Posted on 09/16/2009 5:08:13 PM PDT by Steelfish
Democrats Reject GOP Proposal to Stop Stimulus Advertising
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H describes the self-congratulatory signs advertising President Obama's $787 billion stimulus bill as the "signs to nowhere" and tried in vain Wednesday to stop the advertising.
September 16, 2009
Across the country, motorists are being greeted by signs advertising President Obama's $787 billion stimulus bill, and Republicans aren't happy about it.
The large green-and-white highway signs declare, "Project Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H describes them as the "signs to nowhere" and tried in vain Wednesday to stop the advertising. Democrats were nearly unanimous in voting to defeat an amendment by Greg that would have prohibited the use of stimulus funds for signs that advertise taxpayer spending on stimulus projects.
Only five Democrats crossed the aisle in the 45-52 vote, joining all 40 Republicans in support of Greg's amendment.
"Considering the questionable effectiveness of the stimulus bill, it is completely unreasonable that signs are being constructed at a price tag of hundreds to thousands of dollars apiece for lawmakers to pat themselves on the back about this legislation," said Gregg, who voted against the stimulus bill.
"These signs are simply for political self-interest, and it's high time we stop using stimulus dollars to fund them, and instead use these dollars for their intended purpose of creating economic activity," he said in a written statement.
The cost of the signs vary from state to state. For example, a "Good Morning America" report calculated the cost at $500 in Maryland and New Hampshire to $3,000 in New Jersey. Gregg estimated the total cost at anywhere from $6 million to $20 million.
Even so, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., opposed the amendment, saying the signs help keep the public informed about federal projects. She argued the amendment....
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
maybe they should add a big picture of BO on them. heck issue one for everyones house so we can be like North Korea.
“I lost my job in Obama’s economy and all I got was this sh!tty sign!”
I thought those signs were strange. I can’t stand them.
You know what people don’t realize is this, once these temporary jobs are over, these workers go on unemployment for up to 18 months! We are talking about a one week job in some areas! I live in Baltimore and regularly travel to PA. Most of the roads I have seen these signs on don’t even need roadwork! 83 North was just refinished less than 2 years ago, yet they were out there a couple weeks ago with more than 30 workers redoing a perfectly fine road!
Buy some billboards and point out the unemployment rate then put on them “Hey Obama, where's the jobs you promised?”.
Oh so they would rather them be for target practise then? :)
And after the job is complete and are unemployed, they’d be on unemployment compensation.
Putting up those signs ARE the jobs created by Porkulus.
Gregg is right. There’s no reason to spend this kind of money on signs.
I’m jaded, I know, but the dems are so adamant about this that I can’t help wondering if the sign company somehow has connections to community activists.
I hate government propaganda, too.
I meant collecting unemployment. I have worked in HR and still speak the lingo. :)
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