LETTER FROM WASHINGTON:

Noting stimulus gains — cautiously

Administration does a little PR on the number of jobs saved in Nevada, elsewhere

Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.

More Sun politics coverage

Politics: The Early Line

Washington — Those green shoots that economists optimistically saw poking through the economy’s parched soil in the summer have not much sprouted in Nevada.

If anything, Las Vegas’ tourist-dependent economy continued to nose-dive, taking the service-based economy down with it. Housing construction, the other major driver of economic activity in Southern Nevada, packed up long ago.

Unemployment continues its seemingly unstoppable march — it was 13.9 percent in September. That’s twice what it was one year ago.

If all of the state’s jobless lived in one place, they would make up Nevada’s fifth largest city.

So it was with very bridled optimism that White House advisers got on the phones late last week to suggest that the administration’s economic policies are working to end the slide that has come to be known as the nation’s Great Recession.

The economy remains on the forefront of most voters’ minds, and whoever is credited with improving conditions for suffering households — or blamed for not doing enough — will surely be judged in next fall’s elections.

This was the White House message machine at work, trying to shape history in real time by showing that its efforts have helped to walk the nation back from the abyss — before its opponents could trash the results.

And understandably so, as the nation’s economic recovery, or lack thereof, is defining political futures.

This is playing out in Nevada, where the governor and his Republican allies in Washington opposed the White House’s recovery act and continue to question its worth, while the state’s Democrats in Washington say the governor has been too slow to spend the money that can put Nevadans back to work.

So on Friday, after the nation’s third-quarter growth in the gross domestic product, that barometer of fiscal health, was reported at 3.5 percent — generously in the black after so many quarters of flat lines and decline — officials took to the phones to cautiously suggest White House policies are working.

According to data the state filed with the White House Recovery Office, the money from Washington has saved or created 5,667 jobs in Nevada over the past several months — with many more to come.

Nevada saved or created 6 percent more jobs per capita with its stimulus money than the nation as a whole.

Yet with so much of the economic boost coming from government outlays — Cash for Clunkers, the homebuyers’ tax credit, the stimulus — there is a nagging concern that the gains may only be temporary.

By week’s end, the stock market virtually erased the gains it made with the heady GDP news, and consumer confidence is so low it might better be labeled consumer-lack-of-confidence: No jobs, no spending.

Job growth historically lags economic growth, but with unemployment so high in Nevada, how will we know if the recession is really over?

“The president’s work isn’t done,” said Jason Furman, deputy director of the White House’s National Economic Council, during a Friday afternoon call with the Las Vegas Sun.

“We’re cognizant of the enormous challenges ahead translating that economic growth into job creation for families.”

Congress is considering extending unemployment benefits through the end of the year, and the president wants to continue jobless aid into 2010.

The White House also gave its support last week to extending the first-time homebuyers tax credit, which has been used more in Nevada than any other state.

Later Friday afternoon, other White House officials did the calling.

Think of it this way, offered the vice president’s top economic adviser, Jared Bernstein: Even the largest stimulus package in the country’s history, which the recovery act was, “can’t fully offset the deepest recession since the Great Depression.”

Without the government assist, indications are things could have been worse.

But, he said, in a message that may shape the 2010 campaigns, “We’ve got a long way to go.”

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By its2hot

11/1/09 at 6:49 a.m.

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"Without the government assist, indications are things could have been worse."

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to sort through the lies Democrats are touting with respects to the stimulus plan. The stimulus has done nothing to help the economy let alone create jobs of substance.

Simple math is all it takes, $785 billion passed $38 billion infrastructure the balance of $747 is welfare and social programs. Exactly what jobs are being created through social programs? What jobs are being saved or created from minuscule tax credits on payroll taxes? What jobs are being created from extended unemployment benefits? What jobs are being created from housing tax credits?

Outside of the Democrats and their gene pool; America for the most part understands that Obama and the rest of the Democrats are spineless trolls and pathological liars with one goal, further desecration of America enabling their cesspool voting pool to suck off of us that do work.

Before you publish such garbage do your homework and publish only factual documents not the garbage Washington is putting out, they're LIARS and are pulling off the biggest con ever, we thought Wall Street was bad, wait until Obama and Clan are done with America, history when written about Obama, he will be known as the best con artists ever.
By SgtRock

11/1/09 at 6:52 a.m.

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Biden says the recession is over.

Wooooohooooo....the recession is over!!!!!!

We are saved!!!!!!!!
By Diamonddogg

11/1/09 at 6:56 a.m.

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The Obama admin. and Dems will pass a jobs program next year. They will do whatever it takes to improve our economy. I feel that once the health care bill is signed, the coming jobs progam will be enacted. If the Dems are smart, the jobs will be sustainable, and long lasting. The economy has to have a stronger manufacturing base. Those kind of jobs create a stronger middle class. Everybody can't be Wal-Mart workers. Wal-Mart workers can't vacation in Las Vegas. We have to good jobs across the USA to make Las Vegas a viable destination. The lack of industrial planning has made the USA declining society. If we continue, We will not be #1! We will not be the Greatest country in the World! All the sloganeering and cheerleading will not make it so.
By SgtRock

11/1/09 at 8:24 a.m.

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Hmmmmm...so you are saying that Obama and Democrats have not made jobs the number one priority.

Hmmmmm......interesting thought.
By wizardofOz

11/1/09 at 1:11 p.m.

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Diamonddogg:

"...They will do whatever it takes to improve our economy...."

While you claim they will do just that, along the way see if you can get BHO to release:

HIS COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS, and

HIS ACTUAL HAWAIIAN BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

If you can do that, I will believe you on all the rest, and will vote for him in the next election (if he gets nominated, that is...)
By wizardofOz

11/1/09 at 2:46 p.m.

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"...So it was with very bridled optimism that White House advisers got on the phones late last week to suggest that the administration's economic policies are working to end the slide that has come to be known as the nation's Great Recession...."

HERE'S THE SCRIPT THEY TOLD NEVADA'S EDU-CRAT PEOPLE TO SAY WHEN D.C. CALLED ON THE PHONE TO THEM HERE:

"...Since April, nearly $205 million in federal stimulus money has poured into Nevada's public colleges and universities, supporting about 2,100 jobs, according to a report by Chancellor Dan Klaich...."

Say What? That works out to:

$97,619 PER JOB

And that's just for "support"?

The ENTIRE system of Nevada Public Colleges and Universities NEEDS AUDITED, ALONG WITH THESE NEVADA "STIMULI DOLLARS".

They only thing getting stimulated is an EDU-CRAT's paycheck (and a long distance phone bill from D.C.).
By wegoaxleguard

11/1/09 at 8:56 p.m.

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As usual I am late to the game, but my question is this, who the hell is this moronic reporter? There have been no jobs created and the only thing Gibbons has done thank GOD is stop the states DEMO's from raising taxes.
The only jobs created (BS) is the jobs saved on wall street and the union thugs of UAW. This little girl, reporter, needs to go to her room and get a brain. And now for real thoughts.
Make it simple folks. You are were you are on the economic scale, if you want to better yourself, get rid of all of them. Any one who wants to spend YOUR money.
By judgesmales

11/2/09 at 12:37 a.m.

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Wegoaxleguard, I'll have you know that this author, Lisa Mascaro, is talented. In fact, she's the best little stenographer Harry Reid's ever had. Anytime he opens his mouth, usually to disseminate lies, Lisa Mascaro drops by his office, sits on Uncle Harry's lap and takes down every word he says, without a critical ear. Then it shows up in the Sun, sometimes within the hour.

It's like magic!