Obama unleashed today details of his
vision for re-energizing the US Economy. Politico summarizes thusly:
—ENERGY: “[W]e will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.”
This is a government subsidized make-work project wrapped in the flag of energy conservation. A gift to the unions?
—ROADS AND BRIDGES: “[W]e will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.”
A government subsidized make-work. Another gift to the unions?
—SCHOOLS: “[M]y economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.”
Note that this proposal says nothing about improving the quality of education our children experience. This proposal is all about justifying more government subsidized make work programs. I know of no research that connects the energy efficiency of a school building with student performance as a result of an educational program.
—BROADBAND: “As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m president – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.”
It his a proposal for government subsidized broadband? The US already has an oversupply of broadband capacity.
—ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS: “In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the Internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the Internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.”
The thought of the government driving the adoption of an electronic medical records system raises more concerns about preservation of personal privacy than I can begin to enumerate. Given the numerous
violations of privacy laws by State officials poking into "Joe the Plumber's" records, I have zero confidence in an electronic medical records system that is touched by the government (state or national) in any way. I support movement of medical records from dead-trees to electronic media. Let's encourage
companies like Google to lead that charge.
These proposals are all about expanding the reach of big brother government.
Stunningly absent from Obama's proposals are incentives to spur entrepreneurs to take risk and create value. Innovation and entrepreneurship are the true strength and defining nature of this country. Only value created in the private sector can reenergize the US and World economies.
UPDATE: Has Obama proposed a
Macho Stimulus Plan? Pass the Viagra please.
