The White House estimates that over a half million jobs were created or saved because of the stimulus package, but it is getting another look, as the numbers seem to be inaccurate, and evidence shows that stimulus money was used for projects that had nothing to do with establishing permanent jobs.

On Recovery.gov, the White House reported that 640,329 jobs have been created or saved via the September 20 stimulus allocation of $159 billion. Offering a disclaimer that the numbers might not be exactly perfect, officials blame state and local municipalities for the discrepancies, and plan to scrub the numbers clean, as they trumpet their newest transparency act.

California was on top of the White House’s blame list, saying it reported that 250 jobs were saved as the funds were used to hire workers to build additional train tracks for the Union Pacific Railroad. That number has since been adjusted to 74 jobs. In addition, the Denver Post says the numbers didn’t add up for the state of Colorado either.

There are lists of stimulus projects, exact costs, and details galore on the government’s website and Recovery.org. The total expenditure of $159 billion divided by 640,000 jobs comes to roughly $160,000 per job. Jared Bernstein, who happens to be the vice president’s chief economist and senior economic advisor said the actual cost per job was probably nearer $92,000.

The Washington Examiner compiled a hefty list of projects that were funded by the $787 billion February package, with a few favorites being:

• $300,000 for GPS-equipped helicopter to hunt for radioactive rabbit droppings at the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state.
• $30 million for Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies spring training complex
• $219,000 for Syracuse U to study the sex lives of female freshman.
• $11 million for Microsoft’s bridge over a highway connecting its two headquarters
• $462,000 for 22 concrete toilets for Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri
• $3.1 million to turn a canal barge into a floating museum on the Erie Canal
• $983,952 for decorative lighting, trees, benches and paths in Ann Arbor, Michigan
• $1 million to study health effects of environmentally friendly public housing on 300 people in Chicago
• $1.5 million for fences to deter bridge jumpers in Akron, Ohio
• $300 apiece for thousands of signs that announce projects are funded by stimulus money
• $9.38 million to renovate a now three-decades abandoned rail station in Pennsylvania.
• $3.4 million for a turtle crossing tunnel in Lake Jackson, Florida.
• $2.3 million for the U.S. Forest Service to rear bugs — arthropods to be exact.
• $173,834 to weatherize eight pickup trucks in Madison County, Illinois

And on and on it goes.

Classic government waste, a bureaucracy that encourages statistical inconsistencies and little accountability, and statements by politicians that fly in the face of the facts, as Vice President Joe Biden says, oh yes, “we are on track to create and save 3.5 million jobs through the Recovery Act by the end of next year.” At a Cabinet meeting in October he said about the Recovery Act: “everyone said this is going to get screwed up here.” Adding, “Well, that’s a dog that didn’t bite.” 

Stimulus success. It’s everywhere.

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rprew said:

... "...senior economic advisor said the actual cost per job was probably nearer $92,000." Taking the (inaccurate) 640,000 jobs "saved" number and multiplying by $92,000 comes to about $59 billions. So where, exactly, did that other $729 billion disappear to? These government economists must be using that "new math"... you know... that math that causes high school graduates to be unable to make change for a dollar.

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November 06, 2009
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rprew said:

	... ... and please explain exactly why we need to be tracking radioactive rabbit droppings. And for the bridge, why didn't Microsoft build it? They certainly have the money and it IS to their benefit. (Wait a minute... I may know the answer to that one... a Microsoft bridge may have the same stability as their OS's!)
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November 06, 2009
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DDW said:

	It's obvious The out-of-control, rogue fedgov is in the hands of, and being run by, liars and thieves (and why does it surprise us when liars lie and thieves steal?) and is totally and fully corrupt and needs to be taken apart piece by piece and put back together with nothing but the Conctitution as the blueprint.
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November 07, 2009
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Leland Fortner said:

... This sounds just as bad as the transit district I am employed by. A few years ago I operated a trolley look-a-like vehicle that drove through the downtown area. This city has a population of over 200,000. I drove it for about 8 hours, 4 days a week, while other operators drove it the other days. If I was really busy, I might have had a total of 3 people ride in the 8 hours I drove. Oh, each passenger was charged $.10 to ride. Once a reporter from our local newspaper rode and asked me if it was always this busy. I told her yes and sometimes I have zero ridership in 8 hours. She published my statement and management asked me if there was an error in reporting my statement. I told them no, I'm a taxpayer too! They said the city bought the trolley and we just do what the city wants. Of coarse the trolley was paid for by the Feds and other state and city funding.

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November 07, 2009
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