Back to the Future? by Mona Charen on National Review Online

Folsom reminds us that it was a series of political decisions by very politically minded men. Political motives often determined where federal money was spent. The New Dealers wanted to relieve suffering. But the suffering of those in solidly Democratic states like the Deep South was less urgent to them than that of those living in swing states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. WPA workers often complained of pressure to contribute to the Democratic Party. Journalist Lorena Hickok noted that Pennsylvania was “honeycombed with politicians all fighting for the privilege of distributing patronage.”

As economic policy, the New Deal was a dismal failure. But here’s what keeps Republicans up at night: As a political strategy, it proved very effective.

It won’t this time, because the bulk of the money is going to states already solidly Democrat - California, Michigan, Illinois, New York, and so on.

All this will do is further motivate GOP states to resist the Dem onslaught, and tip some of the swing states toward the GOP, once they understand how badly they are being screwed.

Submit to Stumbled Upon!