Your stimulus dollars at work

By Michelle Malkin  •  May 18, 2009 04:15 PM

I wrote last week that the porkulus package couldn’t pass the Cheerios standard of truth-in-advertising.

But you know what the feds are really good at doing with the stimulus money? Spending it on promos.

Here are your “recovery” bucks at work…paying for ads hyping the stimulus to other government bureaucrats in D.C.

And via John Ruberry at Marathon Pundit, here’s a nifty road sign with the Recovery.gov seal of approval. Writes John: “Sheesh, it’s bad enough that I have to pay for the stimulus bill, but why do I have to kick in for Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign?”

I still prefer the Wreckovery.gov logos from our Mark of the Porkulus Beast contest back in March:

Posted in: fiscal stimulus

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Comments


  1. #702740
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:21 pm, John Deaux said:

    I notice there’s no actual work taking place behind that sign. How strangely appropriate.

  2. #702743
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:22 pm, et said:

    This is a disgrace.

  3. #702745
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:25 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    If it’s anything like the Big Dig in Boston, I decline. Screw the recovery, I’m drinking my way through the next four years!

  4. #702749
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:27 pm, nail49 said:

    I notice there’s no actual work taking place behind that sign. How strangely appropriate.

    John Deaux: All the workers are just out of the picture leaning on their shovels waiting for “Break Time” to be over.

    To paraphrase Gone With the Wind:

    “I’s the Foreman. I’s the one who says when it’s Break Time.”

  5. #702752
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:28 pm, Roman Con said:

    Hey, where are the gangs and their graffiti when you need them?

    C’mon…the GIVE Act passed, so Dear Leader won’t be satisfied until every American is fulfilling their “United Social Service Requirement” (USSR) to the Rodina by canvassing for the U.S. Census Bureau/ACORN and providing waste disposal services for abortion factories.

  6. #702754
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:29 pm, zeeman said:

    I have seen two of these in Massachusetts already.

  7. #702755
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:30 pm, GladzKravtz said:

    I notice there’s no actual work taking place behind that sign. How strangely appropriate.

    No, No! It took 116 union members to make that sign.

  8. #702756
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm, et said:

    I notice there’s no actual work taking place behind that sign. How strangely appropriate.

    I disagree. There is a whole lot of ‘fundraising’ and kickbacks being negotiated behind that sign.

  9. #702757
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    Those road signs remind me of the giant signs above the I-PASS high speed toll lanes in IL with Rod Blagojevich’s name all over them.

  10. #702759
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm, jfish said:

    Definitely disturbing. I just remember a number of years ago when they renamed a local highway from Cross County Highway to Ronald Reagan Highway, and the state of Ohio ponied up something like $12,000 just to rename the signs. Since that was the mid-90’s, and we can guess the cost of signage hasn’t gone down since then, how much does it cost to get those huge steel signs up there with that logo on them?

  11. #702760
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:34 pm, DagneyT said:

    You got to give ‘em credit for coming up with more ways to screw us!

  12. #702764
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm, DagneyT said:

    Screw the recovery, I’m drinking my way through the next four years!

    RC, Here’s to ya! Cheers!

  13. #702765
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:38 pm, Hangfire said:

    Perhaps with some economic stimulus money the government can move Diamond Head to another location.

    It blocks the breeze and causes lots of condo owners to rely on air conditioning, which uses electricity.

  14. #702766
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm, Excessive Moderate said:

    Speaking of shovel-ready, isn’t there a border fence that needs completing?

  15. #702769
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:44 pm, Southpaw said:

    Is that sign at the top an image of a guy shoveling dollars into an icinerator?

    The iconography of the Obama administration reminds me of the good ole days…of the Soviet Union.

  16. #702775
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:51 pm, happyscrapper said:

    What are you all complaining about? It took workers to produce those signs! Of course, now that the signs are made, those workers are again unemployed. What exactly is the project that is advertised there? Does anyone know?

    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm, Excessive Moderate said:
    Speaking of shovel-ready, isn’t there a border fence that needs completing?

    That alone would produce a ton of jobs!! I haven’t heard anyone mention even the remotest possibility that some of the stimulus will go to border security and building that fence. We are being screwed by our government and most of the morons in this country have no idea or don’t care!!

