Where Does the Stimulus Money Really Go?
by James Glaser
March 4, 2009

President Obama keeps talking about "jobs created and jobs saved" with all the money he is spending with his stimulus bill. That makes me wonder, who is going to get the bulk of that money, the workers, or the corporations?

I don't care what kind of business you are in, you only hire more workers if you can make money with them. I have worked huge construction projects, and the company made money off of every employee hired. Washington is going to want these jobs started as fast as they can, so many of these companies will be paid "time and materials." That means they will be paid a set amount for every hour a worker works, and they will be paid for all the materials they use.

Well, every company will make an amount above what they pay each worker for every hour worked. I have been on jobs that were so crowded with workers it was hard to get anything done. The company didn't care, they were getting a rake off the top for every worker employed.

Yes, Washington wants to stimulate the economy and get people working, but you would hope they also would want to get something for all the money they are spending. I am afraid that when people talk about President Obama throwing money at our fiscal problem, he has done just that.

Workers will be employed, and they will get a pay check, but when all is said and done, it will be the corporations who hire these workers who will make most of the money. As in all government projects, the rich will get richer, and the workers will get a pay check. Stimulus checks will be cashed by the corporations, and as with any money from Washington, a little bit will trickle down to the masses, but most of it will stay at the top.

I keep hearing about "shovel ready" road construction projects, but at least in the North, it doesn't matter how ready your job is, Mother Nature dictates when the ground will be ready to take that shovel. Obama might have sent out the checks, but for much of the country, this is not the season for road construction.

Every building built needs a foundation, and you can't start a foundation until the weather turns warmer. Yes, there are ways to do anything, no matter what the weather is like. All you have to do is be willing to throw enough money at the project.

President Obama will get people working, and corporations will make a bundle, but I have to wonder—when all this money runs out, will we ask ourselves, "Is that all we got for all that money?"

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