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OPINION

This Sign Is Wasting Your Money—and Killing People

By Harry Kimball| Posted Jul 14, 09 1:47 PM CDT|

(Newser) – The federal government has mandated that every road project funded by stimulus money proudly tout the association with road signs, and that really steams Tait Trussell. The signs, “designed to meticulous federally dictated standards,” go for about $1,000, Trussell writes on Front Page. “So, publicizing thousands of projects will cost many millions of additional dollars—which, needless to say, won’t provide a whit of stimulus.”

“Apparently,” Trussel continues, “this is what Vice President Joe Biden…meant when he said ‘We know some of the money is going to be wasted.’” And the garish new signs are dangerous to boot. “Fully 29% of drivers in crashes were distracted by outside events or objects…such as a big new, ‘retroflective’ sign.” But Trussell suspects a stealth agenda: “Perhaps these wasteful policies, and their dangerous unintended side effects, will increase support for Obama’s most cherished government program: national health care.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Cali. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stands in front of one of the signs at a highway project. (AP Photo)

An example of the sign. (US Department of Transportation)

The offending sign. (US Department of Transportation)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Atop each sign is another sign with government-dictated precise dimensions as to placement of the wording and art. It says in bold letters “PUTTING AMERICA TO WORK”–as if no other Americans were employed in the private sector. - Tait Trussell

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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48 comments

VIEWING:

Reader65069154
Jul 14, 09 1:52 PM CDT

How about adding "Paid for by your grandchildren"? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Jul 14, 09 1:58 PM CDT

Yea,!!!! Just like the war in Iraq darn it!!! Oh wait, never mind :)

IN RESPONSE:

Sabrina
Jul 14, 09 2:03 PM CDT

Reader64481089 there is one big diference, the road projects didn't kill hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children to build someone else ego as well as bank account $$$ what it was all about from the begining.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 2:12 PM CDT

So throwing money away once justifies throwing it away twice? Because that seems to be the argument here.

-4

| 0 minutes ago

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 2:12 PM CDT

I'll bet the writer was equally outraged when, in 2002, tax rebate checks were mailed out containing a letter from gw bush telling us all how beneficent little george was with the $300 largesse. That was only 50 million pieces of paper to be bought, transported, put into envelops, then end up in a land fill, all so little george could have a free campaign promotion. These signs have to be manufactured by someone, meaning a job was created/preserved and money put into the economy. This fact however is beyond the ken of the Obama haters. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Sabrina
Jul 14, 09 2:22 PM CDT

Very good point AnnieChrist, it only seems to be a "waste of money" when done by the Democrats, when Republicans dothe same thing it is then named "Pregress".........................the same old dance they always play, you would think they could think of a new one or bettewr yet, STFU. but hope springs eternal, for some and never for others.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 2:34 PM CDT

Yes, another government job was created. Was that really supposed to be the point of the stimulas package? More people working for the government? Because government doesn't create wealth for anybody, it just pushes around wealth that has already been created. You don't fix your economy this way; you need real world, wealth producing jobs, not another guy on the govt. payroll. Of course this is probably beyond the ken of the Obama worshipers.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

ClingingToHope
Jul 14, 09 2:36 PM CDT

Sabrina, how about if we put the people making signs to work making something permanent instead of transient? These signs are a waste of money. Hmmm...I wonder what the carbon footprint is to make each one? Can't wait for the 2nd generation of signs which will no doubt have Chairman Barry's likeness on them.

-5

IN RESPONSE:

Reader65069154
Jul 14, 09 2:37 PM CDT

I actually had considered the "sign makers" but you're right, I should have made that clear. It should also say "Overpriced sign made by government contractor paid for by your grandchildren" also.

-4

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 4:21 PM CDT

Robin and No Nuts, guess what, Lockheed, Haliburton, Rockwell, et al making bombs, bullets and weaponry is a 'government job' (by your definition) also. Since we have an arsenal large enough to kill everyone on the planet 10 times over, I tend to view these activities as wasteful also. Of course if people like you have your way, we will go back to being not the USA but War, Inc. and you won't complain about all those 'government jobs' being created. Who wants to produce cars and refrigerators when it is so much more fun to make things that kill people. I would also suggest that you procure a copy of 'Economics for Idiots,' to get a better grasp of the role of government spending in a depressed economy.

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 4:43 PM CDT

"how about if we put the people making signs to work making something permanent instead of transient" Yeah, like styrofoam cups, newspapers and plastic grocery bags.

