet the Press.
“The difference is that Dems put up the pork and then vote it in. The Reps put up for the pork and try to vote it down.”
Republicans get to have their cake and eat too. Isn’t that Special
Susan Staedtler – Or at least have the rocks to admit you were wrong.
Susan/Blaze – Jeff has told me that he is going to come over and take every other penny I make over the next year. Then he’s going to spread it out among all those here on SCVTalk that voted for him to do that. I told him that I could use a few extra bucks to buy food with if his plan passed. Thankfully that since his grab and spend bill worked here I’ll at least have food on my table after I voted no on his plan.
$42,500 to the Santa Clarita Valley Boys and Girls Club
$331,362 to the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging
$10.09 million to the City of Santa Clarita
$8.9 million to the William S. Hart Union School District
$353,780 to the Santa Clarita Community College District (COC) $140,000 for LARC Ranch
This is nothing more than vote-chumming. Buck makes sure every organization in this valley is beholden to him because he gets all those pork bucks to them. So it doesn’t matter to them that Buck is a totally worthless jerk, as long as they can depend on him to bring home the pork these organizations will vote for him and campaign for him and treat him like a king when he struts around at all the SCV events. But complaining about the stimulus program WHILE using stimulus money to campaign by throwing all that stimulus pork around SCV is beyond hypocritical, even for such a mega-hypocrite like Buck McKeon.
Charlie,
Sad but true.
I dont know how much of the money that all these agencies recieved are through Buck’s pork but I know the majority of the funds that came to the City and the School District are allocations based on population. So Buck had nothing to do with it at all.
As long as we can agree that the stimulus did not work as well as the Democrats promised it would, I’ll allow your other eccentricities on the subject Jeff.
Well it has certainly worked better than the Bush Administrations Iraq war planning from 2003-2007…
Who really thought Stimulus would be the fix all?
Perhaps someone can refresh my memory on the Republican’s remedy again?
Agreed Jeff. The planning for turning around Iraq after the invasion failed and it took an additional 3 years to settle that nation. But the idea that Iraq could be turned around has always been disputed by liberals so in that sense your analogy is inaccurate.
The Republican Plan to fix everything: http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/plan/
Buck is worthless. How long have we waited for a Cemex bill to pass?
His political posturing insults the voters intelligence (except perhaps for Navigator who is happy to get the money no matter how or if deserved).
The Republican Plan to fix everything:
$2300 tax credit per person… times 300 million people equals nearly 700 billion dollars
What is the difference?
“Creates state-based health care exchanges, so individuals and families have a one-stop marketplace to purchase affordable health insurance without being discriminated against based on pre-existing conditions.”
HAHAHA RRRRRight
Need – Cemex and posturing I’ll give you. If you’ve got any extra cash I’ll take it.
What Bush did: Sent pallets of money to Iraq with no accountability and had Bremer throw it off the trucks. Stimulus spent.
Obama let a smaller portion out to measure the effect and to determine what works and what doesn’t. Then release the rest. This minimizes fraud and waste.
We’re in debt due to Bush’s approach. Why do it again?
The right hates accountability, that’s obvious!
Brian – I don’t think either side like accountability. Difference is Democrats are being held accountable while Republicans weren’t held accountable.
I think Republicans are better watch dogs and complainers then law makers.
Need for Involved Citizenry says: February 17, 2010 at 3:54pm:
Buck is worthless. How long have we waited for a Cemex bill to pass?
But hey, we’ve got lots of signs thanking him when it finally does!
Stimulus did not help Jill Brown!
Jobless claims rise UNEXPECTEDLY today to 473,000
Stimulus=EPIC FAIL
blazingmonk please give me an example of Democrats being held accountable.
KK – turn on fox news
“KK – turn on fox news”
LOL
I notice you did not mention CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, CNN or MSNBS?
I notice you did not mention CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, CNN or MSNBS?
Did ya now…
Yeah just lucky I guess?
Do you consider their unbiased coverage of this abomination “holding this administration accountable”?
The administration hires a tax cheat to steward the economy and now appears clueless as to the true extent of the weakness of the overall economic picture. This is not accountability by any standards.