  17. #702776
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:52 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Icons and czars. This POTUS is nuts.

  18. #702778
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:53 pm, nuss said:

    Obama is a genius at converting tax dollars to his campaign. Taxpayer-funded ACORN is just one example, particularly sweet for Obama because he used funds from opponents to get votes for himself. If you are a seducer, go for an enemy’s spouse…the rewards will be magnified.

  19. #702781
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, docflash said:

    If there are workers present 1 is working and 9 are watching.Oh,and slow down or the traffic fines double.

  20. #702782
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:57 pm, RedDog said:

    This reminds me of the Soviet and Nazi era Potempkin villages. Lots of fluff and no stuff. This is the greatest con-game bait-and-switch fraud in the history of mankind.

    Someone please tell me I will wake up from this nightmare and the first thing I see will be my mommy’s face. I’m going to get my blankie now.

  21. #702783
    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:58 pm, Buy Danish said:

    Chrysler can’t advertise but they can?

    And what’s with the hands touching the flag? It looks like they’re admiring some specimen they found in the yard at recess.

  22. #702784
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:00 pm, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

    I’ve seen a couple of those along I-15 and I-215 here in Salt Lake. If someone’s in the car with me, they’re subjected to a tirade. If I’m alone (as is more common) I subject the steering wheel to a tirade. Doesn’t change anything, but it makes me feel a bit better for a few minutes.

    Also, I have to wonder how much of the “stimulus” money went into paying for all the signs. The way Congress spends money, it was probably at least 50 times more than it cost to actually make and install them.

  23. #702785
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:02 pm, 24Klady said:

    Us nagging conservatives that keep howling about The Fence just need to shut up and sit down. Completion of any barrier between the U.S. and Mehico would prevent our biggest resource in cheap labor from reaching businesses that are starving for same. It would also prevent our biggest financial drain on taxpayers from reaching those entitlement offices. Think of the immigration lawyers, judges, and advocates that depend on the business of making sure that same fence never gets built. But, dang, we can make signs.

  24. #702787
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:10 pm, sonofdy said:

    I’ve seen a couple of those along I-15 and I-215 here in Salt Lake. If someone’s in the car with me, they’re subjected to a tirade. If I’m alone (as is more common) I subject the steering wheel to a tirade. Doesn’t change anything, but it makes me feel a bit better for a few minutes.

    Me too, Its kind of werid that they fixed about 100 meters of road just by valley fair mall and thats it. Stimulated the hell out of that 100 meters of I215…

  25. #702789
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:12 pm, sonofdy said:

    BTW that is going to be the big job creator here. The creation of signs and posters prasing the ONE!!!

  26. #702797
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:19 pm, 24Klady said:

    Like most of those signs along freeways and roads, it’ll take another stimulus pkg. to fund the rest of it. The first one only paid for the signs!

  27. #702800
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:23 pm, sdillard said:

    I saw one of these signs last week on I-80 between SF and Sacramento. Eech.

  28. #702802
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:23 pm, JusDreamin said:

    Holy sh..
    Signs? How about show us people actually working? I mean, actually doing something that adds value. Nope, that wasnt part of the deal. Much easier to just have a sign made up. Dipsticks.

  29. #702808
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:28 pm, cicerokid said:

    How come obumbler’s picture is not on it?

  30. #702814
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:31 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:02 pm, 24Klady said:
    Us nagging conservatives that keep howling about The Fence just need to shut up and sit down. Completion of any barrier between the U.S. and Mehico would prevent our biggest resource in cheap labor from reaching businesses that are starving for same. It would also prevent our biggest financial drain on taxpayers from reaching those entitlement offices. Think of the immigration lawyers, judges, and advocates that depend on the business of making sure that same fence never gets built. But, dang, we can make signs.

    Not to mention the fact that illegal immigration is one of the biggest reasons that California is going bankrupt!!

  31. #702817
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:38 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:31 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Not to mention the fact that illegal immigration is one of the biggest reasons that California is going bankrupt!!

    That’s racist.

  32. #702819
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:39 pm, Tazed and Confused said:

    kewl sign…whaddyathinkitcost?

  33. #702828
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:46 pm, jdubya said:

    Cool!