-2

| 0 minutes ago

Fondue
Jul 14, 09 2:13 PM CDT

Such a non-starter. Moving along. Reply

-2

| 0 minutes ago

Toon
Jul 14, 09 2:37 PM CDT

How sad that those who hate our government have put out so much time and money in to anti-gov. propaganda that we now need to spend money advertising what the government does. The money may have been better spent on bridge repair or expanded unemployment benefits, but because there is such a concerted effort to let the country come apart at the seams it may be a smart move to remind folks that government actions benefit their lives. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Reader65069154
Jul 14, 09 3:30 PM CDT

I think you make a valid observation, but I see it at a slightly different angle. How sad is it that our government is so bloated, corrupt, inefficient and that the public is so disillusioned that it may be a smart move to remind folks that government actions benefit them in any capacity.

| 0 minutes ago

Reader64481089
Jul 14, 09 3:13 PM CDT

Do NOT bring Republican Rhetoric around over a sign, here are some figures for the Republican Party of no: In June of 2000, the surplus would be $211 billion, and would increase by as much as $1 trillion over the next 10 years BUT GW Bush took office and declared war as well as changed a host of spending options that had been set in place, the first thing Bush did was TELL Congress he wanted Millions for the war which was costing around $720 Million per day or $500,000 a minute, there was enough money spent on one day of the Iraq war could buy homes for almost 6500 families according to the group's analysis of the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard public finance lecturer Linda J. Bilmes. The Obama administration had inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit -- the largest in our nation's history ............. so argue all you wish with the facts and figures IF you can drag yourself back from vacation on de-nial. Later. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 4:41 PM CDT

It is perfectly fine to blame Bush for killing the surplus, he definately did and I am angered by that, but you'd better remember to blame Clintonfor the banking collapse. If you don't know why, look up Steagal-Glass. The problems in this country are a creation of BOTH parties and will never be resolved by bickering back and forth at each other.

IN RESPONSE:

PaleRider
Jul 15, 09 12:27 PM CDT

Who declared war and approved the spending for it?

| 0 minutes ago

Sabrina
Jul 14, 09 3:33 PM CDT

Why is it that the REPUBLICAN PARTY wants everyone to forget that the Obama administration had inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit from a war which began over lie's, they want to talk about a contractor being hired to make a sign but they do NOT want to talk about a list of other contractors such as Blackwater as well as Brown Toot (which stole millions by overcharging) ??? WHY? Because the truth hurts bad. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Reader65069154
Jul 14, 09 3:39 PM CDT

why do you wrongly assume everyone who disagrees with you is a Republican?

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 3:46 PM CDT

Because it's easier than dealing with substantive arguments.

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 4:27 PM CDT

If/when you ever present a substantive argument, it will be dealt with.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

nick
Jul 14, 09 6:31 PM CDT

Correction: Bush's Iraqi contractors Stole BILLIONS! Another point: There were more than 125,000 private contract employees in Iraq for a period of 6 years. Care to estimate that waste of money?

| 0 minutes ago

Amber
Jul 14, 09 3:45 PM CDT

With a surplus would be $211 billion things would be looking a whole lot different today than what has been left us by the Bush administration......very sad mess we are in and I hope that Obama's plan works, in a situation such as we are in all you can do is try as there are no clear road maps and most of it actually seems like woring in the dark to attempt to achive a goal. All of us need to pray it is right and basically what he is attempting is much more than tried in the last two terms. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 4:47 PM CDT

The road map is provided in the Constitution, but Congress and the Office of the President forgot about that "piece of paper" long ago.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader60610265
Jul 14, 09 6:31 PM CDT

You left out the supreme court.

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 8:36 PM CDT

Sorry

| 0 minutes ago

Sabrina
Jul 14, 09 3:51 PM CDT

RobN and Reader65069154, you were left all the FACTS to your baseless b/s above so you still want to argue? WTF? Tell you gurls what, you read the figures left above for you and you go hold your "substantive arguments" with a little thing called COLD HARD FACTS. Enjoy yourself, try documenting your information next time.......................ignorant argument usually indicates republican party...............Don't bring a plastic knife to a gun fight and don't leave with your panties in a wad...now go hold your circle jerk with yourself Reply

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 4:07 PM CDT

A pity I can only vote this 'thumbs up' once, it deserves 10

-1

IN RESPONSE:

kokuaguy
Jul 14, 09 4:25 PM CDT

Like Amazing Annie says-- you rock, Sabrina.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 4:28 PM CDT

Sabrina, the amazing thing is that you are so surrounded by people here who agree with you that you can't see past your own b.s. At no point in this thread have I disputed the money wasted in Iraq. In fact I assumed it as part of my first comment. Feel free to reread it. Pages of figures regarding the cost of the war do not figure into whether the current stimulas is being spent in a way that increases jobs and actually stimulates the economy. I am sorry that you cannot differentiate between the two but they are actually different issues and the screwing up of the first one is a poor justification of the second. However your post is a splendid example caps and excessive punctuation that serves no actual purpose, so in that regard, well done.

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 4:53 PM CDT

It is funny that the "Cold hard facts" you refer to only go back so far as to make the liberal side innocent in this mess. Again, I refer you to Steagal-Glass. Undeniable fact that Clinton set us up for the current bank failure. That coupled with Bush's dumbass wars puts us in our current mess. You see, the problem is from both sides, and until both sides can admit this fact, our country will not see honest recovery.

| 0 minutes ago

kokuaguy
Jul 14, 09 4:08 PM CDT

AC, you are a gem. A couple of these thoughts crossed my mind while reading the summary, but no way I could have found the energy or the concentration to distill the true agenda of FrontPage's snarky piece, or to so concisely and effectively refute its "arguments." Please-- don't ever leave us !!! Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 4:33 PM CDT

Thank you, I have a high regard for your opinions also, and receive your praise gratefully.

