Column:
Republicans did not provide stimulus money
Stop taking credit, Bond.
Published Feb. 20, 2009
At long last the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed Congress and has been signed into law. President Barack Obama has passed the first test of his agenda.
It was a historic effort, too. In a bipartisan fashion, the White House and leaders of Congress came together and crafted -- wait, no, they didn't.
In reality, Congressional Democrats had to use the hand that initially extended an olive branch to Republicans to instead grab them by the collar and drag them kicking and screaming down the road to economic recovery.
Not all Republican leaders had to be pushed, though. Twenty-two GOP governors and three U.S. senators support ARARA. They obviously realize the gravity of our economic crisis and are willing to be pragmatic and not problematic.
One of those three senators was not Kit Bond. After announcing his retirement, one might think he would be more reasonable in crafting policy and looking out for the needs his state and his legacy. Instead, he was one of the obstinate leaders of the Republicans opposition.
For the last month Bond has been railing against the apparent evils of ARARA on TV, radio, in newspapers and on the Senate floor. He was among the Republican leadership who has been grandstanding on the failed economic policies that led us into the crisis. He went along with the GOP antics of waving around the 1,100-page bill, claiming it was impossible to read the entire bill before voting. Apparently they all forgot they have about 25 staffers each to help them sort through it.
The GOP is in solid opposition to ARARA, and it's a purely political move. They are banking on the stimulus failing, so they can regain control of Congress in 2010.
This reminds me of a claim Republicans made last year that Obama was willing to lose a war to win an election. Now Republicans are willing to screw the economy to get elected. Which is worse?
Then Tuesday morning my radio alarm clock went off, and my head shot off my pillow, but not for the obvious reasons: KBIA/91.3 FM was relaying a story about Bond holding a series of roundtables to tout a provision in ARARA for housing development in north St. Louis.
What?
No, Sen. Bond, you cannot have it both ways. You voted against ARARA twice. You are clearly against the bill. You may not take credit for any provision in the bill because you didn't want it to pass in the first place.
Then I read that U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, was doing the same thing. On Monday, he was in Kirksville taking a tour of some buildings at Truman State University that would receive funds for renovation. He claimed that the economy needed more "shovel-ready" jobs like these. Also, on his Web site, he takes credit for money used to create and retain jobs in Warren County.
In the same trip he lauded the new Pell Grants in ARARA, stating they weren't "shovel-ready," but they were a long-term economic driver. That's what the Democrats and President Obama have been saying for months.
Again, why did you and Sen. Bond vote against all these provisions that you now support twice?
Readers: if you see your local Republican congressperson in your town touting an ARARA provision, please know they did nothing to bring it to you.
Nate Kennedy is the chairman of the Young Democrats of Missouri College Federation. He can be reached at nkennedy@themaneater.com.
