Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Economics

GOP Chief Steele on Infrastructure Spending: ‘That’s Not Creating Jobs!’

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele appeared on ABC News yesterday, and Daily Kos' Jed Lewison caught him making a pretty strange argument against federal spending to improve the nation's infrastructure.

When Steele's counterpart, Democratic counterpart, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, described "small businesses all over Virginia that are doing infrastructure projects because of" the White House's economic stimulus bill, the RNC chief fired back: "Government contract work -- that's not creating jobs!"

In fact, though the Obama administration uses a fairly shaky methodology for counting the jobs generated by transportation stimulus spending, both the transit industry and federal highway officials have found that infrastructure money is a reliable employment booster.

And Steele might want to rethink his belief that government contracting doesn't amount to job creation given that Ronald Reagan, one of his personal heroes, presided over an expansion of the federal payroll.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Traveling Without the Car

City Nerd focuses on the cities where it's easiest to get into town without a car.

December 20, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

It's pretty clear that bike- and scooter-shares reduce car trips, but it may be time to consider a subsidized or nonprofit model for car-shares as well.

December 20, 2024

Inside California’s Messy E-Bike Voucher Launch

Over 100,000 Californians tried to grab 1,500 e-bike vouchers in less than an hour. But does that mean the launch was bungled?

December 19, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Indianapolis’s Blossoming BRT Network

Austin Gibble on bus rapid transit and cycling in Indiana's capital city.

December 19, 2024
See all posts