Obama to Call for $50 Billion Spending on Public Works

New York Times ^ | September 6, 2010 | SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

[reaganaut1]

President Obama on Monday is to call for as much as $50 billion in government spending to start up a long-term public works plan emphasizing transportation projects – roads, rail and airport runways – over the next six years.

Mr. Obama will lay out the plan, which is intended to promote the quick creation of construction jobs but would require Congressional approval, during a trip to Milwaukee on Monday afternoon, where he will observe Labor Day by attending a union festival. The spending is one part of a broader economic recovery package that Mr. Obama is to unveil during a speech in Cleveland on Wednesday.

With Democrats looking at a bleak election season, in large part because of high unemployment, the White House has been scrambling to find ways to jump-start the sagging economy.

While Mr. Obama’s plan would call for investment over six years, the White House says it would be front-loaded with an initial investment of $50 billion in taxpayer money, to help create jobs in the shorter term. The administration says it would work with Congress to find ways to pay for the plan, so that it would not add to the nation’s rising deficit. One possibility would be to cut existing subsidies for oil and gas exploration and production.

White House officials said Mr. Obama wanted to rebuild 15,000 miles of roads, construct and maintain 4,000 miles of railway – enough track to span the continent — and rehabilitate or reconstruct 150 miles of airport runways while putting in place a system that would reduce travel time and airport delays.

The president will also call for what the White House is describing as an “infrastructure bank” that would focus on paying for national and regional transportation projects.

[reaganaut1]

What is more $50 billion of more "stimulus" going to accomplish that the $800 billion stimulus could not? (Maybe pushing up unemployment to 11%?)

[ohioWfan]

He’s a blooming idiot.

[circlecity]

there's still 50 billion left from the original stimulus. In fact the dems said the trillion dollars would be spend over a period of several years. Why not spend that? Or was it actually the biggest pork bill and reelection slush fund ever amassed?

[mewzilla]

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.

Alexis de Tocqueville

[Sapper26]

It’s designed to keep dem. congressmen from having a major increase in unemployment in Nov.

[Ev Reeman]

More useless FDR garbage.

[illiac]

Deja vu all over again......

[MarineBrat]

The great government proboscis will pierce our backs once again to suck the juice out and spit it into the bottomless bowls of the hungry and useless Democrat voters.

[MNJohnnie]

Headline should be:

Obama Economic Team: Stuck on Stupid

Hey DC clown posse, how about doing what actually works for a change?

[ex-snook]

If private industry does not start to hire soon, everyone will be dependent on the government.

[terjon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OzLHKFN5s

[raybbr]

It's $50 billion over six years. How is that better than $900 billion in one year.

This money is all targeted to a specific union - bet money on it.

[richardtavor]

So, let me get this straight...he is going to kill all of the incentives to drill for oil and gas in this country, and then he is going to slap a carbon tax on us, effectively killing the oil and gas industry. Hope you folks don’t mind paying $10 a gallon to our saudi allies.

[April Lexington]

Oh, nuts! More road construction. At least the road builders are having a good year... Oh, and the union slobs... “Wanted. Fat guys with cracks hanging out to fix roads. The educated need not apply...”

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I read somewhere that the money is useless because the projects still have to go through local, state, and federal regulatory hurdles.

Just think of all the money that has been spent on transportation and infrastructure. Remember the $200 billion-odd highway bill during the Bush years?

[keepitreal]

This bill will require that each project have flashing neon signs “Paid for by Barack Obama and the democrats. We love you more than the Republicans do.”

[VanDeKoik]

“With Democrats looking at a bleak election season, in large part because of high unemployment, the White House has been scrambling to find ways to jump-start the sagging economy. “

So the quick cure for an economy in depression, is public works projects?????

So help me! This guy is seriously making James Buchanan look like George Washington!

[tsmith130]

If private industry does not start to hire soon, everyone will be dependent on the government.

That's a feature to them...not a bug.

[screaminsunshine]

Good Lord. I am in a bad mood waking up to this Crap. These people have got to be stopped. Somebody cut up their credit cards!

[blam]

NO WHITE MALES AGAIN??

Robert Reich: Keep stimulus money away from skilled workers and “white male construction workers”

Click here to see video.