YOUR COMMENTS

Robert says that Acorn is working to restore the greatness of America. Yes helping pimps and prostitutes evade taxes and import under age girls from El Salvador to market their "goods". Robert get back on your medication, you are unraveling...
- Kyle, Bedford

Every time you see someone say "I'm not for either party," you can know two things. This person has never voted for a Democrat in their lives and they have never run for office or volunteered to improve their community in their lives. If you look at who runs the food pantries, that's Democrats. If you look at who raises minimum wages, that's Democrats. Where did Medicare and Social Security come from? That's Democrats. If you look at who registers voters, that's Democrats. That is why there is so much crap about ACORN. They are out there doing something to try and restore the greatness of America which was often created by immigrants. You screen berets should try it. A little Peace Corp. A little City Year, A little VISTA - quit the screen beret thing. Turn off the Faux Noise. If you actually knew any of the poor, you might see your ancesters in them.
- Robert, Deerfield

I think your comparison of letting people know what "improvements" their tax dollars are being spent on and the prolific advertising by the drug companies is "apples and oranges". When I drive up I-93 on fresh, beautiful hard top, I am not distracted by the Recovery sign letting me know my tax dollars are at work. When I swing through Berlin and see that the water dept. is getting an upgrade thanks to the Recovery Act, I'm not dismayed that they spent $ on the sign. Do I wish they had spent a little less on the sign? Of course. But when I get the guardrail that my town has been requesting for 10 years because of the stimulus funds....I will be sure to take a picture of me locking lips with the cool, smooth steel and they can use that at their propaganda piece.......for free!
- Liz, Milan

This is a ridiculous editorial and argument. The entire purpose of the stimulus plan is to spend money on projects to keep people working. That includes people who make materials for, produce, and install the signs.

You can argue the stimulus on principle, fine. But to cherry pick those projects that are 'worth it' and those that are not is just petty Monday morning quarterbacking.

Most economists agree on one thing - thank God we didn't listen to Republicans who said we shouldn't spend stimulus money. We could be looking at a recession that was still headed in the wrong direction. Instead, the recession looks like it may be over.

But no - don't thank Obama. He's just the president.
- Dave, Sandwich

This critique brought to you by the people who undoubtedly cheered for the Bush aircraft carrier "Mission Accomplished" banner (and special fun plane ride for the president). That was not money wasted on political messages, of course...
- VAlerie O'Gilain, Lancaster, nh

DF, Candia - You ask about the sign's purpose. Their purpose is disclosure, ie to let the public know when a given project is funded under the stimulus. I know, you could look it up. This is far easier and saves us all time.

And it should be good news to see the signs. We spend the money, so point out the progress. Alternately they let you know if a boondoggle is underway. That's disclosure. So a multi-million dollar road may have some signs. It's trivial money in the grand scheme.

The UL does NOTHING without a political motive. It knows if people see evidence of stimulus money well-spent, they may support the President. That's a no-no in Union Leader land, so quick - claim it's a huge waste of money.
- Gregory, Goffstown

Hey Mike R you did not read what I said too well. I am for neither party and think they should all get on the same team and represent all of us and stop this blame game from BOTH sides. We should try and find a solution not spend all this time trying to place blame some where. This is where we waste the most money and with unemployment so high I think we could find a better focus for us all!
- bob, Hudson

Nothing like drawing attention to "The Stimulus Didn't Work" as reported in the WSJ.

Is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 working? At the time of the act's passage last February, this question was hotly debated. Administration economists cited Keynesian models that predicted that the $787 billion stimulus package would increase GDP by enough to create 3.6 million jobs. Our own research showed that more modern macroeconomic models predicted only one-sixth of that GDP impact. Estimates by economist Robert Barro of Harvard predicted the impact would not be significantly different from zero.

Now, six months after the act's passage, we no longer have to rely solely on the predictions of models. We can look and see what actually happened.

Incoming data will reveal more in coming months, but the data available so far tell us that the government transfers and rebates have not stimulated consumption at all, and that the resilience of the private sector following the fall 2008 panic--not the fiscal stimulus program--deserves the lion's share of the credit for the impressive growth improvement from the first to the second quarter. As the economic recovery takes hold, it is important to continue assessing the role played by the stimulus package and other factors. These assessments can be a valuable guide to future policy makers in designing effective policy responses to economic downturns.

And according to some reports, we can look forward to another dump in the real estate market due to the next ARM adjustments.
- R, Raymond

Joel of Keene says "wages [are] effective as stimulus. Much ado about nothing." Move On. Joel, look up Bastiat's example about the vandal who shatters a window--and thereby "stimulates" lots of trickle-down economic activity. Neither this vandalism nor the vandalism of the Obama stimulus bill is a healthy economy, despite producing statistics that fakes one, and neither produces wealth. This is the point of an economy, not stuffing cash in the pockets of union sign-carriers between elections. We have known this for centuries, until we forgot it and elected a "community organizer"--that is, vandal. So, Bobby R., stealing cash (from taxpayers or from our grandchildren) and spending it is NOT "bettering our state."

To those to whom this sounds partisan, I said the same thing (in the printed edition) about the first (2002) Bush "stimulus." But an accelerated tax refund at least lets the people decide how to spend the fake wealth, instead of the SEIU.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Bob, Hudson..

