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Obama Plan Insults Us

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 11, 2009

President Barack Obama and his administrative cronies held over from the Clinton years must believe that we Americans are incapable of doing math. Or maybe they believe we are so unsophisticated and uneducated that we'd fall for smoke and mirrors and a booming oratorical voice. After all, we go over to Europe and all we can say is "merci beaucoup."

Since Obama has admitted he finds us "embarrassing," I suppose it's only fitting that he also seems to find us stupid, but I digress.

Last Tuesday, as I read notifications about freeze shelters opening in Tampa Bay area counties and watched a homeless man huddle outside my office building, our fearless leader tried to dazzle us with baloney. The White House Press Office released a self-promoting article about how wonderful the transportation infrastructure portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act happens to be.

The release included details from a speech given March 3 that announced the availability of $28 billion for state and local transportation projects. While it's impossible for me to disagree that America's roads, bridges and highways are in serious need of work, it's the fact the White House tried to turn this into a "look at how many jobs we're creating moment."

The press release, which included the transcripts of Obama and Vice President Biden's speeches, made a very big deal that this $28 billion expenditure - count it, $28 billion - will "create or save" 150,000 jobs by the end of 2010.

Are they serious about that being reason enough to celebrate and create a media dog-and-pony show?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, in January 2009, the unemployment rate rose from 7.2 to 7.6 percent.

"Both the number of unemployed persons (11.6 million) and the unemployment rate (7.6 percent) rose in January," the department's monthly report states. "Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 4.1 million and the unemployment rate has risen by 2.7 percentage points."

We have been seeing monthly job losses in the 500,000 range, and our White House pats itself on the back for spending $28 billion to create a temporary 150,000 jobs? That sure seems like trying to cure a fatal wound with a Band-Aid to me. Plus, it works out to about $186,666 for each job created. Again, we need some roadwork done, but seriously, was this the best they could come up with to save or create jobs?

In transcripts from the President's speech, he says:

"Altogether, this investment in highways will create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of next year, most of them in the private sector. And just to give you a sense of perspective, that's more jobs being created or saved in one year than GM, Ford, and Chrysler have lost in manufacturing over the past three years - combined."

While that's all fine and well, what about the millions of others who are still out of work and looking? What about those people who have lost their jobs in industries that support GM, Ford and Chrysler?

Overall, the recovery act spends more than $787 billion and will supposedly "create or save" some 3.5 million jobs. Again, a Band-Aid and not even a very big one considering the costs associated with. I'm still wondering how $650 million to help people convert to digital televisions, billions for Acorn, money to promote the evils of global warming and other pork projects will actually get us out of this recession.

I'm sorry Mr. President, I am already tired of your administration. I may not be fluent in French, but I am savvy enough to be embarrassed of you.

Sherri Lonon is the editor of In The Loop

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