Analysis Proposal for Stimulus Spending To Determine Effectiveness by Party

[ZenDog]

It is clear the repelican leadership is convinced the economic stimulus package is not working. They have repeated that line so many times it seems they may look kinda foolish if their assertions prove false.

I therefore propose a test. A statistical analysis should be conducted to compare the effectiveness of the stimulus spending programs in districts under control of each of the two parties.

If in Dem districts with stimulus spending the program consistantly appears to save and or create jobs, while republican districts the stimulus spending does not, then a further examination of the methods involved will be in order. The purpose is to determine if the various spending plans have predictable results. If the answer to this question is yes, and if in republican districts the results are consistantly less than optimal

then it will be obvious that economic sabotage of the communities involved has taken place in the interest of political expediency.

With this evidence we may then justify rioting and lynching.

That might make me smile. I'm not sure. We'll see.

[Gator Gal]

Republicans only think a stimulous package will work if all the goodies are first loaded into their coffers from which miniscule dribbles can be grudgingly trickled down to the masses. Of course, much groveling and gratitude will be expected in return. After all, free money equals welfare when acquired by the undeserving peons who haven't been slaving away, acquiring such wealth through the sweat of their underhanded dealings, hostile takeovers, sleight-of-hand market manipulation and creative debt packaging, right??
Of course they're out to sabotage any program that attempts to bypass the trickler. But sure, why not conduct such an analysis. Should be entertaining at the least and perhaps somewhat stimulating watching the Reps scramble to simultaneously sabotage the stimulous and blame the Dems.

[ZenDog]

I was actually hoping that just the simple threat of embarrassment might preclude some of the bad behavior. If not, then I guess the news over the fall/winter season should be entertaining, even if dinner does come served with a single candle, as opposed to the usual two.

[darroll]

It has nothing to do with republicans or democrats. Texas is mostly republican and have taken no stimulus monies and have no recession.
Oregon is democrats, they took the money and still are in the process of laying off teachers and police/fireman. Obama said that this would not happen under the stimulus bailouts. I don’t say anything bad about Obama as he is the new guy on the block. Congress is sure pulling the wool over his eyes though.

[ZenDog]

Humm. Texas . . .

Vermont was the first to declare it's delegates for Obama during the presidential election with something over 65% of the vote going his way. We have a republican governor, and Dems currently control the house. We haven't been hit as hard by the economic downturn either.

Of course, we aren't dependent on auto manufacturing as a part of our state wide economy either. And the bankers didn't buy into the sub-prime scheme, and I've heard an explanation of that suggesting the reason why is because the lenders are neighbors to their customers. It's a small state, everyone knows everyone else, sort of. It's kinda hard to rob your neighbor and smile when you know you'll be seeing them at the high school soccer game. And everyone knows how excited parents can get at their kids soccer games . . .

So I would suggest that the reason Texas has been insulated from the economic fallout of the sub-prime lending mess may have to do with it's economic structure. What I mean by that is for example, the size of the petroleum industry and the overall percentage of tax revenue it generates, and the security of overall jobs related to that industry.

I would also suggest there is something different about the banking system in Texas as opposed to, say, California. Perhaps in Texas minorities both receive and heed the message that they are second class citizens. Of course I don't know that in Texas that kind of iconography is prevalent, much less reinforced. But I not that they do have a penchant for allowing defense lawyers to sleep through cases where capital punishment is likely, and they execute the mentally ill, or they have in the past, without a great deal of concern.

I also note that in Texas they do take such pride in themselves that a bit of exaggeration regarding their myths of origin are not out of the question. For example, the claim has been made that Texas was the first State to be Independent prior to admission to the United States. This claim is of course false. It is false and I know it is.

I know it is false because Vermont was the first independent state to join the union. It was an independence forced upon us by spurious land claims made by Rennselliears and their supporters out of New York.

I think Vermont should demand repayment of those moneys that were extorted so long ago. We should demand repayment, account for inflation, and seek interest.

Then again, I guess we are all neighbors really. Sure we are. And the Earth is getting smaller every day.