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Local Leaders Trump Stimulus Package
  
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By Jenny DeHuff, The Bulletin
Philadelphia — Several local business, faith and labor leaders pounded the pavement outside U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter’s, R-Pa., Center City offices yesterday to urge him and his Democratic counterpart, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., to push for swift passage of the economic recovery act.
Just last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee moved the stimulus bill out of committee, despite protests from conservatives who argue more government spending will only be a temporary fix and will plunge federal arrears into further delinquency.
Mr. Specter voted to move forward President Barack Obama’s $900 billion Economic Recovery And Reinvestment Act. While the senator raised serious concerns about the merits of the bill, he deemed it the subject of worthwhile debate. The following are his remarks during the vote.
“I am prepared to support a stimulus package, but I want to be as sure as I can that the monies which we appropriate will be directed in a meaningful way to create jobs as promptly as possible and not in the future,” he said.
He went on to say: “I traveled in October, and I heard loud complaints from my constituents; I’m sure they were registered all over the country. Now we’re facing another situation where we are being asked to complete legislation by Feb. 13, in time for a recess. I have grave doubt that that’s a wise course of action. In fact, I think it is not a wise course of action. There is no doubt we have to move promptly, but the old saying is that we have to do it right as opposed to doing it fast.”
Mr. Specter met with Mr. Obama Tuesday to discuss amendments to the bill, including more opportunities for job creation and tax cuts.
“The stimulus package should not only benefit those who are too big to fail,” said Fabricio Rodriguez, executive director of Philadelphia Jobs With Justice, who also formerly served as co-chairman of the Young Democratic Socialists of America.
“The recovery and reinvestment act will slow the climbing unemployment rate, grow the Pennsylvania tax base and lessen the strain on the unemployment compensation program.”
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, executive director of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia, drew from the Torah as reason to support the legislation.
“The Torah says there needs to be a constant recycling of wealth,” said Mr. Waskow. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the word commonwealth ... the wealth that is held in common … The wealth society holds in common has been allowed to disintegrate. The folks in common need to be restored as part of the flow of abundance.”
According to the Economic Policy Institute, more than 33 million people could be unemployed in 2010 if Congress does not pass the stimulus bill. The measure is projected to provide Pennsylvania with more than $9 billion in federal funding for jobs, infrastructure projects and assistance to low-income families.
Daniel Mitchell, senior fellow with the CATO Institute, chided the president’s so-called “bloated” stimulus plan and said it would only cripple an already staggering economy.
“More government spending will make our economy weaker,” Mr. Mitchell said. “We should not be doing anything to make our economy more like a stagnant European welfare state.”
When asked if there were an alternative to Mr. Obama’s plan, Mr. Mitchell said, “The solution is to do what John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan did — cut tax rates and reduce the burden of government spending. Kennedy and Reagan had strong policies. Everything Obama has tried to do has been tried before and it’s never worked.”
Pennsylvania’s share in the stimulus package would entail $3.7 billion for state health programs, $2.5 billion to local governments for day-to-day services, $1.25 million in emergency food assistance, tax breaks for 4.5 million working families and 5 million workers to get unemployment and emergency benefits.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@thebulletin.us
Just last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee moved the stimulus bill out of committee, despite protests from conservatives who argue more government spending will only be a temporary fix and will plunge federal arrears into further delinquency.
Mr. Specter voted to move forward President Barack Obama’s $900 billion Economic Recovery And Reinvestment Act. While the senator raised serious concerns about the merits of the bill, he deemed it the subject of worthwhile debate. The following are his remarks during the vote.
“I am prepared to support a stimulus package, but I want to be as sure as I can that the monies which we appropriate will be directed in a meaningful way to create jobs as promptly as possible and not in the future,” he said.
He went on to say: “I traveled in October, and I heard loud complaints from my constituents; I’m sure they were registered all over the country. Now we’re facing another situation where we are being asked to complete legislation by Feb. 13, in time for a recess. I have grave doubt that that’s a wise course of action. In fact, I think it is not a wise course of action. There is no doubt we have to move promptly, but the old saying is that we have to do it right as opposed to doing it fast.”
Mr. Specter met with Mr. Obama Tuesday to discuss amendments to the bill, including more opportunities for job creation and tax cuts.
“The stimulus package should not only benefit those who are too big to fail,” said Fabricio Rodriguez, executive director of Philadelphia Jobs With Justice, who also formerly served as co-chairman of the Young Democratic Socialists of America.
“The recovery and reinvestment act will slow the climbing unemployment rate, grow the Pennsylvania tax base and lessen the strain on the unemployment compensation program.”
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, executive director of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia, drew from the Torah as reason to support the legislation.
“The Torah says there needs to be a constant recycling of wealth,” said Mr. Waskow. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the word commonwealth ... the wealth that is held in common … The wealth society holds in common has been allowed to disintegrate. The folks in common need to be restored as part of the flow of abundance.”
According to the Economic Policy Institute, more than 33 million people could be unemployed in 2010 if Congress does not pass the stimulus bill. The measure is projected to provide Pennsylvania with more than $9 billion in federal funding for jobs, infrastructure projects and assistance to low-income families.
Daniel Mitchell, senior fellow with the CATO Institute, chided the president’s so-called “bloated” stimulus plan and said it would only cripple an already staggering economy.
“More government spending will make our economy weaker,” Mr. Mitchell said. “We should not be doing anything to make our economy more like a stagnant European welfare state.”
When asked if there were an alternative to Mr. Obama’s plan, Mr. Mitchell said, “The solution is to do what John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan did — cut tax rates and reduce the burden of government spending. Kennedy and Reagan had strong policies. Everything Obama has tried to do has been tried before and it’s never worked.”
Pennsylvania’s share in the stimulus package would entail $3.7 billion for state health programs, $2.5 billion to local governments for day-to-day services, $1.25 million in emergency food assistance, tax breaks for 4.5 million working families and 5 million workers to get unemployment and emergency benefits.
Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@thebulletin.us
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