Cash for Clunkers-> Textbook Broken Window Fallacy
This seems unfortunately familiar:
Political capitol is nearly always gained from seeing immediate results. You can be fairly certain that the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka. Stimulus plan) will garner the same results.
The federal government is seen as doing something about the economic downturn. The public see all sorts of impressive looking projects. For instance, in Eugene, road crews are stringing up a massive suspension footbridge over Delta Highway.
Here are a few questions that should be asked:
Are people adding up a cost/benefit for the city to have a footbridge in this particular location?
Is anyone wondering what happens to the bridge workers jobs when the project is completed, or with whose money their current salaries are paid?
Does it really matter that the bridge basically goes from nothing, to nowhere?
What alternative things would taxpayers have spent their money on, had they the choice?
