My point is very simple.
You claim the Stimulus did nothing to stimulate economic growth and development either in your state or across the country. You, like so many others, also claim that government should get out of the way and allow the private sector to do what it does within a free market system without interference.
Have you every heard of a company called
Texas Engineering Experiement Station (TEES)? It's an engineering research agency out of Texas. Here's what written on their "About Us" webpage:
:shock: What's this!?! A private R&D engineering company that purposely seeks out state and "federal funding" to help promote education and stimulate job growth? Unheard of!...not in the great state of Texas. They're "self-sustaining" and would never seek federal dollars.
Of course, I'm mocking you, but my point is there ARE private companies out there who do seek federal aid in order to conduct research and development to help move this country forward. Anyone who thinks this doesn't happen or even believes it should stop completely is just not acknowledging what is and has been a "partnership in this country's continuing growth and development over the centuries" - that the federal government does play a role in job growth and creation in this country. It may be through indirect means, i.e., federal grants and loans such as the $1.93M this company has received via Stimulus funds (which has managed to create 173 jobs, BTW, not large numbers for sure, but it is a R&D firm...), but it has a place and clearly this company routinely goes out of its way to secure state and
federal funding. I just think it's laughable when people such as yourself decree that the federal government should just step aside, get out of the way of the private secton, when here is a perfect example of how a private company routinely seeking federal funding - stimulus dollars no less...in the millions - to help stimulus the local, state and national economy. But let you tell it, the federal government has no place in the private sector.