Subject: [big campaign] Conservative stimulus hypocrisy
From: Adam Jentleson <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 14:50:46 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

In light of the VP's speech today, here's a compilation of rampant stimulus hypocrisy from conservative leaders, who are smearing the stimulus as a failure at the same time that they try to take credit for its success.  -Adam

STIMULUS HYPOCRISY: CONSERVATIVES TRY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR STIMULUS' SUCCESS WHILE SMEARING IT AS A FAILURE

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED THAT THE STIMULUS HAS BEEN A SUCCESS, "HELPING THE U.S. CLIMB OUT OF THE WORST RECESSION IN DECADES."

Wall Street Journal: "Government Efforts To Funnel Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars Into The U.S. Economy Appear To Be Helping The U.S. Climb Out Of The Worst Recession In Decades." WSJ: The stimulus is "fueling growth above where it would have been without any government action... Many forecasters say stimulus spending is adding two to three percentage points to economic growth in the second and third quarters, when measured at an annual rate. The impact in the second quarter, calculated by analyzing how the extra funds flowing into the economy boost consumption, investment and spending, helped slow the rate of decline and will lay the groundwork for positive growth in the third quarter - something that seemed almost implausible just a few months ago." [Wall Street Journal, 9/2/09<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125185379218478087.html>]

HYPOCRITICAL CONSERVATIVES ARE TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE STIMULUS' SUCCESS WHILE SMEARING IT AS A FAILURE.

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP:

House Minority Leader John Boehner claimed the stimulus "didn't create any jobs" ... but his own press office praised the highway officials for using stimulus funds to create "much needed jobs." [ThinkProgress, 6/18/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/18/boehner-jobs/>; 8/31/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/31/gingrich-boehner-stimulus/>]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the stimulus a failure, yet while in Kentucky, he boasted about stimulus-funded projects being a "source of significant employment." Earlier this year, McConnell praised efforts to request additional stimulus funds for renewable energy battery production in his state. He also sheepishly told a town hall recently that he hopes the city can get some of the stimulus finds. [ThinkProgress, 8/26/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/26/mitch-stimulus-hypocrisy/>]

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor has consistently mocked the stimulus as a failure. However, Cantor recently hosted a job fair largely fueled by stimulus funds, and praised stimulus high speed rail funds as a "winning package" for his district. [ThinkProgress, 8/20/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/20/cantor-job-fair/>; Star Exponent, 7/20/09<http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/news/state_regional/article/cantor_seeks_funds_for_high-speed_rail_in_va/37865/>]

GOVERNORS:

Jindal Called Stimulus A Failure, But Toured Louisiana Handing Out Jumbo-Sized Stimulus Checks. Gov. Bobby Jindal recently called the stimulus a failure, referring to it as a "stimulus that has not stimulated." However, Jindal has been touring his state handing out jumbo-sized checks filled largely with stimulus funds. For example, Jindal traveled to Anacoco, Louisiana<http://www.leesvilledailyleader.com/news/x488848492/Jindal-presents-parish-with-500K> to present a jumbo-sized check to residents of Vernon Parish. The funds included hundreds of thousands of dollars directly from the Recovery Act - at least $157,848<http://www.fhasecure.gov/local/la/news/pr2009-02-27.cfm> in Community Block Grant money authorized by the Recovery Act and $138,611<http://www.cole.state.la.us/programs%5Cuploads%5Cgrants%5Cstimulus_byrne.pdf> for Byrne/JAG job training programs created by the Recovery Act. [ThinkProgress, 7/21/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/21/jindal-stimulus-check/>; 7/23/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/23/jindal-more-jumbochecks/>; View jumbo checks HERE<http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/jindalchecksfinal.jpg>]

Gov. Pawlenty Knocks Stimulus While His Top Economic Adviser Tours Minnesota Touting Its Success. Pawlenty declared it would be "ludicrous" to think that the Recovery Act is "what pivoted" the economy back to stability, but his views are at odds with statements of his own economic development director, who said "Communities and job-seekers throughout Minnesota are seeing tangible results from this funding." [Bloomberg, 8/28/09<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a8ofmsdY2HKs>; Star Tribune, 8/11/09<http://www.startribune.com/business/52920382.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ>]