    Looks like the companies that make signs are going to have record sales, since each of these stinking shovel projects will need some sort of sign stating that the 45-minute delay in traffic is due to the Wrecking Act of 2009.

    To think, they have to add an additional amount of area and the graphics. This has to be a printing press for cash!

  34. #702838
    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:54 pm, NJ-Aviator said:

    For all you snow plow drivers out there… drift right when you see these signs…..

  35. #702845
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:00 pm, hunter said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 5:54 pm, NJ-Aviator said:
    For all you snow plow drivers out there… drift right when you see these signs…..

    They better hurry, haven’t you heard of Global Warming? The coasts are going to be under water the heartland is going to be a desert and all the polar bears are going to be dead because of cow farts!

  36. #702868
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:18 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    jdubya said:
    Cool!

    Looks like the companies that make signs are going to have record sales, since each of these stinking shovel projects will need some sort of sign stating that the 45-minute delay in traffic is due to the Wrecking Act of 2009.

    Me – I’m goin’ into the manufacturing of shovels business!

  37. #702873
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:24 pm, Lumberman said:

    Twenty three years ago my wife worked for a county sign department in Florida. I ask her what a sign like that might cost (not installed) and she said “a lot”. Pressing her she estimated back then it would cost over $500.00. What with inflation, that sign would probably cost “a lot more”. We’re putting money back into the economy one sign at a time!

  38. #702874
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:26 pm, traveler49 said:

    I saw one of these signs on Hwy 26 near North Plains , Oregon. They are starting to work there albeit very slowly. The thing that I’m suspicious about is that the state was probably already planning to do this work and had funded it. Obama will slap a sign on every road project in America in order to get elected again, no matter what and when his involvement in said road project. I mean, it’s not as if there was no road construction going on all summer long nearly everywhere you drive before Dear Leader came along.

  39. #702882
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:38 pm, txvet2 said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm, Excessive Moderate said:

    Speaking of shovel-ready, isn’t there a border fence that needs completing?

    They were working on it, but they had to stop when somebody found out that the crews were all illegals.

  40. #702883
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:40 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah, can someone please correct the orange and black graphic at the top of the sign and add a sombrero to the guy shovelling tax dollars down the sheitter . . . . hopefully they’re building a new yellow brick road for that Gee Dee Leprachaun, Robert Reich.

  41. #702886
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, Jeff said:

    I’m feeling stimulated already…
    sarc

  42. #702887
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, corona said:

    At least they took the wrapping off the sign – five weeks and counting …

  43. #702888
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:44 pm, txvet2 said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:26 pm, traveler49 said:

    Ohio’ll use it as an excuse to start working on I-90 again. Just when I have to go back to NY.

  44. #702890
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:47 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah, is there an America Recovery and Reinvestment Act Sign that goes on the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act Sign since the sign guy made a wad of dough putting this crap up in the first place?

  45. #702892
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:48 pm, Jeff said:

    The lower corner of the sign needs explanation…

    The logo for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program may feel a little corny, with its tiger stripes.

    MAY ?

    WTH

  46. #702894
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:50 pm, Jeff said:

    Here is entirely too much info on how these signs are made.

    http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/arrasigndetail.pdf

    This is PDF

  47. #702896
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:53 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah how much cash is going towards astroturffing and marketing all the stimulus cash/shovel ready projects? I’m sure that’s all been outsourced to folks and ad agencies in Chicago and being monitored by dummycrat polsters to see if its all hitting the mark.

  48. #702899
    On May 18th, 2009 at 6:56 pm, happy2behere said:

    RC – I no longer drink alcohol, but I’m with you in spirit.

    Hey, does anyone know if we threw water balloons at those signs, could we get charged with defacing public property? I’m thinking I want to make some kind of statement on those signs, yet without breaking the law.

  49. #702902
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:05 pm, letget said:

    In my tiny S TX town, ‘men’ working means twenty are there and one is shoveling a tiny bit of road work. It is everywhere at the taxpayers expense.
    L

  50. #702907
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:25 pm, txvet2 said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:05 pm, letget said:

    In my tiny S TX town, ‘men’ working means twenty are there and one is shoveling a tiny bit of road work. It is everywhere at the taxpayers expense.

