Program: Community Development Block Grants

Project Description:

Quantum Eco Park ? Development of an “eco” park using LEEDS or other “green” design princip[le]s. Amenities
to include trails through natural areas, nature center for environmental education, interpreive exhibits, rock
garden, butterfly garden, botanical garden

Funding Required: $4,500,000

Jobs: 50

City: Austin, TX

Program: Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

Project Description:

Raul Alvarez Disc Golf Course: This project will develop a 36?hole disc golf course that will be environmentally
and financially sustainable.

Funding Required: $886,000

Jobs: 4

Sure. But…
The domestic audience of everyday Americans isn't the only one that needs to be addressed. Obama had better start looking like he knows what he's doing about the banking system and global economic issues including trade.

The single best thing he could do- for himself and his party politically as well as for the country (even the entire planet, when you consider the global impact of all of this) is to start showing more decisive leadership by announcing that Congress must (and will) act swiftly on the things that must be addressed immediately but will be more deliberate on the issues that require more time and greater understanding before we act. He ought to insist that the stimulus bill be stripped down and the longer term stuff will be handled separately so that the emergency and stimulatory measures can easily clear the bar with widespread support from both parties.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Slump-Capitalism-…

[Used book stores are gold mines!]

and while the New Deal didn't end the Great Depression, and people didn't necessarily (though some no doubt did) feel happy that the federal government was doing something for them, at the very least, as contrasted with what was felt about Hoover, with FDR someone at least acknowledged the plight that so many people were in.

2. Hey, everyone! The cities and mayors aren't limiting themselves to getting bailout money to sustain mismanaged operations, as with the City of New York so long ago. (Does Bloomberg want another bailout?) Here's what the mayors have on their minds for stimulus projects. An eco-park! A Frisbee golf course! The dinner bell has been rung in Washington, and the mayors have responded heartily.

344 pages of Washington-inspired stimulus ideas:

http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecov…

Second, the burden of proof on a stimulus lies with proponents of it. There is an historical as well as logical basis for a stimulus effort.

Third, the burden of proof lies with proponents of _each_element_ of a stimulus package, to show it truly is stimulatory in effect and in intention (as opposed to, say, family planning or midnight basketball). Hopefully the Senate will be honest, logical, and mature in lieu of the House Democrats' gross misconduct in this regard.

* * *

“I've now been talking about this for two years (I should probably try to get a bigger pulpit) but the 'something' we should be doing is shoring up food/housing/unemployment distribution programs and planning all these infrastructure projects to work on once we've hit bottom in a year or two. “

Yes. In addition to that book by Bootle and one or two articles by him I've linked to already, there is the “bang for the buck” evaluation by Zandi at Moody's Economy that shows that food stamps and unemployment insurance (as well as aid to states) are among the kinds of measures that have the most effect. Presenting information like that is what more stimulus advocates should be doing (as well as using that information to guide their choices and preferences!). We also need to long out in the longer-term and be propitious now about the devotion of some spending and activity (which should boost employment, coincidentally) toward infrastructure needs (repairing or replacing deficient bridges; increasing highway capacity where needed; improving our electrical power transmission system or “grid” in addition to correcting known deficiencies) as well as lesser needs and wants (adding new freeways where they have long been needed; research and development into future electrical infrastructure, alternative energy sources). Coincidentally, infrastructure is probably the area for spending and activity most acceptable politically to the most people (the least controversial, you could alternatively say).

One way to aid the states that Obama could and logically should exploit (as an incrementalist measure toward Medicare for All) would be to take over financing, then administration of Medicaid from the states. I also believe that if Obama were smart, he could exploit a favorite GOP item, tax reductions, by offering the best kind, which is a tax reduction for everyone, possibly leading to eventual replacement of the payroll tax by the income tax (made more progressive, naturally, to buy more votes) and even readjusting tax and spending so as to make Social Security sustainable (which it currently is not).

Housing is controversial and provocative because the federal government shouldn't engage in deliberate moral hazard and vote-buying.

Banking is controversial and provocative not only because of past failures but the history also with the savings and loan bailout and with the corruption of current stimulus thought to include federal provision of subsidized low-rate mortgages, likely to many who are unqualified borrowers. (It's only a matter-of-degree difference between these mortgages under consideration and federal payday loans.)

Monetizing the large increase in federal debt, and later, inflation “to get out of deflation” but also to buy votes as in decades gone by is a fear that may become real, but not currently.

Short of a sound stimulus (more like a decline-brake or retarder), it would be better to be merely reactive, wait for things to fail and then take remedial action, or just have done the most sound thing as an alternative to a sound stimulus policy, which would be to do nothing.

This should take place in parallel with wiping out the current banking system (either by setting up a parallel one and just stop bailout out the current, or forcing them to write down everything and be recapitalized) so businesses will have liquidity to operate. It should not be about trying to prevent deflation or getting GDP growth back up immediately. But even if I had a bigger audience, no one would to listen to me because I'm saying that most people are going to lose a majority of their wealth and they don't want to accept that…so we're going to squander it all and then end up with a humanitarian crisis.