Governors Barbour, Sanford, And Perry Mocked Stimulus Spending While Formally Requesting Billions In Stimulus High-Speed Rail Funds.  The Streets blog reported: "Gov. Mark Sanford (SC) wrote in a March op-ed that "taking federal stimulus money will only postpone changes essential to South Carolina's prosperity," but his administration was already in the thick of planning for a high-speed rail corridor that would ultimately extend from D.C. to Macon, Georgia. [...] Gov. Rick Perry (TX) turned down<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/031309dntexperrystimulus.2b47185d.html> stimulus money for unemployment benefits in March, weeks after Houston's mayor was warned<http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2009/02/obama_sees_houston_as_a_model.html> by President Obama that the city might lose out on federal transit aid because of Perry's move. The Texas DOT, however, has submitted<http://www.dot.state.tx.us/news/029-2009.htm> 17 pre-applications for high-speed rail money that seek a total of $1.9 billion from the administration. [...] Finally, Gov. Haley Barbour (MS) clashed with<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123681955537903003.html> his state's legislature over rejecting part of the stimulus after rapping<http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2009/feb/Statementonstimulus.htm> the bill for "excess spending." Meanwhile, his administration is serving on<http://www.southernhsr.org/Commission.html> the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission to help marshal support for a corridor that stretches along the Gulf Coast." [The Streets blog, 8/20/09<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/08/20/jindals-not-alone-guvs-who-shunned-stimulus-warm-to-high-speed-rail/>]

MORE CONSERVATIVE STIMULUS HYPOCRISY:

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) opposed the stimulus and attacked it as a bloated government giveaway. However, both senators recently asked Gates to steer $50 million<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82> in stimulus money for a bio-energy project. Visiting a food bank aided by money from the stimulus, Chambliss exclaimed last week, "I'm very pleased that the government continues to play a key role<http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133969&catid=3>, here, from the standpoint of providing food." [Associated Press, 8/27/09<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82>; ThinkProgress, 8/27/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/27/stimulus-double-talk/>]

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) went to the floor of the House to slam the stimulus as a failure. Literally the same day, Kingston's press office claimed credit for multiple stimulus grants for law enforcement in his district to help hire new officers. Kingston took credit for the stimulus grants, calling the funds "local initiatives" unrelated to the policies set forth in Washington and a type of "tax relief" for local communities. [ThinkProgress, 8/4/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/04/kingston-recovery-hypocrisy/>]

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) told CNS News last month, "I don't think it [failed] - I know it<http://www.cnsnews.com/news/print/50813>. I said at the time, there's no stimulus in the stimulus bill." He also called the Recovery Act simply "welfare." However, a recent press release from Inhofe hails $1.9 million<http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=ec00a3cb-802a-23ad-4284-279a6aa803da> in funding for a Claremore regional railroad-based trans-modal facility, noting the investment will "help spur additional economic growth<http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=ec00a3cb-802a-23ad-4284-279a6aa803da>" and that the senator is "happy<http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=ec00a3cb-802a-23ad-4284-279a6aa803da>" about the way the money is being used. Inhofe, of course, makes no mention that the money is authorized by the Recovery Act<http://www.eda.gov/NewsEvents/NewInvestments.xml>. [ThinkProgress, 8/27/09<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/27/stimulus-double-talk/>]

Rep. John Carter (R-TX) opposed the Recovery Act, and recently called the entire program a failure that should be "repealed<http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=40&parentid=6&sectiontree=6,40&itemid=947>." Regardless, Carter's public pronouncements did not stop him from requesting $621 million<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82> in hospital projects from the stimulus - then calling the funds a victory for the economy<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82> in central Texas. [Associated Press, 8/27/09<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82>]

Rep. Mary Fallin (R-OK) - who called the stimulus a "Big Brother spending program<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82>" - asked Army Secretary Pete Geren to use $8.4 million in stimulus money for repairs to buildings at two Oklahoma National Guard sites. [Associated Press, 8/27/09<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82>]

Rep. Bill Young (R-FL), another stimulus opponent, now lists various links on his website to help his constituents "take advantage of the federal stimulus money<http://www.house.gov/young/stimulus-funding.html>." [Associated Press, 8/27/09<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3zpZRa5PjeHAG8PKAA1IBemutcQD9AB35U82>]

-----
Adam Jentleson
Communications Director, Progressive Media
Center for American Progress Action Fund
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
ajentleson (AIM)
202-247-8614 (cell)

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