Shoveling Scheisse

On December 7, 2008 president-elect Obama sat for an interview with Tom Brokaw on "Meet the Press". He made the assertation that when he had met with the (state) governors, all of them have projects that are "shovel ready".   And so, a talking point was created, and Obama referred to "shovel ready" jobs every time he could.  USA Today, in an article about that interview, said that Obama's plan included spending on what he called "shovel ready" projects. In December 2008 as Obama announced who would make up his energy and environment teams, he said they had "shovel ready" projects all across the country and the MINUTE he could get the funds to the state level, jobs were going to be created. Also that month, when he announced his Secretary of Education, he said his economic team was shaping a bold agenda to create 2.5 million new jobs with "shovel ready" projects.

In January, 2009 Steny Hoyer, the Senate Majority Leader took up the mantle of "shovel ready" jobs by saying that projects that are felt to be "shovel ready" . . . is the objective of the administration and ourselves.

On January 25, 2009 The Economic Populist reported  "now Congress is trying to ascertain which jobs would be ready to go, "shovel ready".

In February, 2009 Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior proclaimed that with wise investments in "shovel ready" conservation projects people could be put back to work IMMEDIATELY.

On February 9, 2009 National Public Radio said that as Obama urged Congress to pass the $800-billion-plus stimulus package, one of his favorite selling points is the thousands of projects nationwide that he calls "shovel ready"; but there is no fornal definition for "shovel ready" and the Federal Highway Administration doesn't use the phrase.

In March, 2009 at the Progressive Governance Conference in Chile, Joe Biden announced that the Recovery Act provided a jolt to the economy by implementing "shovel ready" projects.

On March 3, 2009 United Press International (UPI), in an article declaring "shovel ready" jobs already on the move, quoted Obama as saying that the stimulus provided money that every state could start using IMMEDIATELY to put people back to work. Obama asserted that just 14 days after signing the stimulus bill, shovels were already hitting the ground.

In June, 2009 Joe Biden, speaking in California, said the administration wants to get "shovel ready" projects out the door as quickly as it could.

On September 9, 2009 Florida Today ran an article asking Where Are the "Shovel Ready" Jobs?

On October 14, 2009 The Journal of Commerce has Obama saying "shovel ready" may not provide the quick boost for jobs . . . The term "shovel ready" doesn't always live up to it's billing. (The first shadowy form of the handwriting on the wall.)

On October 27, 2009 the website American.com reported that many "shovel ready" jobs are still tied up in administrative red tape.

By July 9, 2010 with job loses multiplying and the unemployment rate skyrocketing, Politifi quoted Obama as saying he learned one of the biggest lies in government is the idea of "shovel ready" projects. (The handwriting on the wall is becoming clearer, and it's a lie Obama put into motion.)

On August 19, 2010 The Daily Caller told us most of our money has gone to unions and government employees (no scheisse!) instead of to "shovel ready" jobs.

On September 9, 2010 The Washington Examiner reported that Obama has asked Congress for another $50,000,000 for an Infrastructure Stimulus to overhaul America's transportation networks, with "shovel ready" projects.

On September 23, 2010 the Los Angeles Daily News surmised that "shovel ready" apparently meant that work starts up to a year after the money is approved. About that time, the story hit the news that Los Angeles City and County had spent their $111,000,000 in stimulus funds to create 55 jobs.

On October 11, 2010 Congress.org tells Obama we are still waiting on the "shovel ready" jobs from your first stimulus. (Background: wikipedia breakdown of the original stimulus bill shows $105.3 billion was designated for infrastructure "shovel ready" projects)

On October 13, 2010 the New York Times was told by Obama there's no such thing as "shovel ready" projects, in effect saying the stimulus failed and there are no jobs waiting to be filled. (Now we can clearly see the handwriting on the wall, and it's not a pretty sight.)

America has been led down the path to the manure pile at the end of the garden. I heard somebody the other night use the nickname "Obamable Snowman" explaining he used that term because Obama is so good at snowing people (America, in this case). Apparently, Obama started one big snow job when he first used the term "shovel ready" and, while alluding to it a couple of times in the ensuing months, he finally admitted to the country yesterday that there is NO SUCH THING AS "SHOVEL READY" PROJECTS. Which is a fact that a lot of us who have watched from afar, the tragedy that is transforming America into a caricature of what it used to be, have already recognized. We've been had by a first rate con artist. By the way, "scheisse" is not another word for "snow". This mess is the worst the American economy has ever been in. But I can see November from my house and there's an avalance coming. America, use your vote and start digging.

One shovel, One vote