Video: The self-promotion stimulus
posted at 3:49 pm on July 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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With unemployment continuing to rise and the government unable to track stimulus spending, Americans have begun to demand more details as to where the money has gone. ABC News took a look, and in this Good Morning America segment, shows America exactly what is getting stimulated:
The biggest fool in this segment is Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who attempts to defend the millions spent in self-promotion by the Obama administration:
LAHOOD: Signs tell a story, and the story that’s being told is that hard-earned taxpayer dollars are being spent to rebuild roads, resurface roads, resurface bridges.
Not exactly. The story being told is that the Obama administration wants to advertise itself (and its silly Recovery.gov logo) like billboards on the public highways. The signs are an unnecessary expense to road construction, as state crews already have plenty of orange signs for warning drives of the work being done. It’s advertising, and the only thing it stimulates is Barack Obama’s poll numbers, although even these won’t help.
How much do these cost? Up to $3000 each, depending on the state. As ABC explains, that could fill dozens of potholes with every sign. That’s why a handful of states have refused to use them, preferring to spend money on actual infrastructure rather than in displaying hosannas to Obama.
As I wrote in this week’s AIP column, the only thing Porkulus stimulates is government.
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I am pretty sure that’s the point.
Cindy Munford on July 10, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Someone should really manufacture fake recovery.gov logos and put them on top of the signs.
lorien1973 on July 10, 2009 at 3:52 PM
There are ads for it in DC metro stations, too.
It's Vintage, Duh on July 10, 2009 at 3:54 PM
I’m sure glad Dianne got a chuckle out of the
18 mil. to revamp the website.
cozmo on July 10, 2009 at 3:55 PM
“Is stimulus money being wasted?”
Other profound questions:
Is the Pope Catholic?
Do bears ___ in the woods?
rbj on July 10, 2009 at 3:55 PM
I will contact a manufacture in China to produce said signs.
WashJeff on July 10, 2009 at 3:56 PM
I drove through West Virginia recently and saw several of those signs on I77 and I64. I just thought they had run out of Robert Byrd signs.
BacaDog on July 10, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Hey! Shouldn’t the Obama rising sun logo thingy be on the sign somewhere?
calabrese on July 10, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Tell me again how jobs for construction workers is going to save the economy? Are they hoping for increased lottery ticket sales?
matd on July 10, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Look guys. I don’t know why you are getting upset about this. Clearly someone is being paid to make these signs.
There’s your jobs.
Upstater85 on July 10, 2009 at 3:57 PM
That would be funny, I nominate the one used on Mrs. Malkin’s site. It’ very funny.
Cindy Munford on July 10, 2009 at 3:57 PM
NJ has already spent $12,000 on signs. So… 4 signs.
Ferris on July 10, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Two days ago I was driving to Orange County and I saw one of those signs on the side of the freeway. But, there was no construction project going on at all. There were no cones, crews, equipment. Nothing. Just a sign for the Recovery and Reinvestment act.
I don’t know if there will be a construction project there in the future, but there was absolutely nothing going on except for the sign. Probably some local government officials wanting to get Obama some extra publicity.
JohnInCA on July 10, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Oversized bumper stickers would do.
lorien1973 on July 10, 2009 at 3:58 PM
What website costs 18 million dollars, how could that be…
right2bright on July 10, 2009 at 3:58 PM
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
lorien1973 on July 10, 2009 at 3:58 PM
*there’re*
Upstater85 on July 10, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Speaking of signs and mottos…
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/09/house-orders-engraving-of-in-god-we-trust-motto/
Upstater85 on July 10, 2009 at 3:59 PM
The people they are trying to fool won’t read them and are already Obama voters.
LibTired on July 10, 2009 at 3:59 PM
There’s one of those %^&*($# signs near 183rd/Dixie in Homewood, IL.
I walk by it a lot-and I’m wearing out my hands because of all the “waving” I’ve been doing at it.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 10, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Some may try… but they still won’t be able to…
Upstater85 on July 10, 2009 at 4:00 PM
That would add too much extra weight to the electric cars and they won’t be able to move.
WashJeff on July 10, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Aside from the signs being an incredible waste of money, is it really such a good idea for the Administration to be promoting Porkulus like that given how it’s wasting billions of dollars on worthless projects and has done nothing to stimulate the economy?
