President Obama Calls Republicans Out On Stimulus Bill Hypocrisy

The $862-billion stimulus bill was not perfect, but it was better than sitting around and just complaining while the economy lost hundreds of thousands of jobs per month. That's what Republicans did. Only three- none in the House- voted for the bill.

Now, President Obama and Democrats up for midterm elections are touting the bill's successes. Estimates show that the stimulus has helped to create anywhere from 500,000 to 2 million jobs. The irony is that while Republicans voted against the bills, because they said they were concerned about the deficit or government intervention in the economy, they have taken credit for stimulus-funded projects.

The Democratic National Committee says that at least 65 Republicans who voted against the bill have been out taking credit for projects that it funded.

According to CNN and Politifact:

Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Illinois, defended his vote against the stimulus bill -- and the touting of government funds for a program in his district..... At issue: Schock appeared at a community college in his district last week to tout a $350,000 green technology education program funded by the omnibus spending bill. Schock voted against the bill.

Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Kentucky, voted against the bill, saying it was full of pork. But in December of 2009, he sent out a press release announcing that a $1 million grant would be given to the Carroll County School District. "As it happened, on the very same day, Davis sent out a separate release in which he referred to the "failed trillion-dollar 'stimulus' bill."

Rep. Phil Gingrey of Georgia said his no vote was due to concern over government spending and the rising debt. But in October, he was photographed in a newspaper in Cedartown, Georgia, giving a ceremonial check for $625,000 in stimulus funds to local leaders, which the newspaper noted would go for new sidewalks, landscaping and other city projects.President Obama has rightly called Republicans out:

"Some of the very same folks in Congress who opposed the Recovery Act -- and claim that it hasn't worked -- have been all too happy to claim credit for Recovery Act projects and the jobs those projects have produced. They found a way to have their cake and vote against it, too."

The attitude of the Republicans seems to have infected Americans. According to a CNN poll, nearly 75 percent of Americans think half the stimulus money has been wasted. Sixty-three percent think the projects are purely political and only 36 percent think the projects will benefit the economy.

I don't doubt that some of this money was doled out based on politics. But what Republicans, Democrats and the public should be doing is making sure the money is channeled to places that can produce the most jobs and the most benefits for Americans.

The public should also be wary of Republican double-talk. Why criticize something and then turn around and use it for your own political purposes? The same thing is happening with the effort for health care reform.

The proof will come as more of this money starts to flow and we see if our friends and relatives are headed back to work. We should track the numbers and look for independent analysis of the successes and failures of the stimulus. Clearly, this is a better option than doing nothing.