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Shovel Ready Project Watch

Author | Shiplap | Posted on | July 2, 2009 | 16 Comments

Much time has passed since Feb 17, the day Obama signed his $787 billion economic stimulus package into law. In the days leading up to this, we all heard countless times of the “shovel ready projects ready to go” to put America back to work. Now that nearly 5 months has passed, I have been unable to find a single one. I have traveled widely throughout the state, into areas of MD, WVA, and PA, expecting to see a lot of guys with shovels, after all, $787 billion does buy a lot of shovels, even in this day and age doesn’t it ?

Nope, nada, not a one.

Read today the unemployment rate hit a recent high, one not reached in something like 26 years. Guess this means that others are having the same difficulty finding these projects meant to get America back to work, particularly the unemployed.

So today I would like you all to help me in this quest. Should you find a “Shovel Ready Project” underway, please post information about it here.

What doesn’t count :

  • Someone planting his or her tomato plants.
  • Cleaning up after your dog, horse, or Senator.
  • The burying of guns or cash in the back yard to prevent government confiscation.
  • Projects begun prior to the stimulus, such as the Mixing Bowl. We will very likely find the Lost Ark before this project is completed, even if we stimulus the hell out of it.

    Should we find none, I would guess that is because we are in the midst of a very non-stimulating stimulus.

    Category: Uncategorized

    Comments

    16 Responses to “Shovel Ready Project Watch”

    1. The Bulletproof Monk
      July 2nd, 2009 @ 7:27 pm

      Good stuff, as usual, Shiplap.

    2. Kevin
      July 2nd, 2009 @ 8:57 pm

      I agree, LipFlap, if it isn’t reported here, it isn’t happening!

      Seriously, though, if it’s not happening, why not? Even VA Beach seems to have a plan:
      http://www.americantowns.com/va/virginiabeach/news/digging-into-shovel-ready-projects-in-the-virginia-beach-area-169064

      Has the money not gone out? I’m already hearing stories about towns receiving $ to expand homeless services where they have no homeless services infrastructure.

      What gives? Are the States just in the planning stages of the implementation stage?
      http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020401391.html

    3. Shiplap
      July 2nd, 2009 @ 11:23 pm

      Hmm.. homeless services are “shovel ready” projects ? Interesting and imaginative extrapolation. I would certainly hope they are not stirring the soup and stew pots with a shovel, not sure about your habits, but I imagine the homeless would prefer a spoon.

      Can you point me to where the projects discussed in the Post are underway and actively hiring unemployed Virginians Kevin ? Like I said above, please let us know where one of the projects is actually putting people to work. I take it you are saying that you too are unable to find one ?

      “have the potential”,”could be”

      Yes, this is definitively job creation. Hope you are not betting your livelihood on a Post opinion piece. Imagine those that have some skin in the game are not.

      The shovel ready projects in Virginia Beach have caused a rise in unemployment rate from 6.5% to 7%, from April to May is what I hear you saying ?

      Oh yeah, do you understand Shovel Ready ?

      Popular Mechanics was right on the money when they wrote this in
      Feb :

      http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4302578.html

    4. Kevin
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 12:23 am

      Lipflam, “Can you point me to where the projects discussed in the Post are underway and actively hiring unemployed Virginians Kevin ?”

      I agree with you and you want to argue!!

      I HAVE heard of $ given to towns for beefing up their homeless services when they haven’t even started homeless programs. This was reported on NPR, believe it or not.

      What is the problem with this money, I ask?

    5. Kevin
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 12:26 am

      BTW, the homeless $ was not part of the shovel ready funds, duh.

    6. Shiplap
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 1:33 am

      “agree with you”

      Uh huh

    7. Wolverine
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 9:12 am

      I have a relative who started a small business a few years ago. He had it up to 5-6 employees at the time the economic downturn really started. He is now down to himself and his founding partner. He even had to let his accountant go and move the business from his office to his home. Some of the opportunity is still there, meaning he and the founding partner are swamped with actual work; but business costs and business taxes have nearly killed it all. Too bad someone in Washington and Richmond couldn’t have come up with an idea about tax breaks. As it is, we will probably have a stimulus package facilitate the temporary repair of the road that goes right by a business office no longer occupied and the homes of a number of people who no longer have jobs.

    8. Kevin
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 10:29 am

      “Uh huh”

      Seriously. Where’s the discussion?

      So, the money had time limits on it and if it wasn’t “used” it was taken away. Did ALL the States reject it? I’m positive that’s not the case.

      So, what happened?

      I agree with you. What’s up with it? Where are the friggin’ jobs?

    9. dans
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

      “He had it up to 5-6 employees at the time the economic downturn really started.”

      Bingo Wolv, this is where the jobs are being lost.

      Maybe the question needs to be “the business is too small to fail” and not “too big to fail”.. and it’s gonna get worse for them if Cap-and-Tax passes.

    10. Lovisa
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 6:53 pm

      So – what do you think about Gov. Palin bailing from her Alaska job after two and a half years?

    11. Kevin
      July 3rd, 2009 @ 7:50 pm

      Quitter!

    12. The Bulletproof Monk
      July 4th, 2009 @ 1:55 pm

      Bam Bam said no taxes on businesses. …and folks who make $250K….er…$150K..er…$100K.
      This much is certain. As more and more lose jobs due to this “brilliant” plan by he and congress…the porrer his approval will be and we’ll wash our hands of the jackass in three years and change.

    13. dans
      July 4th, 2009 @ 2:44 pm

      “Quitter!”

      Are you referring to Obama not completing his term in the Senate ?

    14. Kevin
      July 4th, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

      Do you mean Obama the president? Rofl!

    15. dans
      July 4th, 2009 @ 6:56 pm

      Ok, you are talking about THAT quitter..

    16. dans
      July 4th, 2009 @ 6:57 pm

      Bam Bam, I like that. Guess that makes Pelosi Fruity Pebbles ?

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