Sections'Worthless servants' fill House
J.D. Garretson
Issue date: 5/5/09 Section: Opinion
Since the very beginning of the global recession, almost every economist in the world looked at the events unfolding and decided it would be best to stray from the economic tactics of Herbert Hoover. They called for short-term spending, preferably on public works and infrastructure, for an ideal combination of temporary and long-term recovery. And jobs.
And then the money got to Missouri. The first project that was funded by stimulus money began on some bridge repair work here, and that was an encouraging sign.
Maybe it's just the start, I said to myself.
Maybe we'd use the rest of the money on green energy or technology. Or, dare I dream, maybe we'd join the rest of the world and get a monorail or something snazzy like that. Or both. So long as people have to build it and our kids can benefit from it, hell, shoot for the moon.
No, literally. Monorail to the moon. Best stimulus ever, and it would ease the stress on NASA. Just think about it.
But when faced with the idea of helping their children or helping themselves, the current slate of House Representatives chose to give themselves a two-year, billion-dollar tax break.
On the one hand, how stupid does one have to be to blow so much money on so little? But, on the other, I hope to be graduating and moving out of the state in about two years. I'm torn.
I mean, I feel bad for the children that'll stay here. Missourians, already subject to some of the lowest taxes in the nation, are abandoning the idea of infrastructure spending or modernization in favor of contributing even less to the common good.
The real irony is, the new stimulus plan would, among other things, cover budget shortfalls due to lack of tax revenue.
Our legislature, then, isn't opposed to spending federal money, it's just opposed to spending it wisely. The figure breaks down to something like an extra $50 a month for impoverished students like myself.
It'll basically cover gas for us, and that's pretty cool, until you realize the same money could have gone into public transportation or green initiatives that could amount to the same sorts of savings, but sustained over a much longer period of time.
And then the money got to Missouri. The first project that was funded by stimulus money began on some bridge repair work here, and that was an encouraging sign.
Maybe it's just the start, I said to myself.
Maybe we'd use the rest of the money on green energy or technology. Or, dare I dream, maybe we'd join the rest of the world and get a monorail or something snazzy like that. Or both. So long as people have to build it and our kids can benefit from it, hell, shoot for the moon.
No, literally. Monorail to the moon. Best stimulus ever, and it would ease the stress on NASA. Just think about it.
But when faced with the idea of helping their children or helping themselves, the current slate of House Representatives chose to give themselves a two-year, billion-dollar tax break.
On the one hand, how stupid does one have to be to blow so much money on so little? But, on the other, I hope to be graduating and moving out of the state in about two years. I'm torn.
I mean, I feel bad for the children that'll stay here. Missourians, already subject to some of the lowest taxes in the nation, are abandoning the idea of infrastructure spending or modernization in favor of contributing even less to the common good.
The real irony is, the new stimulus plan would, among other things, cover budget shortfalls due to lack of tax revenue.
Our legislature, then, isn't opposed to spending federal money, it's just opposed to spending it wisely. The figure breaks down to something like an extra $50 a month for impoverished students like myself.
It'll basically cover gas for us, and that's pretty cool, until you realize the same money could have gone into public transportation or green initiatives that could amount to the same sorts of savings, but sustained over a much longer period of time.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jeremiah
posted 5/05/09 @ 7:05 AM CST
A terrible parable given the current economic times and recent stock market events.
Post a Comment