Cost of Stimulus Guarantees Little (Editorial)

The United States undoubtedly soon will have some sort of economic stimulus package.

The package that will pass Congress will certainly contain elements that we dislike and could do without.

For example, that $200 million for beautification of the National Mall — later removed, thank goodness. Or those new alternative-fuel vehicles for federal bureaucrats, a provision of the original House bill.

Republicans in the House, voting against the measure, refused to give it any bipartisan gloss.

They see the plan as the manifestation of a liberal Democratic agenda, an agenda Democrats had failed to get through Congress during the past few years. With Democrats now in solid control, however, the measure will proceed.

Despite our qualms, we know that what some may see as pork, others perceive as an economic stimulus.

To someone in New York, money for Arkansas may appear porcine — and vice versa.

And we know that even pork projects can help stimulate local economies.

With the recession showing no signs of a quick turnaround, we think Arkansas and the nation need some kind of stimulus effort.

Some economists are arguing that the stimulus package will not work and could even make things worse. They could be right.

Usual cures for a flagging economy — deficit spending, war, tax cuts and rebates — were all in the mix even before the bottom dropped out last fall.

It’s hard to determine just how much all the money poured into bailing out the banks has helped.

And the stimulus checks sent to Americans last year clearly didn’t create long-term improvement.

Will President Barack Obama’s new stopgap spending plan being rushed through Congress turn things around as intended?

There’s no guarantee — of course, there never is — but we certainly hope so.