-2

| 0 minutes ago

dearlizzie
Jul 14, 09 4:09 PM CDT

Its a great boon to sign makers and so does create jobs. Beats a tax cut. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

kokuaguy
Jul 14, 09 4:23 PM CDT

To RobN-- we have 3 choices. We can push around wealth created by the government, or push around wealth created by the banks. Or, we can get off our butts and create some ourselves. In any case, people have to eat and have a place to live. The reason for the stimulus is to address the crisis created by the evaporation of the giant bubble of "wealth" we gave the banks the ability to synthesize during the past 15 years or so. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 4:39 PM CDT

So defend the package with proof it is stimulating the economy; my problem is with people whose sole defense of this money being spent is to say that Bush spent more and that anybody who disagrees is obviously a bigoted, idiotic Republican who can't get over losing the election. It's an old and tiresome argument that is trotted out here and applauded anytime somebody dares question Obama.

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Jul 14, 09 5:01 PM CDT

RobN the proof you seek is found in the math of Keynsean economics and Milton Friedman's Quantity theory of money. I can't 'prove' that a falling object accelerates at 9.8 meters/sec squared, but the math behind it holds up to scrutiny. Same for the economic formulae of the men I just cited. By your thinking, an interest rate cut by the Fed is useless to stimulate the economy. The stimulus money has the same effect as an interest rate cut, they both put money into people's hands, and to say that oner is helpful while the other is not, is deny a couple hundred years of economic thought.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Jul 14, 09 5:18 PM CDT

AC, I'm not literally looking for proof the stimulas works. Time will tell how well this works out and I think it was worth trying, although it clearly isn't as effective as it might have been. (Sorry, I just can't get behind millions to find out why pigs stink.) My point is that to respond to every criticism of an Admin. policy by saying that Bush was worse is not to defend it at all. We can't spend the next 8 years letting everything go without comment because the last guy was worse.

IN RESPONSE:

Snowleopard
Jul 14, 09 5:52 PM CDT

Robn: Only 10% has been spent so far, and most of that has gone to state governments to keep them running. I don't know what kind of proof you need beyond the fact that these governments haven't completely frozen to a standstill.

| 0 minutes ago

SBS
Jul 14, 09 4:51 PM CDT

RobN. You do have a point. Time will tell if the stimulus works or not. Hopefully meaningful regulations will be put in place which will prevent this situation from occurring again. Unfortunately in time I think greed will win out again. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 4:56 PM CDT

They already were in place. Thank Clinton for removing them........Yes, I realize I need to stop parroting this point, but it's important, so I won't. Commence non-sensical attacking at will.......

| 0 minutes ago

Antiks
Jul 14, 09 5:41 PM CDT

Not only is this a waste of money, it's just a ploy to advertise to the American people that the act is working. Forget it, move on, and look at the macro data. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Snowleopard
Jul 14, 09 5:50 PM CDT

I personally like seeing these "funded by" signs. if it's partly my money being spent, I want to know where it's going. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

psycada
Jul 14, 09 6:06 PM CDT

You can get this comfort information on line. No need to waste $1000/sign for it. This is more for show when it could have been used for substance. I think NY put the bill for this state alone at a million dollars, just for signs. That can fix every single pot hole in the city I'm from and those surrounding it. That my friend, is a good use of a million dollars.

| 0 minutes ago

armywife
Jul 14, 09 6:32 PM CDT

i have to say that i think the signs are a waste of money that could have and should have been put to better use. and robyn and psycada are right that saying bush wasted more money doesnt justify obama wasting money now. some people like the signs (or are saying they do) and thats fine, it just shows than no action will please everyone all the time. it is also true that many of clinton's policies contributed to the economic crisis, as did reagan's, yadda yadda yadda. we all got here together, and whoever posted above that we'll never solve the problem with partisan bickering is right. both parties have made mistakes in the past and will make them in the future. neither party is perfect or has all the answers, we need both parties for that reason. well, preferably we need two new BETTER parties, i think, since they are both kind of cringe-worthy in their own ways. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

jenny
Jul 15, 09 11:36 AM CDT

somebody's got to MAKE the signs. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

fancygapva
Jul 15, 09 1:16 PM CDT

How much do the Adopt a Highway signs cost? This is nit-picking. There are plenty of things wrong (and RIGHT) with the recovery act. How about doing a little investigative reporting and bring something useful and significant to light? Reply

| 0 minutes ago

NotEvsie
Jul 15, 09 4:37 PM CDT

"“So, publicizing thousands of projects will cost many millions of additional dollars—which, needless to say, won’t provide a whit of stimulus.”" WOW! MAGIC SIGNS!!! They are not made by people, or put in their place by people. MAGIC, I tell you! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 48 comments »

Joe Biden • highways • road safety • economic stimulus package • Obama administration • federal funding • road sign • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act • ARRA

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Dems Will Regret Not Being Bolder on Economy

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Credit Stimulus for 650K Jobs: White House

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