Doughboy on July 10, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Hey! Shouldn’t the Obama rising sun logo thingy be on the sign somewhere?
calabrese on July 10, 2009 at 3:56 PM
That logo looks a lot like the Obama logo. I wonder if the same company designed both.
fourdeucer on July 10, 2009 at 4:02 PM
I’m glad Diane Sawyer is suitably outraged.
ctmom on July 10, 2009 at 4:03 PM
It sounds like the house agreed 410-8 to update the motto to “In God We Trust, because with this guy as President we are sure as Sh*t going to need him!”
WashJeff on July 10, 2009 at 4:03 PM
This shows me clearly the porkulus sign business finds stimulation. Everything else? Not so much
seven on July 10, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Here
right2bright on July 10, 2009 at 4:04 PM
In short: We’re wasting money, it’s not doing any good. Let’s do some more!!!
Chainsaw56 on July 10, 2009 at 4:04 PM
CAUTION AHEAD
STIMULUS IN THE ROAD
portlandon on July 10, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Your story cracked me up.
betsyz on July 10, 2009 at 4:06 PM
First reported back in May:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/05/19/stop-spending-my-money-on-porkulus-road-signs/
Michelle on July 10, 2009 at 4:07 PM
I look forward to the signage reminding us who is in charge, giant banners and billboards everywhere, with a close-up of Ogabe’s face and the words “Don’t Worry, I’m Watching Over Everything.”
Bishop on July 10, 2009 at 4:08 PM
The only other people who will know what the symbols on the signs mean are those of us who pay attention to politics and know that Obama is
spendingwasting money on $3,000 signs.VibrioCocci on July 10, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Or perhaps the highway signmaker would have been laid off, and he/she can be counted as one of Obama’s “saved” jobs?
NickelAndDime on July 10, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Well la de da, Miss Smarty Pants!
/s
;-)
VibrioCocci on July 10, 2009 at 4:09 PM
You cant expect everyone to work in real time.
the_nile on July 10, 2009 at 4:11 PM
I’m just reminded that the first thing Illinois Governor Pat Quinn did was to take former Governor Blago’s name off quite a lot of Illinois tollway signs.
President {name here}-R will get to do the same in 2012.
Mew
acat on July 10, 2009 at 4:11 PM
You need to take a close look at the signs. In the lower right it says, “Made in China”.
Bishop on July 10, 2009 at 4:12 PM
I’d run over it, collect my fifty points, and then back up and run over it again….feels like victory!
HornetSting on July 10, 2009 at 4:12 PM
What do you bet New Jersey, Georgia, New York & Pennsylvania. are bying buying their signs from New Hampshire and Maryland? Someone is making a buck or two.
duggersd on July 10, 2009 at 4:12 PM
So glad we don’t have to see those things here in Texas. I may have had to take up the art of graffiti.
XWing5 on July 10, 2009 at 4:15 PM
I think someone needs to make large, orange bumper stickers to paste over the ’stimulus advertisement’ with ‘Gov’t Waste’ and a toilet….then, a question….Are your taxes being spent wisely?
HornetSting on July 10, 2009 at 4:15 PM
I suggest pouring even MORE money into signs. You folks are totally missing the obvious play here.
We a MORE signs made, and double what we pay for them, thus putting more money into the pockets of America’s sign makers. They we put the signs up and save all that noise and messy machinery, sticky tar stuff and closed traffic lanes.
I know. Brilliant. Thank you.
IndieDogg on July 10, 2009 at 4:17 PM
My husband’s tea party sign back in March…
PELOSI GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF MY POCKETS
I CAN STIMULATE MYSELF
It was a big hit.
Monica on July 10, 2009 at 4:18 PM
What kinda website can you get for $18,000,000.00? I want to know who is getting paid $18,000,000.00 to revamp a website.
-
You want to see a stop of this level of goofy spending?
-
If Dems could only sign off on funding that contracted Repub registered voter owned or Repub majority work force companies, and vice-versa… you’d see a whole new level of value seeking in the spending of our cash.
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They’d be pinching the Lincolns so hard that he’d need a change of BVDs.
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RalphyBoy on July 10, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Printing all that money made jobs too, right?
Thunderstorm129 on July 10, 2009 at 4:22 PM
That sun’s not rising; it’s setting!
We should’ve figured that out during the campaign.
tsj017 on July 10, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Reporters reporting on wasteful spending created jobs in research, right?
Thunderstorm129 on July 10, 2009 at 4:23 PM
This is a brilliant idea. Signs are symbols of ideas, and ideas matter. A few years back, some of our genius state leaders decided to change the name of BWI Airport to include Thurgood Marshall’s name. It cost a million dollars to change the name on signs and promotional materials, but we’ve been making money hand over fist since. Crime has disappeared, disease is non-existant, and bad weather hasn’t visited us since.
