Back in February Zach Space argued in the Columbus Dispatch that, contra former US Senator Mike DeWine, the stimulus bill was necessary to turn things around in Ohio. Here are a few key points Space makes:
- Where DeWine’s analysis falls short is with regard to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. DeWine derides the plan, saying, “It is absurd to think that a one-time, short-term monetary shot in the arm will heal economic wounds.” I contend that this investment in long-term infrastructure is exactly the bold move necessary to jump-start our transition to a more modern, competitive economy.
- The recovery act contains short-term funding targeted at a number of these areas, which has the potential to lay the groundwork for long-term job growth in these fields. There is no doubt that our infrastructure is crumbling, our roads are deteriorating and our bridges are falling apart. These shortcomings place our state at a competitive disadvantage. This plan will create short-term jobs, employing people to rebuild our deteriorating roads and bridges and construct new broadband networks. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will then support long-term, sustainable economic growth through this investment in our infrastructure.
- We can choose to walk away from this opportunity, claiming that the recovery act is doomed to fail, or we can choose to work to make it successful. Ohio has been presented with a chance to bring new investment into our state and create the opportunity for new businesses and new jobs. Let’s not allow shortsighted partisanship to spoil that opportunity.
I have a feeling that Space knew that the stimulus was not going to jump start anything and so came up with this creative slant. He coaches his language – notice the us of the word potential – to so that it appears that the stimulus will bring short terms jobs but that the “investment” will provide “long-term, sustainable economic growth.” This makes it hard to criticize since that growth might take some time to materialize.
But it also runs counter to the way the bill was sold. This was sold as a way to jump start the economy and provide jobs, not invest in infrastructure for long-term growth. The whole point of so called shovel-ready project was to jump start things right away. Space is just hedging his bets.
Despite the short time frame, however, I am confident Mike DeWine was right on this one. I see no evidence that the stimulus bill is creating even part time jobs in Ohio as the unemployment numbers have done nothing but go up since its passage.
And I see very little indication that it is providing any significant infrastructure investment either. And I certainly don’t think it will play a role in long term growth.
Instead, what it did was provide a great deal of one time money for the state budget so the Democrats wouldn’t have to make some tough choices. Unfortunately, that means the next budget cycle is going to be ugly on a scale not seen in some time.
The reality is that Space voted for a bill that won’t help his constituents, is going to hammer the state budget next biennium, and is adding to the national debt.
This is typical of Space. Offer a lot of moderate rhetoric and pretend he is independent from Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid but then vote the way they want and offer excuses – or deceptive arguments – later.
