In terms of "shovel-ready" projects to help the economy, American families and businesses are able to react much, much more quickly than government bureaucrats. Yet President Obama and liberals in Congress continue to insist that the $825 billion plan they have to stimulate the economy should rely to a large extent on infrastructure spending by government.
While insisting that money for such spending would be focused on "shovel-ready" projects, architects of the plan admit that it could take as much as 18 months for the economy to feel stimulus from infrastructure grants. We think that is optimistic.
Meanwhile, conservatives in Congress are urging Obama to add more tax relief to the stimulus program. House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio is recommending tax cuts that could provide as much as $3,200 a year to each family.
Clearly, consumer spending is the best means of stimulating the economy - with tax cuts for businesses close behind. Simply in terms of helping the economy now, when millions of Americans need the assistance, the Boehner plan is better than Obama's.
