Obama Visits Plant Where Stimulus Saved Jobs

President Barack Obama told manufacturers in Wisconsin on Monday that his Recovery Act helped save some of their jobs, and will allow their company to expand in the months to come.

At ZBB Energy Corporation in Menomonee Falls, the President reiterated his commitment to lift the nation’s manufacturing industry out of the doldrums ushered in by the recession.

“Few parts of the economy were hit harder than manufacturing,” said Obama. “But what’s clear is that we are heading in the right direction.”

Indeed, unlike most of the private sector, manufacturing has slowly rebounded over the past eight months. 36,000 manufacturing jobs were added to the economy last month, bringing the total number of jobs added to 183,000 since last December.

The President’s trip to Wisconsin today, along with stops later on this week in Ohio, Washington and California, highlight his administration’s attempt to showcase the effect the stimulus package has had on the economy. It also coincides with Democrats’ efforts to promote their “Make it in America” strategy during the congressional recess.

ZBB, which produces advanced batteries for the purpose of renewable energy storage, plans to use $1.3 million worth of stimulus funds to add 80 new jobs in the state of Wisconsin.

“When new technologies are developed with the potential to unleash new businesses, and even whole new industries, I want those products to be made in America,” said Obama. “That’s how we’ll create jobs. That’s how we’ll strengthen this economy.”

Stimulus Has Been A Bust, Says Ohio Republican

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

Hours before President Barack Obama spoke in Columbus, Ohio about the benefits his stimulus bill has provided to the job-crippled state, Ohio State Auditor and candidate for Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor (R) told reporters that the bill has "failed."

The controversial American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly referred to as the stimulus bill, aimed to enhance job creation and spur spending through an investment of $862 billion dollars into the U.S. economy.

While a growing number of economists are coming out in support of the stimulus and its effects, a large amount of funding went into sources which can't be easily quantified - a point Taylor was quick to address on Friday.

"The only jobs created by the stimulus package and government spending are government jobs."

Taylor clarified her statement, explaining that, "half of the $3.3 billion dollars Ohio has received so far has gone to run Medicaid, not invest in job creation."

At 10.7%, Taylor's state has the tenth highest unemployment rate in the nation, a figure that can be partially attributed to the struggling auto market, as well as the relocating of a number of local steel jobs to countries oversees.

Overall, the gubernatorial candidate was critical, yet constructive in her judgment of the stimulus bill.

"When the federal stimulus bill was enacted in February 2009, our unemployment rate was 9.4%; today it's 10.7%. I would guess that if you asked the 641,000 Ohioans who are out of work, 'has the stimulus worked?' I think they would agree that it has not."

"What we really need to do is allow our small businesses to invest here in Ohio and create jobs and create an economic environment where they can do that," Taylor added. "The only long term solution is creating a pro-growth business climate by reducing government spending."

Some Stimulus Recipients To Face Increased Scrutiny

Vice President Joe Biden today announced the release of a Presidential memo calling for tighter oversight of recipients of Recovery Act (ARRA) funds.

According to government figures, agencies failed to file reports on 1,036 Recovery Act awards in the last fiscal quarter. Although spending reports were submitted for 65,429 other awards, Biden said the goal should be to have every single federal dollar accounted for.

“After more than a year implementing the Recovery Act, I can proudly say that we’re not only creating jobs across the country, but doing so responsibly and with a level of transparency never before seen in this town,” Biden said. “This Presidential Memorandum will continue to make sure that every dollar is accounted for and every official is held accountable.”

Earl Devaney, Chairman of the independent Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, created by the ARRA, said cracking down on recipients that fail to report is the best way to ensure full accountability.

“I have been a strong advocate of compliance measures that would encourage recipients of Recovery funds to submit their spending reports to the Recovery Board, as required by the Recovery Act,” Devaney said. “The President’s decision to issue a memorandum to the senior officials of executive departments and agencies will go a long way toward helping the Board achieve our goal of 100 percent compliance.”

Boehner Claims Recovery Act Played No Role In Lowering Unemployment

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) refused Friday to attribute November’s small drop in unemployment to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“We’re encouraged that the rate dropped slightly, but I don’t think it has anything to do with the stimulus bill at all,” said Boehner during a morning press conference.

According to the Department of Labor's Burea of Labor Statistics, November’s unemployment rate was 10 percent, a slight decrease from October’s 10.2 percent.

Boehner pointed to the 27,000 construction jobs lost in November as evidence for the Recovery act’s failure to bolster employment.

“I looked at numbers yesterday on construction employment and you can see where the stimulus bill has passed, but the line has continued to run downward uninterrupted ever since,” said the Minority Leader.

Added Boehner, “You can argue that the line could have gotten worse had it not been for the stimulus on construction jobs, but other than the money that was in there for infrastructure, the other ... $740 billion in this bill had nothing to do with putting people back to work.”

$80.9 billion in Recovery act funds has been reserved for improving the U.S. infrastructure.

“They may have saved some government jobs,” Boehner quipped. “I will admit that.”

Pelosi And Others Credit Stimulus For Boom In Scientific Research Spending

By Ravi Bhatia - Talk Radio News Service

On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), along with other House members and representatives from various universities, touted the research conducted with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Also known as the stimulus package, the ARRA allocated $21.5 billion for scientific research, purchasing equipment and science-related construction projects.

“There was a time, if you promise not to tell anybody, when in Washington you had to choose between science and faith, take your pick,” Pelosi said. “And [then] we said, 'science is an answer to our prayers.' It’s all pretty compatible.”

The university officials universities pointed to the website www.scienceworksforUS.org, which details the stimulus-sponsored research being conducted across the country. ScienceWorksForUS is an initiative of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Land Grant Universities, and the Science Coalition, who together represent 200 research institutions.