While there was word yesterday
that he was waffling on the economic recovery package, Democratic Rep.
Dan Lipinski ultimately “voted in favor” of the bill (unlike the entire GOP delegation). He even co-sponsored an important amendment that added $3 billion for public transit funding, $100 million of which is earmarked for Illinois.
Yet when asked by the Sun-Times what he would have liked to see changed in the House bill, Lipinski picked food stamps -- yes, food stamps -- as his target:
Among other things, Lipinski said he was concerned about the bill’s inclusion of an extra $20 billion for food stamps. Some of that money could have been spent on transportation, he said.
“People are hurting, people have lost their jobs, food prices have risen, but I think it’d be better to give someone the opportunity to have a job, to create jobs, than to give them food stamps,” he said.
Lipinski’s ignorance of the stimulative effect of food stamps is inexcusable.
Every $1 spent on food stamp benefits generates $1.73 of economic activity, according to the USDA. Moody’s identifies it as the most stimulative type of spending available to the government, more than both infrastructure spending and tax cuts.
While food stamp benefits have recently failed to keep up with rising grocery costs, the House bill would increase them by 13.1 percent nationwide. In Illinois, 1.4 million people (PDF) would benefit from the provision.
A proper stimulus is going to require a balance between short-term fixes that get those on the bottom of the economic scale spending (food stamp and unemployment insurance expansions) and longer-term measures that create job growth (infrastructure and transportation improvements).
Lipinski is right to fight for more mass transit spending. But he would do well to remember that, according to House Transportation Committee chairman James Oberstar (D-MN), the amount of transit funding was cut by $20 billion to accomodate GOP-favored tax cuts for businesses.
If he's looking for a target, there it is.
Comments
Charlotte Lynn (not verified) on Thu, 01/29/2009 - 17:48
Adam, you are missing the most fun part of this story! Don't forget that Rep. Lipinski's father, former Congressman Bill Lipinski is a transit lobbyist after having served on the House Transportation Committee for many years. Rep. Lipinski currently sits on the Transportation Committee.
Connect the dots, la la la. People of a certain generation can appreciate that ;).
Ken (not verified) on Thu, 01/29/2009 - 21:48
Inexcusable conduct. Doesn't Dan get it? There are real people throughout the state and his district that depend on food stamps. They are barely making it and he would begrudge them foo? Shame on him!
Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/13/2009 - 17:49
Good for him. I knew there was a reason I voted for him.
Imee (not verified) on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 01:18
Mostly I'd be disagreeing with Lipinski. There's so many people out there relying on food stamps and other programs from the government. However, total reliance to the point where people won't even look for work thinking "oh, I'm okay being jobless, there's food from the government" is not a good thing either.
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