Editorial – Political signs: Your stimulus dollars at ‘work’
New Hampshire Union Leader
Democrats criticize for-profit health insurers for “wasting” money on things like advertising. If only companies didn’t squander resources on such frivolities, health care spending could be reduced, they say. So, it only stands to reason that Senate Democrats voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to advertise the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Sen. Judd Gregg sponsored an amendment to bar federal spending on road signs that declare a particular project funded with federal stimulus money.
Adding the cost of those signs for the more than 20,000 stimulus projects nationwide, “we are talking about a cost of somewhere between $6 million and $15 million being spent on signs,” Gregg told the Senate. “That is an inexcusable waste of money. That money could be used for something valuable, for example, rather than a sign.”
He got only five Democrats (including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen) to vote for his amendment. It failed, 52-45.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., accused Gregg of being “anti-jobs.” Actually, he is pro-taxpayer. “The practical effect of this is,” he said, “the signs should say ‘Wasting taxpayers’ dollars; project funded by the future generations of Americans.’”
How political are these signs? This summer, Derry attempted to save money by not buying a sign for a stimulus-funded upgrade to the Meadowbrook water system, The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass., reported. The town was told that if it didn’t put up a sign, it wouldn’t get the money. It put up the sign.
These signs are nothing more than taxpayer-financed propaganda for the Democratic Party. Kudos to Sens. Gregg and Shaheen for voting against funding them. And shame on the 52 senators — including independent Joe Lieberman — who voted to squander public money on them.
