Obama to Fix the Economy by Changing the Lightbulbs

President-Elect Barack Obama, in a radio address, announced his plans to revitalize the U.S. economy through massive investments in public infrastructure projects.

Why am I more scared and dubious than ever about the prospect of four years of President Obama?

Obama plans to kick-start the economy by "investing" in roads and bridges, "moderniz(ing) and upgrad(ing) school buildings," requiring "every doctor’s office and hospital in this country (to use) cutting edge technology," making sure "every child should have the chance to get online," and making "public buildings more energy-efficient."

Call me skeptical, but if one doesn't happen to work in IT or construction, how does this plan help?

How does making sure Johnny can access his My Space page at school help the nearly 10% of homeowners facing foreclosure?

How does making Johnny's school greener help avert the "deepest and longest recession since World War II"

We need to ...save or create at least two and a half million jobs, Obama announced, so that the nearly two million Americans who’ve lost them know that they have a future.

Fuzzy math aside, if I were an unemployed accountant in Dubuque, what in Obama's plan will make me believe I will be able to find a job any time soon? What is in the plan for the out-of-work factory worker in Omaha, unless she makes high-speed network components? What about the retail-store owner in Bangor?

Obama mentioned nothing about taxation in address. No mention of tax cuts to stimulate the economy nor tax increases to pay for this massive project, estimated by Sen. Charles Schumer to cost upwards of $700 Billion.

Does Obama still plan to "cut" taxes for "95%" of American citizens, as he has often claimed? Is there any plan to cut the second highest business taxes in the world?

More troubling, perhaps, is the "use-it-or-lose-it" threats behind Obama's economic spending plans. “If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money,” he said.

While designed to get the money flowing quickly, forcing the states to quickly spend all funding can only result in the states spending millions on projects that are not necessarily needed at the time. States will blow the cash on unnecessary pork projects before ceding it back to Washington.

And how will he pay for these grandiose plans? By increasing the deficit, of course.

"If you're going to run deficit spending, then it better be in rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our sewer lines, our water system, laying broadband lines," he told CNN's Rachel Maddow last month.

Fear not, Obama's plans will save money in electricity by "installing efficient light bulbs." Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world, " he laments. "We need to change that."

Obama, the lightbulb change we need.

But, as usual, Obama keeps his goals modest, claiming that his plan "won’t just save jobs, it will save lives." There is no hubris in this man, is there?

While improving roads and buildings are laudible goals, having infrastructure improvements as the major (only?) components of his economic recovery plans is laughable.

If you are expert in screwing in lightbulbs, Obama has a job for you...