IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Blue-State Stimulus?

IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Blue-State Stimulus?

Fiscal Policy: The $787 billion "stimulus" was supposed to stimulate all of America equally, right? As it turns out, as in George Orwell's "Animal Farm," all areas may be equal, but some are politically more equal than others.


A report in USA Today says that "billions of dollars in federal aid delivered directly to the local level to help revive the economy have gone overwhelmingly to places that supported President Obama in last year's presidential election."



Got that? Money that's supposed to "stimulate" our economy is in fact lining the pockets of Democratic Party supporters.

In 2008, 872 counties supported Obama during the election. Each received roughly $69 in stimulus per person. Of the 2,234 counties that voted for John McCain, the average was $34.

"There's no politics at work when it comes to spending for the recovery," insisted White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Of course, he's right. No one actually sits down and directs the money to Obama supporters and away from McCain supporters.

They don't have to. It's baked in the cake. That's the way our national laws are written. They benefit supporters of Democrats, who tend to support big government, and disadvantage supporters of the GOP, who tend not to support big government.

No wonder polls show people losing faith in the stimulus.

To date, most of the $158 billion that has been made available has gone to state governments. And the bulk has gone to places like California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey — blue states all.

How are they doing with the taxpayers' largesse?

According to a Government Accountability Office audit released Wednesday, the stimulus money has been used to "cushion" state budgets, retain teachers, boost Medicaid payments and deal with a host of other short-term state "emergencies."

In short, almost everything but economic stimulus.