Obama's stimulus: 200 days, 200 lies

August 31, 3:22 PMOrlando Republican ExaminerBlas Padrino

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This morning, the Republican National Committee published a study entitled “200 Days 200 Claims” in which it analyzes the failure of the stimulus bill to improve the economy. In the study, the authors select 200 specific claims made by the President and the Democrat Congress when the stimulus bill was enacted, and examine whether any of them have been fulfilled, 200 days later. Its sobering message: none of the promised benefits from the stimulus bill have been realized. Instead, jobs continue to vanish while the deficit skyrockets. Since the stimulus bill was passed on February 17 of this year, the American economy has lost 2.2 million jobs and the projected 2009 deficit has climbed to $1.68 trillion.
The introduction to the report summarizes its findings as follows:

“Among the misleading claims debunked in this report are these oft-repeated and echoed talking points:

The stimulus would create 3.5 million jobs and starting do so immediately; Instead, over 2.2 million Americans have lost their jobs since the stimulus bill was signed into law.

The money would be spent carefully, effectively, and transparently; Instead, we have seen the money squandered on such projects as the $18 million overhaul of the Administration‘s stimulus-promoting website and the GAO has said there is no effective system in place to monitor the spending.

And, lastly, the stimulus is working as promised and according to plan; Instead, the unemployment rate has far exceeded even the Administration‘s projection if we did not pass their stimulus bill.”

A number of the zingers thrown at the Obama Administration by the report involve waste and incompetence in connection with Florida projects, such as the use of stimulus money to build a turtle crossing in northern Florida and the failure to fund any of the 272 shovel-ready building projects already approved in the State.
Some of the other Obama lies identified by the report:

• • Claim: Stimulus funds will create jobs in the U.S. that cannot be sent abroad. Reality: Already $2.4 billion of stimulus money went to firms that manufacture vehicle parts abroad.
• • Claim: Stimulus money would be spent to address genuine needs. Reality: Some funds given to the National Endowment for the Arts are going to theaters showing ‘underground pornography.”
• • Claim: According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the stimulus bill would save millions of jobs. Reality: Job losses in the Obama recession have erased all the job gains of the past nine years.

This new report helps give factual substance to the Republican opposition to the Obama Administration’s plans for still more interference in the free market system. By pointing out the failure of the Democrats’ stimulus program, the Republicans undermine the President’s credibility as he tries to salvage his unpopular plan for more government intrusion in the health care sector.

(Above right: GOP Chairman Michael Steele/official photo)

For more info:
RNC's report 
GOP's website press release page.