We have perfect examples in the Republicanopposition to economic stimulus funds nationally and Republican gubernatorialcandidate Scott Walker’s opposition to economic stimulus and job creation in Wisconsin.
In speeches to conservatives last weekend,presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Indiana Congressman Mike Pence proudlyembraced the description of Republicans as “The Party of No.”
Romney said Republicans should be proud of saying“No!” to the terrible agenda of President Barack Obama. Pence even got thecrowd shouting “No!” over and over as he listed such heinous ideas as “Morespending,” “More borrowing” and “More bailouts.”
In other words, whenever a nation is plunged into adevastating economic crisis with millions of people losing their jobs, theresponse of their government should be to do absolutely nothing.
That’s the old Can’t-Do Republican Spirit.
Of course, the total hypocrisy of Republicans votingagainst economic stimulus funds became apparent when someone put togethervideos of anti-stimulus congressmen cutting ribbons and holding up super-sizedchecks taking credit for federal spending in their home districts that saved orcreated jobs.
Independent experts estimate nearly 2 million jobswere saved or created by the $787 billion federal stimulus program passed ayear ago that kept Americafrom sliding into the dust-bowl abyss of the 1930s. As hurting as the countryremains, imagine how shrill the Republican attacks on President Obama would betoday if 2 million more Americans were out of work.
Scott Walker’s Many Faces
Locally, Milwaukee County Executive Walker is aprime example of a Republican politician who attacks federal stimulusassistance for state and local governments while grabbing huge fistfuls of thestuff.
A year ago, Walkerlaunched his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor with theattention-getting announcement that even though Milwaukee Countywas on the brink of bankruptcy under his leadership, he had no intentions ofapplying for any of that horrible federal stimulus money.
That may have been a kick in the teeth for joblessresidents in an urban county with one of the highest unemployment rates in thecountry. But it was music to the ears of conservatives who oppose governmentspending for anything except for more enormous, gift-wrapped tax cuts for thewealthy.
The good news for residents who were desperately inneed of work was that Walkerwas lying.
Oh sure, Walker made a public show of not applyingto federal stimulus funds until he was dragged kicking and screaming into it bythe County Board, which had the bizarre idea that Milwaukee County’s unemployedhad as much right to federal stimulus money as anyone else in America.
In fact, one of the biggest local expenditures offederal stimulus funds so far has been the $26 million that went to buy newbuses for the Milwaukee County Transit System. Poor people need publictransportation to get to jobs.
That’s not all. In the 2010 budget, Walker actually tripled annual borrowing forcapital projects to nearly $90 million to take advantage of reimbursement forinterest costs included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
That’s the formal name for those federal economicstimulus funds, savagely pilloried by Walker and other Republicans.
Walker reverted toform in attacking the use of nearly a billion dollars in federal stimulus fundsto create jobs and economic development in Wisconsinby building a high-speed rail system from Chicagoto Milwaukee and from Milwaukeeto Madison.
Walker and other Republicans actually are attackingan $823 million economic windfall for Wisconsinjust because it was announced by Obama, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and MilwaukeeMayor Tom Barrett, the probable Democratic nominee for governor in November.
What could be the possible objection to creatingthousands of jobs in the state to build a national high-speed train system ofthe future connecting Milwaukee and Madison to St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolisand eventually other major cities?
The biggest complaint Republicans have been able toinvent is that the state is not assured of federal subsidies for all operatingcosts. Modest operating costs between Milwaukeeand Madisoncould be more than paid for with new economic development along the route andreduced highway maintenance and expansion as a result of taking hundreds ofthousands of cars off the freeway.
Again, if Walkerever did have a chance of becoming governor, we should all hope he’s nottelling the truth about refusing more than $800 million in federal funds foremployment and development.
Republicans want to tap into the anger of people whodon’t think government is doing enough to ease the financial hardships ofordinary people in this economic crisis.
Wait until the people realize the Republicanalternative is to do nothing.
