President Barack Obama recently signed into law a second “jobs stimulus” bill — a “sequel” of sorts to 2009’s $862 billion “stimulus,” which stimulated government employment while millions in the private sector lost their jobs.
And now, just days later, Democrats in the House of Representatives have approved a third “jobs bill” — and a fourth! One of the new pieces of legislation is priced at more than $19 billion. And separately, the House approved $600 million for summer jobs programs — programs that do little to help out-of-work adults find the long-term work they need in a time of roughly 10 percent unemployment.
As Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, put it: “Another week, another stimulus.”
Like its predecessors, the $19 billion “jobs bill” also includes billions of dollars for expanded welfare programs that will certainly do nothing to spur job growth.
Some observers think these measures will help Democrats in the November congressional elections, because they will be able to say they passed legislation promoting job growth. But with the failure of the main “stimulus” to accomplish that goal — and its “success” in adding to our crippling, $12.7 trillion national debt — it’s absurd to think that billions more dollars in similar programs will create jobs.