Let’s review a few of the problems of the $787 billion “stimulus” approved by congressional Democrats and signed into law by President Barack Obama last year:
* Even in the counties that got the most stimulus funds, unemployment improved no more than it did in counties that got none, according to an Associated Press analysis. In fact, nationwide unemployment is at 10 percent, though we were promised it would not exceed 8 percent if the first stimulus was approved.
* Much of the money is propping up existing government bureaucracy, rather than creating private-sector jobs. Mr. Obama promised that 90 percent of the jobs “created or saved” by the stimulus would be in the private sector.
* The borrowed stimulus money is added to the outrageous $12.1 trillion national debt, on which we must pay massive interest.
* The government Web site that tracks use of stimulus money found many tens of millions of dollars had gone to nonexistent congressional districts. Arizona’s “86th District,” for instance, got $34 million, even though Arizona has no 86th District. The government says those were just accounting errors. We surely hope so.