Rep. Jean Schmidt on Porkulus

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On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor released a report that shows that unemployment rates continue to rise across the country. The rising national unemployment rate and the unemployment rate in Ohio particularly, are certainly distressing. Most Members of Congress believe that the Federal government should provide assistance to the economy to help reverse the current slide. Last week, the House of Representatives considered an economic stimulus package that the majority says was designed to do just that. Unfortunately, the bill was truly, as the Wall Street Journal correctly surmised, the majority’s “40-Year Wish List.”

When the notion of a massive economic stimulus was first being considered last year, Speaker Pelosi said that the three principles guiding the majority were that it had to be “timely, targeted, and temporary.” The package considered by the House fails on all three counts.

Many have heard that the original bill to be considered included $200 million to “spruce up” the National Mall and another provision provided hundreds of millions to purchase contraceptives. While these provisions were rightly removed, they were but symptoms of the problems infecting this bill. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the bill will cost some $819 billion. (If you account for the interest associated with borrowing to pay for the bill, the actual cost may top $1.2 trillion.)

Taxpayers are right to be concerned about what $1.2 trillion of stimulus funding buys. According to a report on ABC News’ Good Morning America, the average American worker can expect to have an extra $12 to $13 every week under the majority’s stimulus plan. But, $1.2 trillion is enough to give every man, woman and child in the United States approximately $4,000. Unemployed workers will receive an extra $25 per week. But, $1.2 trillion is enough to give every unemployed worker some $108,000. The bill contains $87 billion so that the Federal government can pick up more of the costs of Medicaid. Why not use that $1.2 trillion to purchase health care insurance for every child in America for the next thirteen years? Since our children are going to be paying the tab, how about using $1.2 trillion to purchase every child in America a brand new Ford Focus?

I realize I am being flippant in my comparisons. But, I think it is absurd that the Federal government plans to spend $1.2 trillion to create or retain three million jobs. I do not think spending $400,000 per job created is a very prudent use of your tax dollars. We can and must do better.

The Republican Minority offered a plan at half the cost that created double the number of jobs. It was soundly defeated in a partisan vote. I hope that President Obama would work with Congressional Republicans to enact a stimulus plan that puts the maximum amount of people to work without strangling our children and grandchildren in an ever growing pile of debt.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please send them to me at Congresswoman Jean Schmidt, 418 Cannon HOB, Washington, DC 20515.