Jobs!

The economy had its biggest jump in jobs in three years in March, according to a government report released Friday.

One Year Later, Results Of Stimulus

A year later, the economy is working again. But millions of Americans are not.

Private economists largely agree the stimulus has helped to cushion the recession’s blow.  But the general public is not convinced.  A poll by the Pew Research Center found more people think Obama’s policies have worsened the economy than made it better.   And Republican lawmakers, who almost unanimously opposed the stimulus, happily encourage those doubts.  In fact, those Republican lawmakers are fine with encouraging the lie that the stimulus bailed out banks and insurance companies.

Here’s what the stimulus bill included:

• Largest item —  $116 billion — tax cuts for workers
• Aid to states — $87.1 billion — Medicaid and Education
• Cover alternative-minimum taxes — $69.8 billion — benefited middle-income Americans
• Extend unemployment benefits — $35.8 billion
• Bridge and road construction — $27.5 billion
• Extend COBRA to unemployed and their families –$25.1 billion
• Food assistance to low-income Americans — $20.9 billion
• Expanded child tax credit — $14.4 billion
• Aid to seniors and disabled veterans — $14.4 billion

The above items account for 60% of the stimulus spending!  Most of the remaining stimulus spending was for business tax cuts, Pell grants for college students, public transportation systems, upgrades to the electric grid.

States are having difficulties balancing their budgets, but imagine the difficulties they would have faced without the stimulus spending.  Teachers kept their jobs.  America didn’t sink into a depression.  Seldom is credit given for what didn’t happen, but think long and hard about how much has been prevented and how much has been improved in the space of just one year!  When President Obama took office the recession was already more than a year old!  Before he took office the only bailouts that had been given were to insurance companies and banks.

Saturday, 09/05/09, Public Square

It’s Labor Day weekend in America.

With so many out of work, I’m sure this 3-day-weekend won’t be quite the same as many years in the past.  There are signs we may be starting on the path to recovery.  Too bad the recession was ignored for so long that our country was on the verge of depression by the time it was acknowledged, let alone anything started to help!

What’s happening with you this weekend?

fnord

Economic news is improving

Yes, the economic news shows signs of improvement, but we’re not out of the woods.  There are economists who are grading the stimulus and seeing signs it did boost the economy even tho a small portion of it has been spent.  There’s a good explanation at NPR of why the unemployment rate fell for the first time in fifteen months.  The news isn’t all bad anymore, and a depression was avoided, but we’re still in the deepest recession since WWII.

fnord