$1 Million Federal Jobs, Green Energy and Union Dues
Public interest groups launch a campaign to encourage citizens to read Congress’ proposed $850 billion stimulus bill.
Representatives of renewable energy companies acquire enhanced influence with the Obama administration.
Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) prepares to become President Obama’s first Secretary of Labor.
More headlines: listen to the LibertyWeek podcast.
1. ECONOMY
Public interest groups launch a campaign to encourage citizens to read Congress’ proposed $850 billion stimulus bill.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Jonathan Tolman on the proposal’s job creation claims:
“Not all stimulus programs are created equal. If the goal of the latest economic bailout package that Congress is considering is as President Elect Obama has declared – job creation – there is a significant disparity between many of the programs. While only 39 of the variously appropriated federal programs even attempt to quantify the number of jobs that they would create, there is a huge disparity in how effective various programs are at job creation – ranging from $1,000,000 per job created down to $16,000 per job created.”
2. ENVIRONMENT
Representatives of renewable energy companies acquire enhanced influence with the Obama administration.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Iain Murray on how much has been set aside for “green” energy projects in the current stimulus package:
“Of the $57 billion aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, just over half the expenditures have job numbers associated with them. Those total $32.3 billion, for a total of 353,000 jobs, at $91,000 per job. These are overwhelmingly related to the (much-needed) creation of a smart electricity grid, and improving the efficiency and weatherization of the housing stock, which will be a good thing even if global warming turns out not to be a problem [This should not be taken as an endorsement of government expenditure on the programs.]. The actual ‘green energy/jobs’ program, in the sense most people think about it of revolutionizing our energy provision, amounts to $6.4 billion and 70,000 jobs. There may well be more (there are no job figures attached to the renewable energy loan guarantees, for instance), but that remains so speculative that it was not even suggested in the Bill.”
3. LABOR
Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) prepares to become President Obama’s first Secretary of Labor.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Editorial Director Ivan Osorio on what we can expect from Solis going forward:
“Having consistently hewed to the union line, Solis could yet surprise by taking seriously the concerns of [dissident union official Sal] Rosselli and others with similar criticisms. Step one is simple: First do no harm. In other words, do not scale back reporting requirements only because union bosses want the Department to do so. In many states, workers must pay union dues as a requirement for employment, through legally imposed exclusive (i.e. monopoly) representation. Short of reform of this situation, the least workers deserve is to know where their dues are going.”
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