Main Street Stimulus website - USEFUL FOR RESPONDING TO DOUBTERS.

[Dawgs]

Click on a 'view city data' button to see how many "shovel ready" jobs will be created from the stimulus.

http://www.usmayors.org/mainstreeteconomicrecovery/stimulussurveyparticipants.asp

Each city page shows how many jobs will be created, for how much, and for what type of job.

UPDATE: Click the large '"READY TO GO" Report' button to see a full report (1/17).

Today we are reporting that, in 779 cities of all sizes in all regions of the country, a total of 18,750 local infrastructure projects are “ready to go.” these projects represent an infrastructure investment of $149,758,339,126 that would be capable of producing an estimated 1,604,371 jobs in 2009 and 2010.

[ixion]

1. creating ditch-digging jobs is all well and good, but

it's not going to solve the problem.

I'm not a 'doubter' as much as I am a realist, incidentally.

[CJCRANE]

2. The economy

is just people moving around spending money, the more they move around and spend the better it is for everyone.

The US economy is predicted to contract by $1 trillion this year so where's the harm in just printing some new cash to make up for the shortfall and pumping it into jobs..?

[ixion]

5. the harm: devaluation of the dollar

which is exactly what is going to happen if we continue to borrow and/or print money.

[CJCRANE]

6. My hunch

is that devaluation won't happen (nor will inflation) because trillions of dollars have literally disappeared. When bad debts are written off that money ceases to exist. In fact many economists say the stimulus isn't enough to make up for the shortfall - $2 trillion is probably the right amount.

(This is just my hunch - and hope - I'm not an economist or expert of any kind).

[ixion]

8. I hope you're right...

I really do. I'm not wanting to walk this path, either, just as most people.

My hope is that we'll pull out of it and recover, but I'm one of those who hopes for the best and prepares for the worst.

[Dawgs]

9. "$2 trillion is probably the right amount"

You're right, and that's why this stimulus is a good start. Another three or four programs will be needed to make up for the rest.

[Dawgs]

3. What is "the problem"?

I don't think Obama, or anyone else, has claimed that this particular bill will fix all of our economic woes. They did claim that it will help create jobs. And, this site shows the specific numbers of jobs, and how much they will cost. I think that is something positive.

Confidence is what the country and economy needs right now, not pessimism.

[ixion]

4. the country needs to wake up and smell the coffee...

it's not doing so now, and false confidence is not going to make it better.

It's false exuberance (and ignorance) that got us into this mess in the first place.

[Renew Deal]

7. Sorry, but it helps solve the problem

People that dig ditches need cars or mass transit to get to work. They need equipment to do their jobs. They need uniforms. They need materials. They need food at their job sites which creates cooking, delivery, and other jobs. All of those things and more are where the money goes. It gets spread throughout the economy.

[Renew Deal]

10. I don't think all of those projects are in the stimulus.

I think those are just "ready to go" projects.