Don’t mock the signs.
Laura in Maryland on July 10, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Don’t forget the ink makers and paper makers.
Jeff from WI on July 10, 2009 at 4:25 PM
They did the same thing in Seattle with state funds for road work.
It annoyed people there too.
As if we drivers aren’t able to tell that they are fixing the roads without them putting up a sign to tell us.
Sackett on July 10, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Can I steal and use those signs to build me a house in shanty town when I’m homeless?
Jeff from WI on July 10, 2009 at 4:26 PM
I’ve got the design if someone’s got the time. :D
TheUnrepentantGeek on July 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Everyday I drive on a highway being resurfaced with stimulus money that doesn’t need to be resurfaced.
single stack on July 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM
I’m not buying that claim in the report that Virginia is not putting up any of the signs. Timmy Kaine pimped hard with Obama for the shtimulus and I am surprised he wouldn’t be touting it with the signs.
Anyone in Virginia see any of them?
Brat on July 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM
signs signs everywhere are signs, hey that could be a good song.
SHARPTOOTH on July 10, 2009 at 4:30 PM
“Long haired freaky people need not apply”?
Count to 10 on July 10, 2009 at 4:30 PM
That sign is the Winnaah!!!!
portlandon on July 10, 2009 at 4:31 PM
They have one of these effed up signs on Dixie Highway in south suburban Chicago. No idea what project they’re talking about – there isn’t any construction there.
Jaibones on July 10, 2009 at 4:33 PM
CAUTION ROAD CONSTRUCTION SIGN AHEAD
fourdeucer on July 10, 2009 at 4:33 PM
First order effect of increased government spending: government takes up a larger share of demand (without adding to the overall level).
Second order effect of increased government spending:
Effective Supply goes down as resources are used inefficiently and ineffectively by politically motivated projects.
Count to 10 on July 10, 2009 at 4:35 PM
When Marion Barry was mayor of DC, he put those self-promotion signs all over town. The ones in my neighborhood, however, took only a day or two to mysteriously disappear.
The only thing Porkulus stimulates is the Democrat party.
petefrt on July 10, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Someone needs to create some ginormous Porky Pig decals to put on those signs.
gsherin on July 10, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Anybody want to make a music video of that Bob Dylan song, using clips of Sara Palin?
Count to 10 on July 10, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Good one.
petefrt on July 10, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Haven’t seen any of the signs in my neck of the woods. Of course, since AZ voted for McCain, we’re probably not going to be getting much of the pay-off money.
AZCoyote on July 10, 2009 at 4:41 PM
It’s not Porky, just pigs on a spree.
petefrt on July 10, 2009 at 4:48 PM
At least your other 4 fingers are getting a rest while “waving.”
DrAllecon on July 10, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Isn’t it funny how the libs jived on protest songs like this in the 60’s and 70’s are now running (ruining) the country with their own signs.
I guess stimulus has to start somewhere though, even if it is at the sign and display shops around the country.
Harrell on July 10, 2009 at 4:58 PM
I don’t get what Dian Sawyer is laughing at at the end there? What’s so funny about wasteful spending and unemployment? Oh I get it… Those Whacky politicians are at it again…
@ntif@n on July 10, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Throw chewing gum on it – and make it stick. I did that to a sign that had a picture of a real estate agent who tried to screw me over when I saw her sign posted on another house near my neighborhood.
Brat on July 10, 2009 at 4:59 PM
The San Francisco marsh mouse isn’t complaining. After all, it got $16.1 MILLION in ’stimulus’ money. Guess Nancy is going to have ACORN register all of those mice as voters.
GarandFan on July 10, 2009 at 5:15 PM
WRECK AHEAD
LEFT LANE CLOSED
PLEASE MOVE TO THE RIGHT
Actual sign used by Oregon DOT I saw the other day…very prophetic.
Wyznowski on July 10, 2009 at 5:22 PM
I think a really good grassroots project would be to print up a bunch of cheap bumper stickers that simply say
FAIL
and slap them on every one of these signs, and then next year slap them on every campaign sign of every Democrat who voted for this monstrosity.
rockmom on July 10, 2009 at 5:26 PM
I think that the interesting thing here is not the signs themselves but the fact that ABC even did the report.
