Obama Outlines Economic Recovery Plan

Two weeks after first addressing his economic stimulus plan, President-elect Barack Obama shed more light on what he wants to do. In this week's address, he laid out plans to invest back into the nation's highways, update government buildings and schools, and expand broadband Internet use across the country.

"A massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient," which would involve upgrading federal buildings (and creating jobs).
"Making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s... If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money."
"We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools."
"Renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m President – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world."

While no spending numbers were mentioned, Obama did say, "We won’t do it the old Washington way. We won’t just throw money at the problem. We’ll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve -- by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world."

Meet the Press will have an interview with President-elect Obama tomorrow morning.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on December 6, 2008 3:13 PM

Comments [rss]

optimist

#1 Because as the messiah, he needs to be as close to the home of his heavenly father as possible to whisper the sweet, sweet lies of hope and change into our wet, presented ears.

That, and he is clearly better than all of us.

optimist

#14 Staring in internet porn to get the bread or watching it while waiting for the bread?

NannyState

Free internet porn would brighten those faces in the bread lines...

JacqueMehoff

free market smarket. the devil by any other name is still the devil. you ain't fooling no one.

I would love the gov to run all the pizza places because pizza means so much to us Americans.

Bottomless Chips

but we can't nationalize pizza hut because you elitist would favor that old guy in brooklyn.

This actually makes the free-market point.

What if the gov't ran every pizzeria, and made a standard pizza...many people would miss their old pizza joints. You have to let people choose.

And then what about those who don't like pizza and have to subsidize it?

The free-market really is benevolent and fair.

Bottomless Chips

cause the free market system has been hunky dory so far.

I think you're confused; America is not very free-market.

JacqueMehoff

sure, while we are at it, nationalize everything.

cause the free market system has been hunky dory so far.

internet access really should be free.

but we can't nationalize pizza hut because you elitist would favor that old guy in brooklyn.

blablanyc

Enough has been done already that the economy can bounce back. Seriously. The money is there ready to be lent by the banks. The banks want to begin lending money because it's the only way they can make money. Then companies will start to re-hire again.

The only thing Obama needs to do is fire Christopher Cox the SEC chair and re-instate the anti-bear raiding (uptick) rule. And we're done.

Bottomless Chips

Internet access should be free or less costly.
simplify healthcare, get it back to government administration of Medicare and medicaid. no more third party plans for those programs. I'm tired of seeing that stupid eldercare commercial. Get medicare back to being single payer, single administrator.

Can we nationalize Pizza Hut, too? Because people need to eat.

Free Internet? Give me a fucking break.

You think, off the heels of GWB and a corrupt admin, liberals would realize that smaller government is always better government.

Sadly, it's just more of the same.

Change!

Hope!

Change!

tingo

I think we should have national teeth whitening and an easier grocery-delivery system.

That, and less massive corporate bribery and rampant special interest corruption in washington.

JacqueMehoff

Internet access should be free or less costly.

simplify healthcare, get it back to government administration of Medicare and medicaid. no more third party plans for those programs. I'm tired of seeing that stupid eldercare commercial. Get medicare back to being single payer, single administrator.

fakenewyorker

high speed interstate rail from d.c./atlanta to boston would be nice.

Wza

Much success, we're gonna need it.

Toby von Meistersinger

The New Deal built stuff, but didn't fix the economy. I don't see how this is really any different other than there isn't a massive world war to end the problem.