The thing that always gives me 6 chuckles is whenever someone on the left side of the isle writes or says anything about the stimulus they never mention who is paying for it?
We are printing money as fast as we can and new inflation numbers show the results.
Now lets start talking about how this failure is going to be paid back and by who!
We laid this debt on the backs of our kids and grandkids for what?
Is ANYONE happy with the result? (imagine how looney you need to be to say yes)
Please jeff tell the citizens of SCV how this will be paid back and how long it is going to take?
Then let them decide if the whole stimulus fraud was worth it!
20 years from now Obama will be a punchline to a joke just like Carter is now.
I too chuckle when someone on the right or left acts like they act like their side hasn’t contributed to our problems. Republicans are responsible for 8+ trillion of the 12 trillion in debt. They have put an average of 450 billion a year on the national debt to the Democrat’s 200 billion including Obama.
Everyone needs to get real.
It is correct to point out that Republicans participated in and even led the orgy of spending that has taken place over the last 3 decades since Reagan made a small attempt to reign it in. Having said that, it is Democrats that championed the housing policies that led to the instability of the housing market. It is also Democrats that have sought to increase spending and taxes which is a double whammy to the U.S. Household. Republicans increased spending and cut taxes.
Still waiting for the answer to who-when will be paying back this stimulus.
Then let the voters decide if it was worth it.
The voters decided that they did not want anymore Bush/republicans in 2006 and 2010 and that was fair enough.
From the MA election results it looks like they may be voicing there opinion again
One can forgive Liberals for failing to acknowledge the sea-change in voter attitude towards the Democrats. looking at the results of 2006 and 2008, one might identify that Democrats were handed a mandate to run things as they see fit. That however turns out to be the exact opposite of the message voters sent. They were reacting to 6 years of Republican rule and were voting not for CHANGE but for bipartisan solutions that advance the causes of America forward. What they got was a naive, partisan-hack President and a Congress so deluded by their own lies as to be completely unable to bring the opposition to the table for bipartisan problem solving.
Obama said he would rather be a great 1 term president than a mediocre 2 term! Just how many great presidents have been voted out after 1 term?
Punchline I tell you
Oh and BM…. 4 trillion of debt in one year? At his current pace where will we be after 4 years?
I have a great project for jeff!
Go to to the Valencia Auto Center and spend all day trying to find 1 car salesman/manager/executive that believes the Cash4clunkers program was a good idea. (I mean if you really want to provide unbiased insight to your blog readers)
I look forward to reading your findings.
Yo Vegas guy read my blog. I quoted Cheri Fleming, the co-OWNER of valencia acura!
Honesty please the number is 1.6
How long ago was that quote? But, I may be very wrong? I just spoke to one of my best friends who is the sales manager at one of the largest toyota dealerships is cali and his exact words were “I hope they have 3-4 more this year”
After laughing he did say that in the big picture the program was a failure but the only actual stimulus he saw the government provide all year. His exact words were ” it is the only thing that obama has done where you could see and feel the results”
So there you have it
“Republicans are responsible for 8+ trillion of the 12 trillion in debt”.
YO jeff I did read your blog and got this quote from ms Flemming
“Hopefully,” she added, “this momentum will continue.”
Did it???????????
200 billion Carter
1.4 trillion Clinton
1.6 trillion Obama
the rest are the previous president back to WWII
Oh
Reagan 2.0 Trillion
Bush Sr. 1.6 Trillion
Bush Jr. 4.6 Trillion
alright then. So at the current pace where will obama be at when he is booted out in 3 years?
The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency” Vladimir Lenin
Bammy is off to a great start!
Your belief that some how Obama caused this problem is very misguided.
I never said he caused it nor have I implied that he did. I am only saying that without a doubt his plan to fix it was at best a HORRIBLE plan. It did not in any way SLOW unemployment or increase confidence. That is exactly what we were told it was going to do!
Anyone that claims otherwise is at best stupid at worst a liar.
Now lets get back to the question that has still not been answered. Who gets to pay for this failure and how long is it going to take our kids/grandkids to pay it back?