They mentioned 2 wasteful spending items in under three minutes. I’m sure Diane was not chuckling at the waste.
I think it was a very awkward moment for her when she realized that her network was criticizing The One.
birdhurd on July 10, 2009 at 5:29 PM
sooooooooooooooooo weak…
moonbatkiller on July 10, 2009 at 5:37 PM
It only stimulates government.
Guess why Virginia is now always in play.
Evil- not stupid
jjshaka on July 10, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Jaibones
We’ve seen the same sign!
I’m in Chicago Heights, and I think Knucklehead is in Park Forest.
Where’s you from.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 10, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Hey, this is messed up. The mice in my district aren’t getting any stimulus money. It must be because they voted for McCain. I hear the mice in Obama counties are getting double what the mice are getting in McCain counties.
JohnInCA on July 10, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Well, now we know how they are spendin all that money that they saved by buying printer paper in bulk….
Scrappy on July 10, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Well, it does put/keep some signmakers in business, though I doubt any of them are new to the government sign business.
But I think the reason they’re doing the sign thing is because that’s how they do it in Europe. Any infrastructure project funded with EU money is clearly labeled, identified, branded. In Ireland, I betcha there’s a few big blue signs inching close to the Hill of Tara right now.
misslizzi on July 10, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Nother idea for bumper stickers to slap on these signs: “your government borrowed $3000 from China to buy you this sign.”
aero on July 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM
http://www.guvsux.com/guvsux_20081027.jpg
beatcanvas on July 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM
That highway sign it extremely disturbing on many levels, but my take is a somewhat different. I have had numerous interactions with highway workers in Texas, and I am also in the homebuilding industry, which means that I am around illegals every day. I do not purport to be an expert on the subject, but I am strongly inclined to believe that many of the workers employed by the highway department subcontractors are illegal. (The DOT subcontracts its work out). I have actually contacted the DOT concerning this matter, for it is our tax dollars that are paying for these workers, and at the very least, people employed (albeit indirectly) by the DOT should have to be legal, and was assured that the owners of these companies did have legal status, but this does not answer the question concerning the legal status of the subcontractors’ employees (this is how subs get around this in the construction industry). They would not discuss this matter with me. As I mentioned, I am in the contruction industry (painting), and have seen my legal employees only business drop dramatically because my company simply cannot “compete” with illegal trades— people that are not even supposed to be in this country— and while we have had to watch our once thriving company dwindle, we must still pay taxes to support social services for them, help educate their children, and now this stimulus money (which we must pay for) is going to pay some of their salaries as well, instead of helping put citizens back to work, which we are told is the intent. —Now let me get this straight – Not even mentioning the impact upon our culture–They are putting me out of work, (along with many Americans), I must pay taxes to support services for them (while they do not pay income taxes), I am paying their salaries(DOT) and now they are going to take stimulus money and created jobs that should be given to citizens, and I am just supposed to accept this. Any idea on how to learn the status of these workers is greatly appreciated. My husband says that we are indeed living in BIZARRO world.
texasaggie on July 10, 2009 at 7:07 PM
There is a little sign in our local park. Have no idea why it is there or for what purpose.
JellyToast on July 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
In the late spring, I saw six PennDOT workers erecting one of those signs. Actually, most of the six were just standing around admiring the handiwork of the two putting up the blight. What a marvelous use of tax dollars and manpower, eh?
onlineanalyst on July 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM
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The Resistance…
RalphyBoy on July 10, 2009 at 8:33 PM
They have one of those “Recovery Act” signs on a stretch of road here in Pittsburgh. A stretch that they just FINISHED, that they have been working on for 2 years, that you know damned well they had the money tucked away for for at least a year before they started on it. Tell me how this was a product of the Porkulus?!?!?! Farging Iceholes
mrfixit on July 10, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Maybe the next tea parties should be gatherings around these wasteful signs.
onlineanalyst on July 10, 2009 at 9:00 PM
This sooooooooooo deserves a Photoshop Contest ala Ace
Somebody!
bluelightbrigade on July 10, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Resurfacing is reskinning the same worn out structural bones. It does nothing to fix actual crumbling infrastructure.
MarkT on July 11, 2009 at 12:21 AM
The logo pictured seems to show a plant and some stars poised to clog some gears.
Seems appropriate.
landlines on July 11, 2009 at 12:50 AM
By the way, has anyone else noticed that all government signs are based on the theory that:
1. Liars can’t write
2. But all stupid people can read
landlines on July 11, 2009 at 12:54 AM
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