    The one working is the legal resident.

  51. #702910
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:38 pm, brad_sk said:

    But this display is at least better than “Mission Accomplished” banner, hypocrite Malkin. Not that I approve of either but just feels good to show your hypocrisy.

  52. #702914
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:41 pm, Jeff said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:38 pm, brad_sk said:
    But this display is at least better than “Mission Accomplished” banner,

    The difference was, the Iraqi army HAD been defeated…Do you think any part of this recession is over yet ?

  53. #702915
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:43 pm, Jeff said:

    The fact that Iran decided to ‘push’ the envelope by meddling was not a surprise to me.

  54. #702918
    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:45 pm, txvet2 said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:38 pm, brad_sk said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 7:41 pm, Jeff said:

    In any event, that sign referred to the fact that the carrier was finishing its tour of duty in the Gulf anyway. It wasn’t Bush’s sign.

  55. #702926
    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:00 pm, thefoundingfathers said:

    Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Clogging up the scenery and breaking my mind. Do this and don’t do that can’t you read the sign!

  56. #702928
    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:02 pm, sgcwi said:

    If you look at the bottom of the sign you’ll see where they cut an old sign off and then had to scarf it together instead of measuring the old post and make it fit proper or just cutting the old post off and starting again.They even had to drill holes for the tranverse bolts. i’ll bet the poles on the sign are the “tops” of the old sign.
    And that is how they are going to re-invest by using old stuff and pocketing the money they save.

  57. #702932
    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:07 pm, Jeff said:

    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:02 pm, sgcwi said:

    I believe, that’s called re-investing in America.

  58. #702933
    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:12 pm, Jeff said:

    The “ARRA” signs are to be mounted on one (1) 4″x6″ wood post for the 36″
    wide signs and two (2) 4″x6″ wood posts for the 48″ wide signs. The post
    installation is to be as shown on TE712 without the use of bracing, guy wires,
    or tie-downs. The “ARRA” signs may also be mounted on skids. The mounting
    heights and lateral offsets are to be as shown on TE714.

    Well now, at least they are recyclable.

  59. #702943
    On May 18th, 2009 at 8:47 pm, threeCents said:

    Can we protest by putting the alternate wreckovery.org logo over the other one?

  60. #702956
    On May 18th, 2009 at 9:45 pm, flmom said:

    brad_sk said:

    Well now, aren’t you special. You’ve pointed out a Malkin ‘hypocrisy’. Three cheers for you. Meanwhile, I hope you feel just as special when the IRS come looking for those extra dollars they’ll need to fund all these wonderful make-work projects. Yes, sir, you showed Ms. Malkin.

  61. #702958
    On May 18th, 2009 at 10:05 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    maybe some enterprising person could put MM’s sticker over that one…it would be more appropriate…lol

  62. #702961
    On May 18th, 2009 at 10:16 pm, jangar said:

    I’ve got something shovel-ready out back…right behind my yellow lab.

  63. #702962
    On May 18th, 2009 at 10:17 pm, Azygos said:

    I’m with threecents, print some wreckovey stickers and placce them over the logo. Not likely to get a ticket for that because they can just pull them off. Throwing a balloon with paint in it will probably get one a ticket.

  64. #703034
    On May 19th, 2009 at 6:58 am, torabora said:

    I remember seeing the lighted up in the night Bill Clinton President sign on the Arkansas border.

    It was full of bullet holes.

    Just sayin’

  65. #703234
    On May 19th, 2009 at 10:50 am, cheapseat said:

    hey, this is spreading that wealth around, as that sign cost roughly 27 million dollars to think up (consultant @ $20,ooo,ooo.) and hollywood production crew to design ($5,000,000), and american federation of nosepicking government workers to erect the sign, (2,000,000.) so we all just need to chill, send in the check, and thank lord obama he is keeping the economy humming.

  66. #703342
    On May 19th, 2009 at 12:05 pm, sonofdy said:

    I’m with threecents, print some wreckovey stickers and placce them over the logo. Not likely to get a ticket for that because they can just pull them off. Throwing a balloon with paint in it will probably get one a ticket.

    Its called freeway blogging?? And the lefties estabilished that it is quite legal.

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