Right on! I dislike Republicans equally with Democrats, but unfortunatley we don't have much of a choice other than Bad or Worse...
- The Other Jake, Manchester

I'm surprised that Shaheen was with Gregg on this one. Good for her.
- Jim, Manchester

And all of this surprises who? Nothing that comes out of this congress would surprise me. I suspect there are more surprises on the way!

As a citizen, I have lost all faith in our congress. They completly lack commonsense, and are only concerned with remaining in office and increasing their over the voters!
- Rick Szczesniak, Flint, MI

Where were you people earlier this decade when Republicans controlled the White House and Congress and sent out letters telling taxpayers that their tax cut checks were part of President Bush's 2003 tax cut package?
That cost about $33 million.

However, if that sign money is going to New Hampshire shops and being built by New Hampshire citizens, then I don't have a problem with it. At least the money is going into our economy.

The truth is that both parties like to advertise their "triumphs" to the people so they'll get elected again.

Call a spade a spade wherever you see it - not just when the Democrat Party does it.
- Scott I., Derry, NH

The FHA is reporting today that they have only $30 billion in reserves, representing only 4.4% of the loans it insures. They are NOW moving to hire a Risk Compliance officer due to deteriorating mortage loans!! If this was not so devastating to our already teetering economy, it would be hilarious about how INCOMPETENT our government really is. Fannie and Freddie just imploded LAST year, and now the FHA thinks its a good time to hire a RISK COMPLIANCE OFFICER!

Simple mathematics cannot be argued and the math is pointing to a complete and utter destruction of our economy as we KNOW it. We cannot continue down this path. We cannot allow the government to take over more of our industries. We cannot depend on the government to protect our interests. The government is not capable of caring for us cradle to grave.

Call your Senators and demand that they support HR 1207. It passed the house and has support of 25 senators currently but Judd Gregg and Jeane Shaheen has not committed to it yet. We need transparency on the Federal Reserve. We need to understand the full extent of the damage before we can move to correct the problems.
- Kyle, Bedford

I've been traveling a lot around the state recently in the past few months, going to various summer fairs, events, and such. I really like seeing the signs, some people talk about how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a waste of money; however, it's nice to know that money is being used in something that is bettering our state.
- Bobby R., Manchester, NH

Bob of Nashua--We're tired of the reckless spending by both parties. But Obama makes Bush seem like a tightwad, which he was not. As for the project signs, they may be a waste of money; yet, on the other hand, taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent.

But given that transparency is not this administration's strongest suit, I seriously doubt that the chief function of these signs is to inform the public as to how their taxes are being spent. To the contrary, what the signs are really meant to do is put on display the "many wondrous works of Obama," while lionizing him as the man who "saved and created jobs." And that is all. Gregg has a valid point.
- Susie Nickerson, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

Sign makers have all the stimulus they need lately, printing anti-Obama signs. I agree with Judd.
- DM, Hampton

Bob in Hudson, knock it off with the whining "bbbb...but REPUBLICANS...!" Do you have any idea how pitiful that sounds at this point?

Your party is fully in control. It has controlled Congress since 2006. It controls all branches of government.

YOU own the screw-ups now. Quit blaming Republicans for your own incompetence, they're not in charge! YOUR people are, and they're making one asinine mistake after another. And they own them.

And don't worry. After the past nine months, and with what they're trying to do? In 2010, you'll be able to whine about Republicans all you want, because they'll be taking it all back. It's time for a grownup to drive again.
- Mike R., Bedford

To the editors, get off your soap box, the Republicans equally waste just as much money on other things! Time to get rid of both parties (I know it is not a popular decision). We ALL should be part of one party, the citizens of the United States. We bicker over way too much just based on our party affiliation, that is the real waste of our money.
- Bob, Hudson

This spending has got to stop. We've reached the end of the road, people. If this were your personal finances, you all know what you'd be doing.
So, here they want to fund propaganda with our tax dollars to buy our approval. Nothing they can say or do with regard to this stimulus will ever make me think it was worth doing. Economies run in cycles, everyone knows that. With or without the stimulus, things will improve. When they do, you can be sure Obama will try to take credit and certain improvements will be well time to happen before the election.
When you look at the pork and who and what was funded with this stimulus, you can clearly see who benefits, the politicians as usual. The lobbyists get what they want, the politicians get their money and cushy jobs. Vote out all incumbents next time please people!
Thank you to our dear Judd Greg for being a voice of reason amongst the vipers.
To make matters worse, I heard a radio ad last weekend advertising food stamps, the "snap" program. So, now we are advertising to have people live off government money. I do not begrudge those in need, but do we need to advertise when we are already in debt up to our eyeballs? How ridiculous is that!
- LHemy, Plaistow

How on earth could a Democrat defend this action? Please, do tell the necessity for these signs. What a joke.

Thanks Sen. Gregg and Shaheen for looking out for us.
- DF, Candia

....didnt the UL publish this same artical months ago. Slow news day people????
- Ryan, Manchester

It's mostly labor, which is paid as wages, and that's effective as stimulus. Much ado about nothing....

PS Lieberman is about as independent as Dick Cheney.
- Joel, Keene